Breakfast – Page 22 – The Pajama Chef

Homemade Maple & Brown Sugar Almond Butter

November 3, 2011November 12, 2015 Sarah

So, nut butter always seemed like one of those things that was so. hard. to make at home. But really? Is it now? After taking a trip to the nicest Kroger in my town and grinding my own peanut butter in their natural foods/bulk bins section, I was swayed a little bit. It looked easy, at least with that fancy grocery-store grinder. I resolved to try it at home “one day.” You know how it goes. One day never came. It was just so easy to keep buying my favorite natural peanut butter from Whole Foods that I didn’t think any more about it. Until I ran out. Whole Foods is a 75 minute drive away. No good.

Enter: creativity, complements of the internet. Guess what? Homemade nut butter isn’t that hard! And you can totally make fancy nut butters for a fraction of the cost of the store-bought non-peanut butters. Sorry, but I’m not going to spend $5-8 on a small jar of almond/cashew/walnut butter or fancy flavored peanut butter. Let’s hope we’re not seeing prices like that on regular peanut butter now that prices are on the rise.

After making a quick trip to Sam’s to stock up on nuts, I went to work. I raided my pantry to see what I could find to fancy up my almond butter and came up with a classic oatmeal combo: maple and brown sugar.

A bit of patience and a food processor and you are all set.

While I can’t promise I’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff, I have been inspired to try more flavor combinations and even experiment with different kinds of nuts to see what we like best!

Reader Question ~ What’s your favorite kind of nut butter? What should I try to make next?

Homemade Maple & Brown Sugar Almond Butter

Servings: makes 16 ounces
Time: 25 minutes
Print

[inspired by The Lean Green Bean]

Ingredients:

1 pound/3 cups raw, unsalted almonds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 6-8 minutes. The almonds should smell fragrant. In a food processor, combine toasted almonds, syrup, and brown sugar. Process for 10-12 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.

Notes:

At first, you’ll have to scrape the sides of the food processor constantly because it’ll be mostly “dusty.” Then, after a few minutes, it should start clumping and from there will get smoother and smoother the longer you let it go. It just takes a bit of patience but it is so worth it!

Breakfast, Pancakes, Recipes

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

October 20, 2011October 19, 2011 Sarah

Since it might not be obvious from the recipes I post here, I thought I should let you know a couple things about me that are 110% true. Yes, exactly 110%. I am a) aware that there are other fall flavors besides pumpkin and b) actually quite a big fan of these other flavors.

Like apple. Oh, fall apples. They are absolutely the best. My favorite way to enjoy apples is actually just freshly sliced up–sometimes plain, sometimes with peanut butter, and sometimes with Brown Sugar Fruit Dip. But… sometimes, I have to cook with apples. You see, they combine so perfectly with cinnamon. And they are just so good warm.

Enter Apple Cinnamon Pancakes. These little babies combine everything I love about apples–their fruity fall flavor, their warmth, their tendency to pair well with cinnamon, their hearty crunch with a restaurant-quality light and fluffy breakfast treat. I made these for dinner one recent evening and was so excited to see that we had a few leftover for breakfast the next day. Usually, I pass off leftovers to Ben without a second thought, but these were leftovers worth fighting for. They’re delicious served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, so don’t be hindered by constraints of time–make these fall pancakes as soon as possible!

Reader Question ~ How do you enjoy your apples? What’s your favorite kind?

I personally am obsessed with Crisipin! They’re hard to find but when you do, they are so sweet/tart, crispy, and refreshing. Totally worth a trip to the apple orchard for them!

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes [from What Megan’s Making]
printable version

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup natural unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
1 apple, peeled and chopped [I used Granny Smith]

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, sugar, and baking powder. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: milk, applesauce, and oil. Next, fold the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until barely combined. Stir in the chopped apples–mixture will likely be a little lumpy.

Let batter rest for 10 minutes while the skillet is heating over low-medium heat. Add a little canola oil to the skillet and once hot, pour about 1/3 cup of batter to the pan. Cook until surface is bubbly, then flip and let the other side cook until golden brown.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 14-16 pancakes.

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins

October 19, 2011October 18, 2011 Sarah

So, these are still my most favorite muffins of all time, not to mention the treat that got me addicted to pumpkin in the first place, but you know me… I just had to try another recipe. I had to see if there *might* be some other pumpkin muffins that compare. And let me tell you, these muffins are fantastic.

These light and springy Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins are so flavorful and addicting. What really makes these fall treats pop is the swirl of pumpkin pie spice in the mix, mingling with a pumpkin and banana-laced batter.

I know making your own pumpkin pie spice blend is the hot thing to do these days, but personally, I swear by Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pie Spice. I love how this blend includes more than the typical cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves–mixing in lemon peel and cardamom takes a typical fall flavor palate from simple to sophisticated. I know I could buy my own cardamom and ground lemon peel and make my own mix, but at $1.99 per jar, my buddy T.J. can’t be beat.

Dipping the warm muffins in a mixture of pumpkin pie spice sugar [like cinnamon sugar, but way better] after they come out of the oven takes these muffins over the top. They’re almost reminiscent of tiny little pumpkin spice doughnut holes that no one can resist, including me. I think I need to go make another batch right away!

Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins [from Iowa Girl Eats]
printable version

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 of a medium sized banana, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. In a smaller bowl, mix together banana, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until well combined.

Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients gently. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove

Meanwhile, mix together white sugar and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.

Cool in tins for 3 minutes, then remove muffins, dunk in melted butter, and roll in pumpkin pie spice sugar. Serve warm.

Time: 30 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 36 mini muffins.

Breakfast, Recipes, Spreads

Pumpkin Spread

October 4, 2011 Sarah

I’m so excited for 31 days of pumpkin. I can hardly believe it is here! I thought I’d start the month off with a little something simple, but utterly tasty and unmistakably pumpkin. Because, of course, we don’t want to forget that this is a month to celebrate pumpkin after all.

I whipped up this tasty pumpkin spread as a way to give a little oomph to a recent lazy Saturday breakfast of waffles. The waffles… not so tasty. Edible, but not awesome. The spread… definitely my new favorite thing to enjoy by the spoonful! And yes, that is pumpkin granola that you see atop the spread of love. Pumpkin x2 is perfectly perfect in my book.

Reflecting on this tasty treat now, this is basically a hybrid pumpkin butter and pumpkin pie filling, except way simpler and [somewhat] healthier. You take your pumpkin, you take your sweetener, you take your spices, you mix it all together, and BOOM! pumpkin party in a bowl. It’s a fabulous way to get your fill of pumpkin in a non-threatening manner to the non-pumpkin affectionados in your life, like my dear husband. [Is that enough “non”s in a sentence for you? Ha!] I basically gobbled this stuff down in a day and then made some more, because let’s face it–everything can use a dose of pumpkin goodness.

Reader Question ~ What would you top with pumpkin spread?

Pumpkin Spread [a Pajama Chef original]
printable version

Ingredients:

1/4 cup canned pumpkin [not pumpkin pie filling]
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin, syrup, and spices. Taste and adjust spices if necessary. Serve on waffles, pancakes, or toast; stir into yogurt or oatmeal; dip apples or pears in it, or enjoy by the spoonful.

Yield: ~1/4 cup.

Time: <5 minutes.

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Honey Fig Scones

September 19, 2011September 18, 2011 Sarah

Fresh figs are my new favorite late-summer treat. As tempting as it was to not eat every last one of those sweet, soft bites of fruit that have recently arrived in my CSA basket while standing over the kitchen sink, I chose to take the higher ground and share with Ben. What a lucky guy! And what better way to share than with these delicious scones?

These Honey Fig-Apricot Scones are slightly sweet thanks to the honey, chewy from the oats, and full of pouches of fresh figs and dried apricots. Plus, since scones are so easy to make, they’re a cinch to whip up and the perfect treat for a lazy weekend brunch or afternoon tea. This is definitely a great way to enjoy figs… I only wish there were more to enjoy!

Reader Question ~ Have you ever had fresh figs? What’s your favorite way to enjoy them?

Honey Fig-Apricot Scones [from Brown Eyed Baker]
printable version

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons fat free half and half
1 cup diced figs and apricots [fresh or dried; I used about 2/3 cup fresh figs and 1/3 cup dried apricots]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking powder, and cinnamon. Then, in a smaller bowl, whisk together egg and oil. Then add honey and mix well. Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Then gently mix in half and half. In a small bowl, cover figs and apricots with sugar and then fold into dough.

Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet in generous 1/4 cup increments. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Serve warm, preferably the same day the scones are baked. Otherwise store in an airtight behavior or freeze until ready to eat.

Yield: 8 scones.

Time: 40 minutes [15 minutes active].