Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Cream

I've been off all week.  

I mean I can't seem to keep track of what day it is.  On Wednesday I thought it was Tuesday.  To my surprise I found out it was Wednesday.  Then on Thursday I thought it was Friday.  It really, really felt like Friday. (Wishful thinking...hmm)

If that wasn't bad enough I was trying to plan a birthday lunch and kept saying that her birthday was a week from Sunday and that was the 22nd.  Which is actually this Sunday!  OMG! I thought we were a week behind and it was last week. 

 

What the heck?

So since I'm all mixed up I thought I would bring you a breakfast post that I was saving for this weekend...but I may forget what day it is!  So to be on the safe side I'll post it now and you can make them this weekend! 

This wonderful recipe for Chocolate Chip Pancakes is topped with a Cinnamon Cream.  I found this filed under my 'to make' Pinterest file and is by Paula Deen. (love her!)  It may sound like dessert, but isn't overly sweet and we just loved them for breakfast.

Enjoy them this weekend...it is almost the weekend isn't it?

Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Cream

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen

Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoon butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons, divided
1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate morsels
maple syrup, for serving


Cinnamon Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and 3 tablespoons melted butter; add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until stiff. Gently fold into batter. Gently fold in chocolate morsels.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter on hot griddle. Ladle about 1/4-cup batter for each pancake onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Turn and cook the other side. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining batter.

For the Cinnamon Cream:

In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until thickened. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon, beating until stuff peaks form. Cover and chill.

Serve pancakes with Cinnamon Cream and maple syrup.

Simple Entertaining: Deconstructed Strawberry Angel Parfait

To us summer spells Entertaining...

When summer rolls around that's what we think about most. We love to dine al fresco and take advantage of the long evenings, sitting around by the pool, or having smore's over the fire pit. The addition of friends and family just takes it up a notch and creates some of our fondest memories.  

Sometimes we grill, other times we fix something quick indoors, but we always strive to make dishes that are easy to put together, flavorful, and delicious.  This is key to simple entertaining, keeping in mind that it's not about the process of cooking, or how elaborate the dish is, or perfection...it's about the mingling with friends, the conversations, and laughter.

Being stuck in the kitchen all night while everyone else is sitting outside is not my idea of entertaining. Besides, who wants to miss the fun?

So this dessert fits the profile of easy to put together. California has so much fresh produce on hand from local farmers that we always take advantage and tend to make dishes utilizing them.  Fresh berries are in abundance right now, and I'm in a strawberry mood!

This dessert is perfect for entertaining...or just for the family. I call it deconstructed because it uses the basic ingredients of a parfait...without the parfait glass.  The simple part is that it uses the help of a pre-made angel food cake that's been torn into bite sized pieces.  To round it out you have ripe, juicy, plump strawberries and blueberries sitting among some cheesecake flavored pudding. Topped with whipped cream you have one heck of a tasty dessert! 

Easy to put together, check!  Flavorful, check!  Delicious, double check!!

Simple Entertaining...

Deconstructed Strawberry Angel Parfait

serves 10-12 (make a many or as little as you like!)

2 pkg (3/4 oz) cheesecake instant pudding

4 cups of milk

1 pre-made angel food cake

1 pint of strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/2 c blueberries

whipped cream

In a large bowl combine the pudding mixes and the milk. Stirring to combine until all pudding granules are dissolved. Place cling wrap directly on pudding to avoid a skin from forming and place in the refrigerator to set.  

Tear the angel food cake into medium bite size pieces.  Hull and slice the strawberries.  To assemble:  Place pieces of cake on each plate.  Top with about 1/4 c of pudding drizzling over the cake.  Scatter about 1/4 cup of strawberries and a few blueberries over the pudding.  Add a dollop or two of whipped cream.  Serve.

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

OH! Its summer time around here, and that means smoothie time!

I am a smoothie girl to the max! I can't think of a better drink other than iced tea that I love more because of all the fresh fruits and different flavors that you can concoct in a smoothie.

I seem to always have bananas laying around. I love bananas.  I buy them every week and never seem to eat as many bananas as my eyes tell me I can! Therefore I have that "getting ripe" bananas sitting on the counter staring at me.  I actually don't like rip bananas (I like them a little green!) so this is a dilemma for me.  The only thing good about this is that you can make banana bread, banana muffins, and banana smoothies!

This smoothie came from my love of cream pies. I love love love chocolate meringue pie and banana cream pie. There were two of my favorites desserts growing up. Mom was a cream pie expert and I got my love of pies from her. Since I can't make a cream pie right now I thought I would take the flavors of a banana cream pie and put it into a smoothie. Genius!

This smoothie is decadent and creamy and has all the flavors of a cream pie. I even rimmed the glass with crushed graham crackers to give it that extra little something. This one's a winner and it's easy to make. I'm sure you're going to love it!

Enjoy!

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

serves 2

1 large banana (ripe!)
1 c low fat yogurt, plain or vanilla
1/2 c 2% milk
2 tablespoons of crushed graham crackers (about 1/2 cookie sheet)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (if not using vanilla flavored yogurt)
1 cup of ice cubes
graham cracker crumbs (optional)

Place all ingredients from the banana to the ice cubes in a blender.  Blend until ice is crushed and drink is thick and smooth.  Pour into 2 glasses and sprinkle with graham crackers if desired.  (or dip your glass rims in water and in the graham cracker crumbs for a nice touch)  Serve with a straw.

adapted from Cooking Light