Sunday Supper - Quinoa Patties

My Sunday Supper last evening was quinoa patties, and because Tom doesn’t care for quinoa, he had a homemade bean dip on toast which I'll post the recipe for another time. 

Quinoa Patties

Put 1/2 cup quinoa in a strainer with tiny holes, and rinse with cold water for five minutes. I have written about this process here.

Cook quinoa over a low boil for 15 or so minutes until those cute little rings form. 

Strain it in same strainer.

Sauté a small onion in a tablespoon of olive oil.

Mix together:

1 slightly beaten egg

the onion

about a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I put a slice of bread, with the crusts cut off, in the food processor)

maybe 1/4 cup flour 

Stir in the cooked quinoa.

Grease with cooking spray a fry pan, electric fry pan (my choice), or a griddle.

Spoon the mixture into the pan and press down lightly with a spatula.

Cook about three minutes and flip them gently. 

Cook on other side a little less time.

I topped mine with some homemade tomato sauce. Excellent meal. Easy and quick, most delicious, and very nutritious! 

Sunday Supper - Orange-Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

Orange-Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

Mix together:

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup white flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat together:

1 egg

1 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed  (perfect because this time of year I squeeze a glass every day. Recipe also called for zest of one orange, but I didn't use it.)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted and cooled butter (the recipe called for teaspoons, but I misread it and 2 tablespoons worked well)

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, and mix together. Don't over mix. 

Stir in one cup frozen, not thawed, blueberries.

We bought an electric frypan and it was a lot easier to use than last week's stovetop griddle. Sprayed it with cooking spray and heated it to 350º F. 

Cook until bubbles form and then flip. Cook a bit longer. 

The recipe came from 

These were excellent pancakes! Highly recommended. 

Sunday Supper - Wild Rice Buttermilk Pancakes

It's been ages since I did a Sunday Supper posting, so will remedy that this evening. I had some wild rice left over from making Wild Rice and Quinoa muffins the other day, and I had some buttermilk in the fridge that needed to be used, so I found a recipe online for Wild Rice Buttermilk pancakes. I tweaked it a bit, and the pancakes were delicious! The chewiness of the wild rice is wonderful. 

Wild Rice Buttermilk Pancakes

Mix together:

2 cups flour - 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry and 1/2 cup white

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

In a separate bowl, beat together:

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons melted and cooled butter

Stir in:

1 cup cooked wild rice

Cook on medium heat. After my electric griddle wore out, I bought one

that goes on the stove, but I think I'm going to get either another electric griddle or an electric frying pan because I've been finding this stove top edition cooks unevenly. Still, most of the pancakes turned out fine, and were excellent. 

Sunday Supper - Buttermilk Waffles

I realized that not only have I stopped writing about Sunday Suppers, I've stopped making those special, weekly breakfast-for-supper meals. Well, I'm going to start anew this first Sunday in November because both Tom and I love these sorts of suppers: waffles, pancakes, bread puddings, etc.

With Weekend Cooking on Saturdays and Sunday Supper on Sundays, it looks like Letters from a Hill Farm will be all about food on the weekends. Please do stop by for a bite to eat!

Because that buttermilk in the fridge runs out tomorrow, I chose buttermilk waffles for this return of the Sunday Suppers. The recipe comes from the Joy of Cooking.

Buttermilk Waffles

Sift together:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 teaspoons baking powder (you may wing it on that 1/3 t. - did they used to have such a measuring spoon??)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat in a separate bowl until light:
2 egg yolks
Add and beat:
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
6 Tablespoons melted and cooled butter

Combine the liquid and dry ingredients with a few swift (don't you love that word?) strokes.

Beat until stiff, but not dry:
2 egg whites
Fold them into the batter. I use a rubber spatula to do this.

Cook in greased waffle iron.

Serve with anything you wish: confectioners sugar, fruit, maple syrup. We used the latter tonight.


P.S. If you'd like more such recipes, you may scroll down to 'Letter Topics' and click on 'Sunday Supper.'

In the waffle iron

On the plate

Yum!

Buttermilk and Cornmeal Waffles

Buttermilk and Cornmeal Waffles

1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, separated
2 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup melted butter

Grease the waffle iron with cooking spray, and turn it on.

Sift the dry ingredients together.
Beat the egg yolks well and combine with the buttermilk, and then add to the cornmeal mixture, beating until smooth.
Stir in the cooled butter.
Beat the egg whites stiff but not dry and fold into the mixture.

Pour batter into the hot iron, filling each compartment 2/3 full (about 1 tablespoon of batter in each will do this).
Cover and bake 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on both sides.

This was a delicious early supper on this mid-May Sunday. We put maple syrup on top. Recipe makes four waffles.

Sunday Supper - Rice and Cornmeal Batter Cakes

Tonight's Sunday Supper comes from the same cookbook as the Philpy recipe.

Rice and Cornmeal Batter Cakes

These wholesome griddle cakes, from a common old southern recipe, make an uncommonly hearty and delicious breakfast.

1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup buttermilk (I just used milk)

In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, soda, and salt.
Stir in the rice until it is evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs and beat in milk.

Add eggs and milk to dry mixture. Stir vigorously until well blended.

Heat butter or cooking spray (I used the latter) to coat the bottom of a griddle or frypan. (I used electric frypan)
Ladle batter into pan.
I cooked four at a time, and kept them warm on a plate in the oven set on lowest temp.
Cook on both sides until nicely browned.
Serve hot with maple syrup or honey. (and of course, butter)
Made about fourteen delicious, filling, healthy pancakes.

Sunday Supper - Yogurt Waffles

This recipe comes from Stonyfield Farm. Before we began making our own yogurt, this was the only brand we ever bought. The note on my recipe card says, "excellent. first made 9-24-06." And it is still true today. These are wonderful waffles.

Separate 3 eggs.

Whisk together:
3 egg yolks
2 1/4 cups plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon honey

Stir in:
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup melted butter

Sift in:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat well, cover bowl, and let sit for 15 minutes.

Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold into mixture. If too thick, add 1-2 Tablespoons milk.

Cook in waffle iron.

Sunday Supper - Aebleskiver

I found this great pan in the local kitchen store and thought Tom would like it for Christmas. What a success it has been. Essentially, the Danish aebleskiver pan makes round, puffy pancakes which you top with any of the usual toppings you'd use for pancakes or crepes - maple syrup, butter, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, chocolate, jam, on and on. You can use any pancake recipe, and tonight we're using one from At Grandmother's Table carrying on the Scandinavian theme.

Grandma's Finnish Pancakes

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

The notes from the book say:

These light, thin pancakes are the Finnish version of crepes suzette. They are quick to make, and most cooks have the ingredients on hand. This recipe makes 4-5 pancakes. To make 15-20 pancakes, increase both the milk and flour to 1 1/2 cups, but keep all other ingredients the same.

We did make the larger amount, and this worked just great. We ended up with 3 batches, 21 little aebleskivers.





Now, onto this nifty new kitchen pan. You grease the individual cups, pour in the batter, and then you do something different and interesting. Some people use a skewer or even a knitting needle, but not having either, we used one of the forked ends of a little knife. You kind of lift up the batter to make an edge, and then you move it around in the cup a bit, while it is cooking at medium heat. Because if I were reading this, I wouldn't have a clue what I was talking about, here is a you tube that shows you just what to do. Pancakes have never been so much fun!

Sunday Supper/Potato-Zucchini Latkes

Sorry I don't have a picture, but these are delicious! When there isn't any fresh zucchini, they are just potato latkes. :<)

Potato-Zucchini Latkes

Beat 1 egg lightly
Add 2 pounds of potatoes, grated
Add 1 onion, grated
Add 2 small zucchini, grated

Mix together 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and add to above mixture. Stir well.
Grease electric fry pan with cooking spray, and cook on medium temperature slowly until browned. I served them with applesauce and a dollop of sour cream.

Sunday Supper/Strawberry Shortcake

Yes, you read the title right. We had just strawberry shortcake for supper tonight. It was so filling we couldn't finish and shared a bit with Ben and Sadie. It is a Gladys Taber recipe.

Strawberry Shortcake

Clean and stem the berries, and mash slightly until the juice runs ruby red and sweet. Add a little sugar to taste, and warm on the stovetop.

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients, work butter in with fingertips, add milk gradually.

Roll out lightly to fit a pie tin and bake in 450º F oven about twelve minutes.

Then split, butter, drench underhalf with berries and pour the rest over the top half, add a lot of heavy whipped cream.

Serve warm for supper.

My notes:

I mixed in the butter with two knives.
I greased the pie pan with cooking spray.
I put heavy cream with a bit of honey added into the blender for under a minute to make whipped cream.
Delicious!

Sunday Supper/Lace-Edged Cornmeal Batter Cakes

I love this cookbook. The author illustrates many of the recipes, and includes little facts from the past. One of my favorite recipes, Philpy or rice bread, comes from here. We made these for the first time tonight, and they are delicious!

Lace-Edged Cornmeal Batter Cakes

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
Butter for frying
Maple syrup or honey

Place the cornmeal in an ovenproof bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let it stand 10 minutes.
Combine the cornmeal with the flour, salt, baking powder, egg, and milk in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth.
Heat just enough butter to coat the bottom of a nonstick griddle or skillet. Ladle on enough batter to form thin, 3-inch cakes. Cook until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Serve hot with maple syrup or honey.

My notes: I used the blender, and an electric frying pan sprayed with cooking spray.

You can see the lace edge here.

And these little holes will fill right up with butter and maple syrup. Yum!

Sunday Supper/Crepes

A surprising coincidence happened. Yesterday, Tom and I decided to start having our Sunday Suppers again; pancakes, waffles, bread pudding, that sort of meal. I had offered a few recipes but then for some reason we stopped making them on Sunday evenings. When we got home today, there was a comment on a posting telling me she missed the Sunday suppers. Amazing! Anyhow, tonight's recipe comes from a cookbook called Laurel's Kitchen Caring by Laurel Robertson. This is the same Laurel who did Laurel's Kitchen all those years ago.

Crepes

1 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 t. salt

Mix ingredients all together. The recipe says to let it sit, but we don't. Use a crepe pan, or a 7 inch skillet with sloped sides. Spray with cooking spray or use butter, and heat the pan over medium heat. Pour a little of the batter in the pan, then tilt and turn so the batter spreads into a thin, even circle. When the top becomes visibly dry (less than a minute) flip the crepe and brown lightly on the other side.

The cookbook says it makes about 12. We made 5. I think we have a larger crepe pan.

You may fill them with sautéed vegetables, or fruit or top with whipped cream or confectioners' sugar. Tonight we just used a little butter. Delicious any way you have them.

Sunday Supper

Not a recipe, but a picture of my goofy family. :<) We had spaghetti with sauce, and rolls for dipping in olive oil and garlic. It was so much fun.

Sunday Supper/Rice Pudding and Rice Bread

This recipe comes from my old, stained and torn copy of Moosewood Cooking. This is a perfectly wonderful rice pudding.

Rice Pudding

2 cups cooked brown rice
2 eggs
1 cup milk combined with 1 t. vanilla
1/3 cup honey
handful of raisins
1/2 t. cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/2 t. freshly-grated lemon rind
1 cup plain yogurt

Beat eggs, milk, and honey together in a blender.
Combine with cooked rice and remaining ingredients, except for the yogurt.
Spread into a buttered 8 inch square pan, and bake in preheated 350º F. oven for 25 minutes.
Stir well every 8-10 minutes during baking.
Remove from oven after 25 minutes.
It'll still be loose, but will solidify as it cools.
After it has cooled 10 minutes, stir in the yogurt.
Eat it hot, warm, or cold.

This is from my American Harvest cookbook.

Philpy (Hot Rice Bread)

1 cup well-cooked brown rice
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350º F.
Mash the rice as finely as possible with the tines of a fork. (I never do this)
In a mixing bowl, combine the beaten egg with the milk, then stir in the mashed rice.
Add the flour, salt, baking powder and stir briskly until the mixture is smooth.
Stir in the melted butter.
Pour the mixture into an oiled 9-inch pie pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and set.
Cut into wedges and serve hot with butter, jam, or maple syrup.

This supper is one of our very most favorites. I've been making both recipes for a long time, and they go well together. We call it our "rice is nice" meal.

Sunday Supper - Dark Waffle Cake

Years ago we visited the Boston Children's Museum with the kids. My favorite section was a re-creation of a 1930s-1940s house. On the coffee table of the living room was a book called Foods and Fashions of 1936, and in that book was a recipe from Gracie Allen. I copied it down, and we've made these waffles a few times. I just found the book online in one place, and it now goes for $50! This is really a dessert, but it is Sunday supper day, and anything goes, right?

Dark Waffle Cake

Cream 3/4 cup butter with 1 cup sugar.
Beat 4 egg yolks and add.
Sift 1 cup flour with 1/2 cup cocoa and 2 teaspoons baking powder.
Add to creamed mix, alternating with 1/3 cup milk.
Beat well.
Add 1/4 cup chopped nuts and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Beat 4 egg whites till stiff and add.
Bake in hot waffle iron.
Serve with whipped cream.

This is delicious, especially with a glass of nice cold milk!

Sunday Supper/Blueberry Pancakes

The New England Butt'ry Shelf Cookbook
Receipts for Very Special Occasions
By Mary Mason Campbell
Illustrated by Tasha Tudor
1968

I grew up with a butt'ry, and this old farmhouse had one, too, until we knocked down the wall and made it part of the kitchen. And though it is not a separate room now, that part of the kitchen is used just as a butt'ry would be. Here is the way it is described in this beautiful cookbook.

City people used to have pantries. The country counterpart of the pantry was called a "butt'ry." In occasional hidden corners of New England, this country room may still be found in use, but only the most old-fashioned houses, loved and lived in by the most old-fashioned kind of people, have a "butt'ry" these days.

The butt'ry (properly spelled buttery, of course) is a small room with a smell of good things to eat and a look of delicious plenty. It is located next to the kitchen in the cool corner of the house. Its window is shaded in summer by a crab-apple tree. We can watch a robin and her mate busily raising their family in the nest tucked between branches. We can reach out the window with a long-nosed watering can to give a drink to the fuchsia and begonia plants trailing their flowery stems in the dappled shade of the leaves. Through the window, we watch the lilacs and the old-fashioned roses come into bloom, and enjoy a view of the perennial border against its background of gray stone wall as its colors and patterns change from the daffodils of early spring to the last flowering chrysanthemum of autumn.

This most appealing description goes on for several pages, telling the reader of all the wonderful foods and ingredients which are stored in such a room. I have read these words many, many times and find them achingly nostalgic. They paint a picture of the physical details of the butt'ry which tell us much about how it was used, and how life was lived in older times. I love this book which is filled with receipts, the old-fashioned word for recipes, for holidays throughout the year. There are stories about the fun which was had on Valentine's Day and Easter Breakfast and the Thimble Tea and the Quilting Bee. Tonight's Sunday Supper recipe comes from Fourth of July Breakfast and it is:

Blueberry Pancakes

In a small bowl, whisk together well 1 egg, 1 cup milk, and 2 rounded Tbs. sour cream.

Into a larger bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. mace, 1 Tbs. sugar, and 1 Tbs. baking powder.

Into this dry mixture, pour the liquid and beat well with wire whisk or egg beater. Add 2 Tbs. melted and cooled butter and stir until mixed. If you like pancakes thin, add a bit more milk, perhaps 1/4 cup.

Fold in 1 cup blueberries. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto hot, lightly greased griddle. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other; turn only once.

The batter is light and delicious even without the blueberries. Serve with plenty of fresh butter and maple syrup in generous pitcherfuls. This receipt makes about a dozen pancakes.

My notes:

I used the Kitchen Aid mixer.
I used an electric fry pan sprayed with cooking spray.
I used 1 teaspoon baking powder, not 1 tablespoon. It just seemed like too much to me.
I didn't use mace.
Lastly, and most important, they taste wonderful. Utterly delicious!

Sunday Supper/Corn-Apple Hotcakes

Here is another recipe from my beloved cookbook with the long name -

Mrs. Chard's Almanac Cookbook
Hollyhocks & Radishes
by Bonnie Stewart Mickelson

The others I've offered thus far are Rhubarb Pie and Onion Rings.


The recipe begins:
For lumberjacks and Sunday mornings... serve with gobs of butter and warm maple syrup.


2/3 cup cornmeal
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon allspice (I used cinnamon)
2 large apples, unpeeled (I peeled them)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (put some lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add milk - let sit a little)
1/4 cup melted butter

Sift together dry ingredients into a large bowl. Core apples and shred or grate (I grated) them, and stir into dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs until frothy and then whisk in the buttermilk and melted butter.
Add to the apple mixture and combine.
Let rest while heating griddle.
Ladle batter on to hot, unoiled griddle to form 5-inch pancakes. Cook until small bubbles form before turning to brown other side.
Should yield 12-14 delicious hotcakes.

My notes:
I used an electric fry pan set at 325º F, sprayed with cooking spray.
The recipe made 24 pancakes.
We did indeed add butter and maple syrup.
These are really wonderful, and they made a perfect autumn Sunday supper.

Sunday Supper - Waffles

For tonight's supper I chose another recipe from The Tasha Tudor Cookbook.

Tasha Tudor's Waffles or Pancakes

The recipe begins:
Pancakes were a winter favorite with my children. Served with real maple syrup, they are heavenly. And made on the wood stove on a heavy iron griddle, they are really a treat for breakfast or supper. There was the added fun of feeding the first-cooked to the hens – "hen pancakes," they were called. We once had a Jersey cow who devoured waffles. A look of bliss would come to her liquid brown eyes as she munched. The children claimed that her milk always tasted better on Sunday nights for this reason.

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 farm-fresh eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter; melted

Sift into a bowl the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
Beat the eggs lightly in a second mixing bowl.
Stir in the milk and the melted butter.
Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and blend.

To make pancakes, spoon the batter onto a hot, greased griddle or skillet. When the tops are bubbly, turn them and cook the other side until nicely brown. Place the pancakes on warm plates and serve immediately.

To make waffles, spoon the batter into a preheated waffle iron. The waffles will be cooked when steam no longer rises from the waffle iron. Serve immediately on warm plates.

Makes 14 4-inch pancakes or 6 waffles.

My notes:
I used the Kitchen Aid mixer and the electric fry pan.
The butter was salted.
I used half whole wheat flour and half unbleached white, both courtesy of King Arthur.
I put that real maple syrup on top, and didn't even need any butter. These are so, so good!
Our waffle maker made 3 waffles, enough for supper and breakfast and maybe Tom's lunch tomorrow.

Sunday Supper - Scrambled Eggs and Popovers

It's amazing how an idea comes into one's head. Yesterday I read Robin's great post about Rosamunde Pilcher, and saw the phrase "scrambled eggs for dinner." I've been thinking about them since, so that's what tonight's supper is, along with popovers. If you are interested, the popover recipe is here.

The scrambled eggs recipe comes from a children's book called Mary Poppins In The Kitchen, and they are truly the best ever.

Scrambled Eggs

6 eggs
1/2 t. salt
1 twist of the pepper mill
3 T. butter

Break eggs into bowl.
Add salt and pepper.
Beat lightly with a fork. This is really mixing, not beating.
Melt butter in saucepan.
Pour in eggs and stir over gentle heat with a wooden spoon until they thicken.
Do slowly to give eggs time to digest the butter. Result will be creamy and buttery.
Do not overcook unless you like your eggs dry and grainy.
Stir in T. or so of finely chopped fresh parsley. (didn't do this)
Six eggs will make 4 generous servings.

My note:
We love these eggs. Butter is the secret. I did exactly as the
recipe said, and they were perfect.
PS This photo doesn't begin to do them justice.

Sunday Supper - Custard and Coffeecake

This is a perfect fall supper, and as comforting as one could wish. The custard recipe is my mom's. I copied it out years ago, and that piece of paper has all sorts of squiggle marks on it from my now 25-year-old daughter who was "helping" me bake it one day when she was very small.

Usually custard calls for scalded milk, but I never bother.

Custard

In the mixer:
Beat 4 eggs until light and fluffy.
Add 3 cups milk and beat some more.
Add 1/4 cup honey.

Pour into eight custard cups.
Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Add maybe 1/2 inch or more water to a 10 x 15 pan.
Put custard cups into the water.
Bake in preheated 325º oven for about 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs

2 cups flour
3 t. baking powder
3 t. baking soda

1 cup sour cream

Topping (and filling):
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup sugar
2 t. cinnamon

Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Preheat oven to 350º.

In the mixer:
Beat the butter, add sugar and eggs.
Add the sour cream.
While this is mixing, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and add to mixer.
Mix well.

Pour 1/2 the batter into the pan, sprinkle with nuts, sugar, cinnamon combination, add the rest of the batter, and top with the mixture.

Bake for about 40 minutes.