Oatmeal Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

It’s hard to beat a special summer breakfast loaded with fresh berries. Similar to the muffins in my last post, the whole wheat flour and oats in the batter make this special treat a substantial meal as well.

This recipe was adapted from New York Times, contributed by Martha Rose Schulman. I decreased the batter resting time and increased the amount of blueberries. Delicious!!

• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Combine the milk and rolled oats in a bowl, and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the buttermilk and whisk together. Then whisk in the vanilla extract and the oil.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and quickly whisk together. Do not overbeat; a few lumps are okay. Fold in the oats and milk. Let sit for one hour, or refrigerate overnight. (I let it sit for 30 minutes without a problem.)
5. If necessary, spray the hot griddle with pan spray. Drop by 3 to 4 tablespoons onto the hot griddle. Place six or seven blueberries on each pancake. Cook until bubbles begin to break through, two to three minutes. Turn and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute on the other side, or until nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and continue until all of the batter is used up.
6. Serve hot with a small amount of butter and maple syrup.

Note: Keep these, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze for up to a few months.

One Year Ago:

• Dori Sanders’ Blueberry Corn Muffins
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones

Two Years Ago:

• Oven-Baked Blueberry Pancake
• Easy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Three Years Ago:

• Whole-Wheat Raspberry Scones

Blueberry & Corn Crisp

I can’t try enough crisp recipes using summer berries. This dessert was described as a “unique and textured crisp with the flavors of corn muffins and blueberry jam smashed together.” I loved the textural contrast of the fresh corn kernels in the topping with the soft blueberry filling. Yummy!

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Nicole Rucker. I used medium-fine cornmeal instead of coarse. We ate it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, of course. 🙂

Yield: Serves 8

For the Filling:

• 5 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon coarse  salt

For the Topping and Assembly:

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup coarse-grind cornmeal or polenta (I used medium-fine cornmeal)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 1 large ear)

To Make the Filling:

1. Toss blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt in a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

To Make the Topping and Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 375°, preferably on convection.
2. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl to combine.
3. Using a pastry blender or your hands, work butter into dry ingredients until no dry spots remain and mixture holds together when squeezed.
4. Add corn and toss to evenly distribute.
5. Press topping between your fingers and break into large pieces over filling.
6. Place baking dish on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake crisp until topping is golden brown and juices are thick and bubbling, 50–60 minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes before serving.

Note: Crisp can be made 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

One Year Ago:

• Old-Fashioned Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
• Gooseberry & Blueberry Galette

Two Years Ago:

• Blackberry-Raspberry Hand Pies

Three Years Ago:

• Peach & Pecan Sandy Crumble

Oscar Night Waffles

An odd tradition in our house is to eat waffles on Oscar night! I’m not sure how it started… The best part for me is that I can bypass menu planning to celebrate and watch the red carpet. The only thing I did this year is pick a new waffle recipe to try. 🙂

These waffles were SO easy to make- the eggs aren’t even separated. I honestly couldn’t tell the difference! This recipe was adapted from the New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I added whole wheat flour and blueberries. I used buttermilk instead of yogurt as well. I doubled the recipe, after all, it was dinner. The leftover waffles were delicious reheated in the toaster. I hope it’s not bad to eat waffles for breakfast the morning after eating them for dinner!

Yield: about 10 waffles

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, more for waffle iron
• 1 cup/120 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 cup/120 grams whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon/15 grams granulated or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon/8 grams baking powder
• 1 teaspoon/5 grams fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon/3 grams baking soda
• 1 cup plain yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream
• 1 cup milk (I used 1 percent)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, optional
• pure maple syrup, for serving

1. Melt butter either on the stove or in the microwave. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, milk, melted butter, and eggs.
4. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
5. Fold in blueberries, if using.
6. Preheat a waffle iron and, using a pastry brush or paper towel, lightly coat with butter. (I used cooking oil spray.)
7. Cook waffles (using about 1/2 cup batter per waffle) until golden and crisp. (I cook them for 5 minutes.) Butter the iron in between batches as needed.
8. Serve waffles immediately as they are ready, or keep them warm in a 200 degree oven or warming drawer until ready to serve.

Note: If you don’t have yogurt (or sour cream or buttermilk), substitute another 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar.

One Year Ago:

• Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread

Two Years Ago:

• Bread Machine Brioche

Three Years Ago:

• Blueberry Buttermilk Waffles
• Cornmeal Cookies

Whole Wheat-Bartlett Pear Crumb Cake

This cake was nutty, earthy, and really really moist. The entire house smelled absolutely incredible while it baked- much of the credit should be given to the orange zest in the batter. Even more wonderful orange flavor was added after the cake was removed from the oven when fresh orange juice was drizzled all over the top. Fabulous!

This recipe was adapted from Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes from our Kitchen by Zoe Nathan with Josh Loeb and Laurel Almerinda. I weighed whole roasted almonds and then finely ground them in a mini food processor instead of using store-bought almond flour. I used fat-free Greek yogurt instead of whole plain yogurt. I also substituted oat bran for the toasted wheat germ in the original recipe. Wheat bran or ground flaxseed would also work as substitutes. I also baked the cake in a 9-inch springform pan instead of a 10-inch cake pan.

The authors offer seasonal adaptations to this recipe by substituting blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, apricots, peaches, or figs for the pears. Yummy!

Yield: Makes one 9-inch cake

For the Topping:

• 1/2 cup (110 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 55 g (1/2 cup plus 2 T) almond flour
• 20 g (1/4 cup plus 2 T) rolled oats
• 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 30 g (1/4 cup) whole wheat flour
• 3 T all-purpose flour
• 2 T oat bran, toasted wheat germ, wheat bran, or ground flaxseed
• 2 T light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 20 g (1/4 cup) sliced almonds

For the Cake:

• 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 T light brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1 T pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 160 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 55 g (3/4 cup) oat bran, toasted wheat germ, wheat bran, or ground flaxseed
• 25 g (1/4 cup) almond flour
• 3 T rye flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (240 ml) plain yogurt (I used fat-free Greek yogurt)
• zest of 1 orange, *fruit reserved*
• 3 pears, peeled and thickly sliced into 6 pieces each (I used Bartlett pears)

To Make the Topping:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, almond flour, oats, granulated sugar, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, brown sugar, and salt. Blend with a pastry blender until homogenous.
2. Add sliced almonds and blend with your fingers. Refrigerate until needed.

To Make the Cake:

1. Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line and grease a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and cooking spray.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Incorporate the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl well.
4. Pause mixing and all the all-purpose flour, wheat germ, almond flour, rye flour, baking powder, baking soda, yogurt, and orange zest. Mix cautiously, just until incorporated. Do not over mix!
5. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and cover evenly with the pears.
6. Top with the crumble, allowing a little fruit to poke through.
7. Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes or up to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Do not over bake!
8. Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan; then squeeze the orange over the entire cake.
9. Remove the side of the pan and gently pull the parchment paper from every nook and cranny of the cake.

Note: This cake is best served the day it is made, but it will keep, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 days at room temperature.

One Year Ago:

• Jacques Pepin’s Plum Galette
• Oat Cake with Blackberries & Blueberries

Two Years Ago:

• Buttermilk Cake with Raspberries
• Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake

There is still time! Fresh blueberries are still available!! I regret not posting this wonderful cake sooner- my apologies…. I first read about this blueberry cornmeal cake on Sue’s blog, Birgerbird. She described it as one of the best desserts she had ever tasted, and I know that she has tasted some delicious desserts! 😉 I have had it on my “to make” list ever since. It lived up to my expectations. My family and I devoured it. Mmmmm…. We ate this delicious rustic cake for dessert but it would also be wonderful for a special breakfast. It’s not overly sweet and has a fabulous crumb from the cornmeal. Berries and corn are a wonderful match.

This recipe was adapted from Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes From our Kitchen by Zoe Nathan with Josh Loeband and Laurel Almerinda. I weighed the ingredients when possible which I have found not only ensures a better result but also decreases the preparation time. I modified the recipe to use a 9-inch springform pan, and substituted sour cream for the plain yogurt in the batter.

The authors recommend making this cake with gooseberries- I have to remember that when I receive my CSA gooseberries next season! Strawberries can be used as well. This cake can also be modified for the holidays by adding the zest of one orange, cranberries, and both brown and white sugar. Nice!!

Yield: Makes one 9-inch cake

• 195 g (3/4 cup plus 1 1 /2 T) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 190 g (3/4 cup plus 3 T) granulated sugar, plus 2 T for sprinkling the top of the cake
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 large eggs
• 4 1/2 T canola oil
• 3 T maple syrup
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 200 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 120 g (3/4 cup) cornmeal
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup plus 2 T (270 ml) whole plain yogurt or sour cream
• 130 g (1/2 cup plus 1 T) whole milk ricotta
• 150 g (1 cup) fresh blueberries

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Line and grease (I used cooking oil spray) a 9-inch round springform pan of a 10-inch round cake pan.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 190 g granulated sugar, and salt on medium-high, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Incorporate eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl well.
5. With the mixer on low-speed, pour in the canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.
6. Pause mixing and add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, yogurt, and ricotta. Mix cautiously, just until incorporated. Do not over mix!
7. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Top with the blueberries and sprinkle with the remaining 2 T granulated sugar.
8. Bake for 50 minutes in a convection oven, or up to 1 hour 10 minutes in a standard oven, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Do not over bake! (I am obsessed with not over baking…)
9. Allow to cool 15 minutes in the pan.
10. If using a springform pan, release the sides of the pan and remove. (safer & easier!!) If using a cake pan, place a flat plate on top of the cake and pan. Carefully invert the cake onto the plate by flipping both upside down. Then lift the pan off the cake. Gently pull the parchment from every nook and cranny of the cake, being careful not to break the cake. Rest your serving plate on the bottom of the cake and turn the cake right-side up onto the plate.

Note: This cake is best served the day it’s made but keeps, tightly wrapped, at room temperature, for up to 2 days.

One Year Ago:

• Blueberry Buckle
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Two Years Ago:

• Cornmeal Summer Berry Muffins with Streusel Topping
• Blackberry Crumb Cake

Three Years Ago:

• Banana-Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones

These just might be the best scones I’ve ever made. Maybe I just forgot how much I love scones because I don’t have them very often. Maybe it’s because I made them with my HUGE CSA blueberries. These were really really delicious. We ate them warm from the oven with fresh blueberries, nectarines & pluots on the side.

This recipe is from Smitten Kitchen’s Very Blueberry Scones. Fabulous!

Yield: 8 scones

• 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (120 grams) whole wheat flour
• Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
• 3 tablespoons raw (turbinado) or light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small bits
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 2/3 cup (150 ml) milk, whole is best here
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon raw (tubinado) or other coarse sugar for finishing

1. Heat oven to 400°F convection. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, zest, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Add cold butter and work into the flour mixture until the biggest pieces are the size of small peas with either your fingertips or a pastry blender.
4. Stir in blueberries, then milk, mixing only until large clumps form. Use your hands to reach inside the bowl and gently (so gently) combine the mixture into one mass. The more you knead, the wetter the dough will get as the blueberries break up, so work quickly and knead only a few times. (I mixed it just until it came together- I think it keeps the scones more tender.)
5. Transfer dough to a well-floured counter and pat into a roughly 1-inch tall disc. Cut into 8 wedges, do not fret if the blueberries are now making a mess of the dough; it will all work out in the oven.
6. Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart. Brush the tops of each with egg, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until scones are golden brown on top. Serve warm. I find most scones to be best the first day, but they can be eaten on day two, gently rewarmed in the oven before eating.

Note: If freezing: Scones can be frozen unbaked. Hold any egg wash until ready to bake. Simply spread the wedges on a baking sheet and chill until frozen solid and will no longer stick to each other, and pack tightly into a freezer bag. You can bake them right from the freezer; you’ll only need 2 to 4 minutes extra baking time.

One Year Ago:

• Milk-Braised Pork Loin
• Grilled Pork Chops with Fried-Sage Salsa Verde and Sage Potatoes

Two Years Ago:

• Pork & Green Chile Stew

If you like this you may also like:

• Whole Wheat Raspberry-Ricotta Scones
• Blueberry Scones
• Strawberry-Graham Scones

Gooseberry & Blueberry Galette

Gooseberries!?!? This galette was my first experience with gooseberries. When I received a pint of these colorful and tart berries in my CSA share, I really searched for the perfect use for them. Happy I found this one!

This dessert had an amazing crust that worked really well with the sweet and tart filling. Jammy and delicious filling oozed all over my pan as well- a little messy but SO good! This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Lindsey Shere. I added my CSA blueberries to the gooseberries- it was a great fruit share week. 🙂 We ate it warm with vanilla ice cream on the side. Delicious!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Pastry:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 -inch dice
• About 3 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 pint gooseberries (about 2 cups), stems and tails removed
• 1 cup blueberries
• vanilla ice cream, for serving

To Make the Pastry:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar.
2. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives or your fingers, cut in half of the butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with particles the size of peas. Then cut in the remaining butter until it forms chunks the size of peas.
3. Stir in the ice water with a fork. The dough should hold together when pressed; if it doesn’t, add a few more drops of ice water.
4. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
5. On a large sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour, roll out the dough into a round about 14 inches in diameter; it doesn’t have to be perfect around the edges—its roughness is part of its charm. Lay it on a large baking sheet or pizza pan and refrigerate.

To Finish the Galette:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° (convection).
2. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
3. Mix 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon-sugar with the flour and sprinkle this mixture over a 9-inch area of the pastry.
4. Spread all of the berries on top. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar and sprinkle the remainder over the berries.
5. Fold the edges of the pastry up over the berries to form a 9-inch free-form tart, making pleats and pressing them together lightly.
6. Brush the pastry with water and sprinkle with the reserved cinnamon-sugar.
7. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet (mine oozed delicious juices everywhere!) in the center of the oven for 35 minutes (convection) to 50 minutes (standard), or until the berries are bubbling and lightly browned and the pastry has caramelized in spots and is well browned on the bottom.
8. Cut the tart into wedges with a sharp knife and serve with vanilla ice cream.

One Year Ago:

• Ina Garten’s Vegetable Coleslaw

Two Years Ago:

• Summer Vegetable & Nectarine “Ceviche”