Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Holiday Pancakes..

I always make special pancakes for breakfast Christmas morning and after finding this easy recipe I couldn't wait to Friday to try it out. The kids actually ate their entire breakfast today. I wish you could smell how amazing these are.


Holiday Apple Pancakes:

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups milk at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more as needed
  • 4 Macintosh or other small apples
  • Warm maple syrup, as an accompaniment if desired
Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Whisk 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, the sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. In small bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and vanilla extract. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large well-seasoned cast-iron or non stick skillet over medium heat. Whisk the butter into the milk mixture. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry mixture, and whisk just long enough to make a thick batter, (if there are a few lumps that's okay).

Using a melon baler or an apple corer, peel and core the apples keeping them whole. Slice the apples crosswise to make 1/4-inch rounds or O's. Put some flour on a plate and dredge the apple slices until lightly coated, shaking off any excess flour.

In the same skillet over medium to medium-low heat, place 3 apple slices next to eachother in the skillet. Cook without turning until browned, about 60 seconds. Ladle about 2 tablespoons of the batter over each apple ring. Cook, until bubbles break the surface of the pancakes, and the undersides are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add a nut-sized bit of butter to the skillet, as needed, and flip the pancakes, cook until golden on the underside, about 1 minute more.

Serve immediately or transfer to oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining apples and batter. This recipe can be found at FoodNetwork.com

Whipped Cream:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar


In stainless steel bowl that has been chilled add the cream and sugar and wisk until small peaks form in the whipped cream.

Glazed Pecans:

Add about 3 teaspoons of granulated sugar to skillet and add just enough water to wet the sugar, about 1 teaspoon. Heat the skillet over medium heat until sugar starts to bubble. Mix in 1/4 cup of pecans and and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Place pecans on wire rack to dry

Happy Holiday's Everyone!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

I Wish I Could Live Here...

It's been so long since I last posted. The Holiday's are to blame I guess. I apologize to everyone who has written emails over the last month or so. I'm starting to catch up slowly and will answer everything before Christmas. The kids and I have been so busy decorating and getting ready for Friday. They can't wait to see what Santa is going to bring them. Last night we made a Gingerbread House that I wish I could live in...

It took a couple of hours between the assembly and decorating. Waiting for the sugar to set was the longest. The kids helped me pick out the different candies that covered the house. It definitely took some patience, especially while Ella was trying to eat everything.




I was attempting to get some patterns finished before Christmas but it's not looking good. There's just too much to do this week and I won't be able to knit as much as I'd like to. I also have good news that the construction on the apartment is almost finished and we will moving in a few weeks. It has taken forever but I'm thankful the year is ending on a happy note and we're all looking forward to a fresh new start in '10.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Christmas Cloths...

It's taken a lot longer than I expected but I'm so happy to finally have finished everything. I battled with myself over which designs I was going to include in my Christmas Cloths but in the end I just couldn't leave any out. There are two different sets this month to choose from.

Here are the two different sets. I added an extra cloth in each download so there are 7 cloths in Set 1, and 7 cloths in Set 2. I can't find all of the labels to the yarns that were used at the moment but I will edit this sometime today or tomorrow and add all of the colors to this post.
I made each written pattern with a corresponding chart for the dishcloth. From the sets that I've already made, I've managed to get about 2-2½ cloths out of one ball of Lily's Sugar'n Cream Solid Yarn. Though you can use any kitchen cotton you prefer.


These were a lot of fun and fast to knit up. I think start to finish both sets were completed within aweek with almost no free time. I know they are going to make great stocking stuffers.
The pattern is available as a PDF download and priced at $3.25. You can obtain this pattern if you are a Ravelry member by clicking the "Buy Now" button below the pictures. The Christmas Cloths are also available in my Pattern Store here as a Ravelry Download. Each picture will bring you to its Ravelry page.






I should probably start working on some socks for the Advanced Knitting class I'm teaching in December. Maybe even start writing up a pattern to a baby sweater I designed last year. Or I could just sew up some quick ornaments for the tree. I think for now I'm just going to enjoy the rest of this Sunday with the family and do some Christmas shopping if its warmed up a 'lil outside. We're all finally feeling better in this house. I've also started using Twitter if anyone follows it.