10 February 2012 1 Comment

Helen Jane’s Pancake Recipe

Each Valentine’s day, we have a special breakfast.

This has been a tradition from the early days of our marriage, and now that we have children, it seems to be the most practical solution.

We’ll exchange cards and compliments, but for the most part, it’s all about a luxurious breakfast filled with treats.

Treats like strawberry juice.

Treats like pancakes.

These are solid pancakes.
I know, I make them enough.

They’re my best and favorite pancake recipe. Not gluten free, vegan, dairy-free or particularly healthy, they are the tastiest, fluffiest, tangiest pancakes I’ve had the pleasure of preparing.

Here’s the thing about pancakes. Making them makes me feel better because I remember this rule every time I make them.

No one’s good right away.

This rule is driven home to me only because the first pancake never works. Ever.

The oil is all weird, the pancake gets too brown or underdone.
Really, the first pancake is a grody old trial pancake.

And that’s totally okay.

You don’t get judged for screwing up your first pancake, it’s expected.
And you’re still worthy of love.
Valentines day pancakes are my favorite.
Just like you.

Helen Jane’s Pancake Recipe

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups self rising flour (regular flour is also okay, you just won’t get the extra BOOST of boostery.)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup whole milk (plus or minus a little, depending on your desired batter thickness)
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
Before you start stirring, turn a medium sized sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to the pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. I use a whisk.

In a small bowl, whisk the two eggs together. Add the beaten eggs to the dry ingredients along with the one cup of buttermilk. Stir until barely combined (roughly 10 turns around the bowl with a big spoon).

Add the second cup of whole milk. Stir for 10 more turns.
Add the melted butter, stir a few more takes.

Take either a 1/4 cup or a 1/2 cup sized scoop of batter out of the bowl to make your pancakes. I like making them a little smaller so we can have more of them.

When pouring pancakes into the bowl, make the pancakes into a heart shape to show the people you love that you’re willing to do a little extra (for only free dollars!).

When the pancake begins to show bubbles on the top, it’s time to flip the pancake over.

Wait until the newly pan-side of the pancake is smooth and tan and then put on a plate in the microwave until you’re all done using up the batter.

Serve with butter and real maple syrup and strawberries and whipped cream.
If you can, procure your maple syrup from my brother Charlie, who makes his own maple syrup.
(Isn’t that amazing?)

Pancake freely!

7 December 2011 Comment

Wine Cake, Yes.

Heck, yes, wine cakes.

What a great way to use up that half bottle of white wine from the night before. Buttery, sticky it’s far more complex than you’d expect.

Just like you.

Wine Cake Recipe

Ingredients
Cake ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
1 three and a half ounce box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

Glaze Ingredients
1 stick butter, cut into chunks
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white wine

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10″ Bundt pan or grease and flour one and a half cupcake pans.

Combine the yellow cake mix, box of instant vanilla pudding, white wine, vegetable oil and all four eggs in a large bowl and beat with a well-muscled arm or (my preference) an electric mixer.

Pour the batter into your choice of pan.

If you’re going the Bundt route, put the cake pan in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Cupcakes will run you only about 20 minutes.

About 10 minutes before the cake is done, make the glaze by stirring the butter with the water, sugar and white wine over medium heat until dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to a bubbly boil. Be careful, for it is sugar and it will hurt you badly were it to spill on your skin. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Remove the cake or cupcakes from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. If using the Bundt pan, poke holes in the bottom (top) of the cake.

Pour 1/2 of the glaze into and around the holes. Let the cake absorb the glaze. If you’re working with cupcakes, remove all from the pan and set on a tray upside down. Poke holes in the bottom of the cakes and pour the glaze into your holes.

Invert the cake onto a serving dish and drizzle the rest of the glaze on top. You may need to do this in several batches. Serve and await the cheers and happy hollers.

(Whoo hoo!)

29 November 2011 7 Comments

Yellow cake mix Helen Jane style

Normally, I eschew cake mixes.
So plebian!
So yellow!
So reminding-me-of-the-regular-when-I-always-just-wanted-the-fancy!

But they’re so…
dependable.

Since I can’t just leave well enough alone, I have to fiddle with them. Especially since I made wine cake, a glorious boozy buttery yellow cake that’s a regular tasty treat common at bake sales up here. And many thanks to the internet, I was able to tweak the yellow cake mix that sat in my pantry.
(99 cents, yo.)

I made this cake for my brother’s birthday.

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Directions
Mix all the ingredients with beaters until mixed.
Bake at 380° for 25 minutes or until golden brown at the top.

Chocolate Ganache-y Frosting

Ingredients
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Chop the chocolate into teeny tiny pieces. Put in a medium bowl.
Heat the cream over medium-high heat or until just simmering.
Pour cream over chocolate.

Stir until completely incorporated.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When cake and ganache are cool, frost. Voila!

25 November 2011 7 Comments

Cranberry Bread Recipe

This cranberry bread recipe is important to our Yeager family. One of Grandma Yeager’s best recipes, my sister-in-law asked my brother out on a date while making it for a youth group fundraiser. They’ve been married over 20 years.

My brother Joe also makes this cranberry bread every year when he visits for Thanksgiving. Not too sweet, this quick bread is just the right thing for tea time.
(If we took tea time.)

Preparation IS a little fininky — what with the half slicing of the cranberries (I like to do it while watching something on Bravo). However, those little half-spheres are also what makes this bread so delicious. Really.

cranberry bread

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of one orange
2 tablespoons melted shortening
1 egg, beaten
2 cups cranberries, cut in half

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

In a small bowl or Pyrex liquid measuring cup, combine the orange juice with melted shortening. Add enough water to make 3/4 cup of liquid. Stir in beaten egg. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix enough to dampen. Fold in cranberries. Spoon into a greased loaf pan and spread evenly, making corners and sides higher than the center.

Bake at 350° for 60 minutes.
Perfection.

21 November 2011 3 Comments

Orange Cranberry Sauce Day

My affinity for cranberries comes from multiple childhood field trips to cranberry bogs. Have you ever been to a cranberry bog? They’re beautiful, mysterious places, a little chilly and a lot beautiful.

Even more beautiful? You can make this cranberry sauce the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

It’s good for up to SEVEN days before Thanksgiving. Just get this staple out of the way early and don’t even think about it until the great fridge unloadening.

Ingredients
3/4 cup of water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 orange worth of orange zest
1 package fresh or frozen cranberries (12 ounces)
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (Grand Marnier or Triple Sec or Cointreau or Patron if you’re fancy like that)

Directions
Heat the water, sugar, salt and orange zest together in a saucepan over high heat until bubbling.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the cranberries. Continue to cook until a little more than half the cranberries have burst or 5 minutes (whichever comes first).

Off heat, stir in the orange liqueur.

Easy. Cranberrypeasy.