Easy Breakfasts: Blueberry and Strawberry Cornmeal Pancakes

A Southern take on the breakfast style pancake that's includes a dash of cornmeal along with your choice of blueberries, strawberries or both!

Blueberry and Strawberry Cornmeal Pancakes

I love a good pancake.  It's a comfort food that reminds me of sweet memories in the kitchen with mom making pancakes on the weekend.  A staple in our house is my great Aunt Grace's Farmstyle Buttermilk Pancakes.  They are a winner!  I also enjoy Pigs in a Blanket, Pumpkin Pancakes, Streusel Apple Pie Pancakes, and these excellent Banana Walnut Pancakes. 

Today we have a Southern take on a pancakes.  Some call them corn cakes or Johnny cakes as the names differ but they are the most delicious mix of a regular pancake with the addition of some cornmeal.  This produces out a light sweet pancake that has a bit of texture from the cornmeal.  A mix between cornbread and pancake.  With the addition of some sliced strawberries or blueberries topped with maple syrup, you will have one wonderful pancake breakfast,

These are easy to pull together.  You need one bowl, no mixer, no beaten egg whites....just simple and easy.  Just like it should be on a lazy weekend.  These are pancakes the whole family will love.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• butter

• flour - I used all purpose flour

• cornmeal - yellow cornmeal is often found in the US.  See Kitchen Tips and Notes for more on cornmeal

• sugar

• baking powder - this give them a nice rise

• salt

• eggs

• milk - use whole or 2%

• strawberries - I suggest using fresh strawberries

• blueberries - I suggest using fresh blueberries

• maple syrup - a great topping

Substitutions and Variations

• Milk:  try buttermilk

• Fruit:  add sliced peaches, bananas, or blackberries

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• What is cornmeal?  Coarse flour made from dried corn (maize).  It can be found in coarse, medium, and fine grinds. It can be yellow, white, or blue in color depending on the type of corn used.  Yellow is the most common type found in the US.  

• What is a good substitute for cornmeal?  
• Polenta - this is coarse and slightly gritty.  It has a similar texture to cornmeal.  I would choose this product if I can not find regular cornmeal.  You would substitute with a 1:1 ratio.  
• Corn Flour - this is a fine and smooth texture similar to flour.  This is mild and slightly sweet, with a strong corn flavor.  Good in baked goods but you won't get that gritty texture.  You would substitute with a 1:1 ratio.

• Adding fruit to your pancakes - for a more even distribution of fruit I like to add it to the top of the pancake while it's cooking in the skillet or griddle.  Adding them to the batter in the bowl usually results in getting more fruit on some of the pancakes and none in others.

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Blueberry and Strawberry Cornmeal Pancakes

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1⁄4 cup Flour
3⁄4 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1⁄2 cups milk
fresh sliced strawberries

fresh blueberries

maple syrup for serving

Melt remaining ¼ cup butter.  In a mixing bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the slightly cooled melted butter with eggs and milk. Add the liquid ingredients to dry; stir until just combined. 

On a griddle or large skillet over medium heat make pancakes by adding batter and then adding chopped strawberries or blueberries to the top.  Flip over once 1st side is golden and bubbles form on top.  Cook the second side until golden and remove.  Serves immediately with syrup.

Fall Flavors: Golden Beet and Feta Salad

Roasted golden beets and tangy feta come together in what I call the perfect autumn salad!

Golden Beet and Feta Salad

If you eat with your eyes first you'll enjoy the beautiful hue of this golden beet salad.  The deep gold colors of the beets will call to you like jewels sparkling in the sun!  Once roasted they become the earthy and sweet and so hard to resist.  I'm always waiting in anticipation for autumn to come around so I can grab a bag full of beets to roast.  Toss those with some tangy crumbled feta cheese, slices of juicy tomatoes, some roasted walnuts, all topped on a bed of spring green mix and you'll have the best autumn salad around!

I love this salad so much that I'm going to serve this as one of my Thanksgiving side dishes this year.  It's that good, that beautiful to look at, and that tasty!  I hope you try this soon and let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• spring green mix

• golden beets

• Roma tomatoes

• feta cheese - I like to buy this in a block and crumble it as needed

• walnuts - whole, halves, or pieces

• olive oil

• red wine vinegar

• Dijon mustard

• garlic

Substitutions and Variations

• Beets:  Try red beets instead of golden beets

• Cheese:  try goat cheese 

• Greens:  Spicy arugula or any green or red leaf lettuce would be good.

• Nuts:  Try pecans, pistachios, or pepitas,  or leave them out altogether

• Dressing:  Use your favorite dressing or substitute balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar.  

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Feta Cheese - I always buy feta by the block.  That way I can slice it or crumble it for various dishes or as a snack with pita and cucumbers.

• Roasting beets - this doesn't have to be a messy job.  Place them in foil, no need to peel them first, and then roast.  The peel will come off easily after they are roasted and cooled a bit.  A paper towel will work wonders.  If using red beets, make sure to wear gloves as these stain your fingers and everything they touch.

• Roasting nuts - I roasted the walnuts for this salad to give them a deeper nutty flavor.  I used a dry skillet over medium heat and just let them toast for 1 to 2 minutes until they are golden.  Stir them often during the toasting period and watch them closely as they will burn easily.

• Making homemade salad dressing - don't be intimidated by making your own homemade salad dressing.  It is so easy that you'll most likely forgo store bought dressing altogether!  The best part is the taste of the fresh ingredients.  You only need a handful of items to make a dressing.  It's usually comprised of 3 parts fat (oil, mayo etc) to 1 part acid (vinegar, lemon juice) plus a small amount of an emulsifier (mustard, honey, mayo, tomato paste etc.) then you can add in some flavor enhancers (garlic, shallot, herbs) and whisk all together and you're done. 

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Golden Beet and Feta Salad

serves 4

5 oz spring green mix
3-4 large golden beets
2 large Roma tomatoes
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup roasted walnuts

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove of garlic minced
dash of salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off any leafy tops from the beets.  Scrub them and loosely wrap them in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap up the beets with the foil and roast for 45 -50 minutes.  Check the beets every 20 minutes or so.  They are done when a fork slides easily to the center of the beet.

Remove beets from the oven and allow to cool enough to be handled.  Remove the skins by using a paper towel to rub away the skins.  They should remove easily.  Slice or cube the beets for the salad.

To assemble:  In a large bowl or platter add the spring green mix.  Quarter the Roma tomatoes and place them and the beets on top of the greens.  Crumble the feta cheese and sprinkle them on top of the salad.  Add the roasted walnuts.  Drizzle with the red wine vinaigrette.

Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Skillet Sauté

Gather late summer's best produce and create this skillet sauté that will leave you craving for more!

Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Skillet Sauté

I have the perfect side dish that will be on the table in 30 minutes.  All you have to do is pick a protein to go with it and you have a well rounded meal.  Chicken, beef, pork, or fish will all work well with this side dish.

Use summer fresh corn on the cob, the abundance of zucchini which is available right now, and summer ripe tomatoes which are at their peak.  These will make the dish more flavorful when using the freshest in-season produce.  Add some aromatics like red onion and garlic and sauté them all together.  We finish with some fresh basil and voila, the dish is ready.  

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• butter

• red onion

• garlic

• zucchini

• corn on the cob

• grape tomatoes

• basil

Substitutions and Variations

• Vegetables:  add mushrooms, yellow squash, green beans

• Herbs: choose thyme, rosemary or oregano 

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Use a large skillet such as this one

• Butter provide a flavor for the dish but you can use olive oil or a neutral oil if you wish

• Great side dish for any protein (pork, beef, chicken, fish)

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Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Skillet Sauté

serves 4

3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 zucchini, halved and sliced in to moon shapes
3 ears corn, kernels removed
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup basil, chopped
salt & pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.  Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens about 3 minutes.  Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Add in the corn and the extra tablespoon of butter and cook for 3 minutes.  Add in the tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften and burst about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove to a bowl or platter and garnish with a little extra basil on the top.  Serve.

Fig Week: Fig and Goat Cheese Salad

This fresh fig and goat cheese salad is a wonderful mix of textures and flavors.  The perfect early fall salad!

Fig and Goat Cheese Salad

The last installment of my Fig Week recipes ends with a simple salad that is a mixture of textures and flavors.  Fresh figs, creamy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts, sit on a bed of green leaf lettuce.  The combination can't be beat. You have sweet and savory flavors that all pack a punch.  Top it with a simple balsamic vinaigrette and you have a wonderful salad perfect for the transitional season to fall.  

It only takes minutes to throw together this salad but the payoff is immense in flavor.  It would be great for a light lunch or as a side dish to grilled steak or chicken.  We had this for lunch the other day with some crusty bread for lunch with a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc eating alfresco and enjoying the afternoon.  Such a wonderful meal.  Hurry to the store while the figs are in season (it's a short season) and grab some to make this excellent salad.

Enjoy! 

What Ingredients do I need?

• Green Leaf Lettuce 

• Fresh Figs - In season now.  Find them in stores or at a farmer's market

• Goat Cheese 

• Walnuts 

• Creamy Balsamic Dressing- I used Brianna's brand

Substitutions and Variations

• Cheese: Try a flavored goat cheese or switch to feta cheese 

• Greens: switch to red leaf lettuce or try arugula 

• Nuts:  Try pecans or pistachios 

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Make as much or as little as you need by adjusting the ingredients accordingly. 

• I love Brianna's Creamy Balsamic Dressing.  It has great flavor without all the bad stuff, plus its non-dairy, gluten and soy free.

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Fig and Goat Cheese Salad

1 head of green leaf lettuce, chopped
6-8 figs, stems cut off and quartered
1/3 cup walnuts
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Creamy Balsamic Dressing

In a large bowl or platter add the lettuce and top with the figs, walnuts, and goat cheese.  Drizzle with balsamic dressing and serve.

 

Fig Week: Fig Flatbread

Try this sweet and savory flatbread that has an unexpected topping of fresh figs, crumbled goat cheese, arugula, and a drizzle of heavenly balsamic glaze.  Not your ordinary thin-crust pizza!

Fig Flatbread

If you aren't lucky enough to have a fig tree in your yard (or a generous neighbor) make sure to go to the farmer's market and grab a few pounds of ripe figs and make this wonderful Fig Flatbread.  

Store-bought flatbread topped with sweet figs and crumbled goat cheese  make an extraordinary thin-crust pizza.  A drizzle of tangy balsamic glaze and a handful of peppery arugula give this a beautiful and flavorful finishing touch.  

This is one of the easiest pizzas to make and the taste is phenomenal!  I use some of the figs and bake them on the flatbread with some of the cheese and they turn out roasted and jammy.  Then I add the remaining fresh figs on top along with more goat cheese, arugula and get a fresh salad like pizza.  Soooo good!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Flatbread - store bought is great - see kitchen tips and notes for my favorite choices

• Fresh figs

• Goat Cheese

• Arugula

• Balsamic Glaze - see kitchen tips and notes for my favorite choices

Substitutions and Variations

• Add spinach instead of arugula

• Buy store bought pizza dough and roll out really thin instead of purchasing flatbreads

• Try feta instead of goat cheese

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Flatbreads:  use store-bought naan or flatbread.  Stonefire and Brooklyn Bred are both great brands

• Balsamic glaze - this is balsamic vinegar that has been reduced which gives it a condescended flavor and thickness. Brands - Colavita, Trader Joes, Roland Foods Glaze of Modena

• Make individual flatbread for each person or make 1 or 2 large flatbreads

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Fig Flatbread

1 pkg store-bought Flatbread (individual size or large size)
6 figs, thinly sliced crosswise
8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup (large handful) arugula
1/4 cup balsamic glaze


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Take the store-bought flatbreads and place them on a baking sheet. Top the flatbread with 1/3 of the fig slices and the cheese. Bake about 10 minutes until the crust is slightly browned. Remove from the oven.

Top the flatbread with the remaining figs, arugula, and cheese. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Serve.

Fig Week: Fig Crostini

Sweet and succulent figs are sliced and are the crowning glory to toasted Crostini layered with honey ricotta.  Heaven on toast!

Fig Crostini

These teardrop shaped succulent fruit are coveted by many.  My fig tree is full of figs this year and we just harvested the first round of ripened fruit.  Figs aren't actually a fruit but are inverted flowers.  But technicalities aside these are some of the most popular fruit of the Mediterranean and most of the US production of figs are grown in California.

Figs have a unique taste.  Their flavor is deep and rich, and concentrated like honey.  They are sticky sweet with a jammy pulpy interior.  When eating figs you should slice off the woody stem but you can eat the thin skin and the flesh inside.  Once you have a nice ripe one you will be looking forward to fig season each year.  You will see them in stores now but, act quick as you can only get these little gems during a short window with the fall figs peaking in September.  

I'll be doing a week of fig recipes from my first batch and may throw in a couple of more in the weeks following as my remaining batches ripen.  Today's recipe isn't really a recipe at all but it is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh figs.  Toasted Crostini is topped with honey sweetened ricotta cheese and topped with slices of ripened figs, then drizzled with a little more honey on top.  The best breakfast, snack, or charcuterie items by far!  

Below I gave you the ingredients and the process.  I'll leave it up to you as to how many you make and the amount of each ingredient as this can be personalized.  Use as little or as much as you like of each ingredient.  I hope you go buy some and enjoy the treasure that is a fig.  It truly is a wonderful fruit.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Fresh figs

• Ricotta cheese - either skim or full fat work

• Honey - use your favorite kind

• Bread - You can use an Italian Country loaf or a French Baguette to make the crostini

• Olive Oil - use extra virgin for the best flavor

• Mint - optional but definitely a plus as a bright topping

Substitutions and Variations

• Cheese:  try mascarpone or even cream cheese instead of the ricotta

• Drizzle:  try a balsamic glaze instead of the honey

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Toasting the bread:  The traditional way is to rub olive oil on both sides and toast the slices in the oven until crisp.  If you don't want to do that you can follow the same process with the olive oil but toast it in a skillet on the stove.  All else fails you can use a toaster.  They all work!

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Fig Crostini

Sliced Italian Country Bread or French Baguette

Olive Oil
Honey
Ricotta Cheese
Figs
Mint (optional garnish)

Toast slices of country bread or baguette in the oven by brushing both sides with olive oil and placing them on a sheet pan.  Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Take the ricotta cheese and place in a small bowl.  Add in a small amount of honey and whip the ricotta to incorporate the honey.

Slice the figs by cutting off the stems then quartering the figs.

To assemble the Crostini:  take the Crostini and spread a good portion of honey ricotta cheese over the top.  Layer on the slices of fig, add leaves of mint as garnish if you choose, and drizzle some honey over the top.

Grilled London Broil with Grilled Nectarine, Corn, Tomato, and Burrata Salad

Two killer summer grilled dishes to enjoy featuring marinated grilled London Broil and a fresh salad filled with summer produce and burrata cheese!

Grilled London Broil with Grilled Nectarine, Corn, Tomato, and Burrata Salad

Here's another quick 30 minutes "summer" meal!  London Broil is on the menu today and we will be marinating and grilling this large cut of meat.  (see below for more on London Broil)  I've got a fantastic marinade that enhances the beefy flavor but is also great on chicken and pork.  It's a quick marinade that you can do on the counter while you are getting salad ready.  

The other fabulous part of the meal is the salad.  Sometimes the most delicious salads are the easiest to assemble.  By grilling nectarines and corn you bring out their natural sweetness.  Add in some wedges of tomato, chopped green leaf lettuce, and tear up a couple of balls of burrata cheese to make this heavenly salad.  Top it with an easy balsamic vinaigrette and you have one heck of a salad.  I mean the flavors...I am obsessed with this salad!

Enjoy!

What is London Broil?

London Broil is typically a large cut of beef that is very lean and often tougher than other cuts of steak.  To combat this you need to keep the cooked temperature on the rare to medium side and slice the cooked meat across the grain in to long strips.  This will cut the connective tissues and make the meat tender to the bite.  It has a wonderful meaty flavor and since it is a large cut of beef (between 1 - 2 pounds) it will feed several people.

What Ingredients do I need?

London Broil and marinade:

• London Broil

• olive oil

• balsamic vinegar

• soy sauce

• Worcestershire sauce

• garlic cloves

• red pepper flakes

• Italian seasoning

Salad:

• nectarines

• tomatoes

• green leaf lettuce

• corn on the cob

• burrata cheese

• olive oil - extra virgin is best for a dressing

• honey

• Dijon mustard

• garlic cloves

Substitutions and Variations

• Cuts of Protein:  use this marinade on different cuts of meat such as chicken or pork.

• Can't find London Broil?  try a flank steak or a Top Sirloin

• Stone Fruit:  substitute the nectarines for peaches or plums

• Greens:  change up the greens for romaine or red leaf lettuce

• Cheese:  swap out chunks of balls or mozzarella for the burrata cheese

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• London Broil: most stores carry a type of meat they call London Broil.  This may be some sort of top round.  If unavailable use a flank steak instead.

• Cutting the Steak:  check the steak to see which way the grain is running then cut across it slicing in thin strips on an angle.  Example if the grain is running horizontally along the length of the steak you need to slice vertically in thin slices across that horizontal grain.

• Use fruit that is moderately ripe:  fruit should be slightly firm so that it holds up on the grill.  The grill will caramelize the sugars in the fruit and make is break down.  If  you are using really ripe fruit it may become mushy when grilling.

• Cut the nectarines in quarters:  You want larger slices so that the fruit doesn't fall through the grates and even if using a grill pan smaller slices tend to fall apart easier.

• Side Dishes:  I served this with some basmati rice, but roasted potatoes or even fries would be a great side dish.

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London Broil (and Marinade)

serves 4

2 pound top round for London Broil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

In a zip lock bag add the ingredients for the marinade.  Add the steak in the bag and seal, pressing out any excess air.  Massage the marinade into the steak by flipping the steak over in the bag.  Allow to sit on the counter 30 minutes while it comes to room temperature.  

Remove the steak from the marinade and grill (outdoors on indoor on a grill pan) over medium-high heat about 6-8 minutes per side for a 1 1/2" thick steak for medium doneness. (around 145 degrees).  Remove from the grill and all to rest covered in foil for 6-7 minutes.  

Slice the steak thinly against the grain.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Nectarine, Corn, Tomato, and Burrata Salad

serves 4

1 head Green leaf lettuce, chopped
2 ears of corn, shucked
2-3 nectarines, pitted and quartered
2-3 Roma tomatoes, cored, and quartered

1-2 balls of burrata cheese

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt & pepper to taste

Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake well.  Set aside.

Brush olive oil on the cuts sides of the fruit.  On an outdoor pan or indoor grill pan over medium high heat grill the nectarine slices and the ears of corn until they are browned with grill marks.  The nectarines will start to caramelize.  Remove from the grill.  Cut the kernels off the ears of corn.

Arrange salad on a platter placing the lettuce as the base.  Top with grilled nectarines, sliced tomatoes, and grilled corn.  Rip apart a couple of balls of burrata cheese on top and spread around the salad.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette.