Although the most frequently requested breakfast in our house is a batch of scones, the schedule of my mornings doesn’t allow for that on weekdays or busy weekends.  However, I always have time to make homemade pancakes.

This pancake recipe is so simple you never will need to buy boxed pancake mix again.  With only seven ingredients that are baking staples, they are quite simple to make.  The pancakes have a delicious vanilla flavor, and the batter can be made thicker or thinner depending on your preference.

To make this breakfast more appealing to all eaters, add-ins can be incorporated after the batter has been poured onto your griddle.  In our house, that means chocolate chips for the kids and blueberries or banana slices for my husband and me.

This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily.  Extra pancakes, once cooled, can be wrapped in foil and stored in the freezer for several weeks.  A quick reheat in the microwave and breakfast is ready on another day!

Any Day Pancakes

1 egg

1 Tb. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tb. sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup skim milk

Preheat griddle (if electric, 300° or if on stovetop, medium heat)

Whisk egg in a large measuring cup or bowl with pouring spout.  Add remaining ingredients, and whisk until combined.  Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter on heated griddle.  When bubbles appear and bottom of pancake is golden brown, flip pancake.  Cook until second side is golden brown.  Serve immediately, with butter and syrup, if desired.

I have to admit I’m a little behind in posting this recipe.  Smoky & Swiss Fondue was my husband and my late night Monday dinner. . .last week.  However, it’s been one of those weeks that seems extra long.  Let’s just say that what was supposed to be two separate weeks of business travel for my husband became one two-week trip due to a cancelled flight caused by rainstorms at O’Hare last Friday.  So, with many end of the year school activities and four kids missing said husband over the weekend, I had other things occupying my time that were more pressing than posting this recipe.

However, if I place myself in the way back (ok, the 8-day into the past) time machine, I can tell you that this was an excellent dinner for the two of us.  As is typical of our Monday meals, we didn’t eat until all kids were in bed and work was finished, which is about 9:00.  However, when that time arrives, it is fairly magical for a dinner at home.  The dining room is lit by candlelight, and the house is quiet.

As we sit at the table, this evening has many enjoyable pieces.  As much as we adore our children, it is wonderful to have time to discuss our days without hearing the latest middle school gossip or being quizzed on plans for the weekend.  Enjoying tapas as we do, it also is nice to have a meal consisting of little bites of this and that.  Finally, it is a wonderful way to unwind after the day that typically is the longest day of the week for each of us.

Smoky Swiss Fondue

1 clove garlic

2 cups gruyere, grated

1-1/2 cups baby swiss, grated

1-1/2 cups, smoked gouda, grated

1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch

2/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc

2 Tb. cognac

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Cut garlic in half, and rub inside of fondue pot with cut edge. Combine gruyere, baby swiss, and gouda in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with cornstarch, and mix well.  Place Sauvignon Blanc and cognac in fondue pot, and place over fondue burner.  When boiling add cheeses, and stir occasionally until melted.  Add nutmeg, and stir.  Adjust fondue burner to a temperature that allows the fondue to stay melted without burning.

Serve with dipping items, such as foccacia, blanched broccoli or cauliflower, and apples cut into bite-sized pieces.

When we had coconut shrimp for dinner the other night, the kids and I debated what we could serve with it.  Steamed broccoli or grilled squash didn’t seem to make good pairings.  So, we decided to go with a stirfry.

I have learned that in order for a stirfry to sell itself, it should have at least one ingredient that is preferred by each of the kids.  If each knows that a favorite vegetable is in the stirfry, typically he or she will “suffer” through the other undesirable parts of it.  Of course, it still requires some compromise, as not all suggested vegetables or fruits combine well.

I knew we had plenty of  baby carrots, so that was our starting point.  Our 11 year old daughter loves snow peas, so that was the next ingredient.  Our 13 year old son thought the addition of pineapple would compliment both the coconut shrimp and the veggies, and I agreed.  Red peppers were the final addition, as they are liked by all of us.

The funny thing about serving stirfry to kids is that if you told them they’d be eating 3 different vegetables for dinner, they probably would complain.  However, combine them in a stirfry with a tasty sauce, and the dish disappears quite quickly.

Veggie Stirfry

1 cup baby carrots, sliced*

1 red pepper, seeds removed, cut into chunks*

1 cup snow peas*

1/3 fresh pineapple, cored, peeled, and cut into chunks*

1/3 cup orange juice

2 Tb. soy sauce

1 Tb. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.  Add carrots, and cook for 2 minutes.  Add  pepper and snow peas, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  While pepper and snow peas are cooking, combine orange juice and soy sauce.  Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and whisk well.  Stir in ginger and red pepper, and set aside.  Add pineapple, and cook for 1 minute.  Add sauce to veggies, and bring to boiling.  Reduce heat, and allow to heat for 1-2 more minutes.

*Veggies can be cut to a size that is pleasing to you, whether that be small dices or bigger bits.  However, it is important that the vegetables be sized similarly to allow for even cooking.

Sometimes a weekend can provide a nice assortment of enjoyable moments.  Take this past Saturday for example.  With only one child at home in the morning, we started the day by getting a few small work projects done, while our daughter proudly made breakfast.  After retrieving our son from an overnight stay, we headed to the mall for some shopping.  The next stop was the grocery store, at which the four of us planned that night’s dinner.  During the afternoon the kids hung out with friends while my husband and I took a walk and worked on dinner.  An enjoyable dinner was followed by a movie in the living room.

Reflecting on Saturday’s events, none were spectacular.  However, together they formed a perfect day:  spending time with friends and family, completing a few things on the to-do list, and cooking.  As my husband’s weekday schedule allows for little cooking, he got to be the chef for the main course of our dinner- pork chops.

He made both a dry rub and a sauce for the pork chops.  As we sat down for dinner, I asked what ingredients were in the rub.  He told us that we should guess but not all of the ingredients would be easy to determine.  I had seen the first two ingredients for the rub and admitted as much, but the rest of the ingredients would need to be discovered by taste and luck.  The kids and I began to guess different items, but none were correct.  At this point we were told where the ingredient was located and that it wasn’t a spice. When we learned the secret ingredient (Scroll down to see it!), we were surprised.

When you read the 5 ingredients used in this rub, you might wonder how this possibly could be a tasty combination.  If I hadn’t eaten a pork chop coated with it, I might have thought that also.  But, as proof that this combination works, it should be noted that everyone (kids and adults) found it to be a delicious coating for the pork.  So, if you are looking for a unique seasoning, this is it!

Uniquely Spiced Pork Chops

1 Tb. Old Bay Seasoning

1 Tb. dried basil

1 Tb. garlic powder

1 Tb. cinnamon

1 Tb. hot cocoa mix

5 sirloin pork chops, about 1/2″ thick

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl, and mix well.  Score the pork chops using a multi-bladed meat tenderizer.  Divide spice mixture equally among pork chops, and rub onto each.

Preheat grill to a medium heat.  Cook pork chops for 5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked.

Our 11 year old daughter and my husband have been working together on a small container garden.  Most of the plants are herbs and have been growing slowly.  However, this weekend our daughter noticed that the cilantro was getting quite big and could be used for cooking.

This prompted the big question, “What can we make with cilantro?”  After explaining that cilantro is a common ingredient in Mexican or Spanish dishes, she and I decided to make sort sort of homemade salsa.

In an attempt to make this dish more appealing for her, so that she would get to sample the fruits of her labor, I suggested making a fruit-based salsa.  We had half of a pineapple already on hand and could find some other tropical fruit at the grocery store.

Although it was made to be a salsa, it ended up being more of a salad as the fruits and red pepper created a substantial dish, which was an excellent accompaniment for that evening’s pork chops.  Unfortunately, this dish was not of great interest to the herb grower herself.  She took a small bite and moved on to other dinner dishes.  However, the rest of us found it to be quite enjoyable with a nice amount of sweetness from the fruit and a little bit of heat from the jalapeno.

Mango Pineapple Salsa Salad

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and chopped

2 mangoes, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, seeds removed and chopped

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

1-2 Tb. honey

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

Combine pineapple, mangoes, pepper, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl.  In a 1-cup measuring cup, combine lemon juice, honey, and jalapeno, and mix well.  Pour dressing on fruits and veggies, and toss to combine.  Chill for at least 1 hour.

When I was planning the week’s menu, I asked the kids for some input.  Our 13 year old son requested shellfish for dinner one night.  However, he wasn’t certain how he would want it prepared.  With a week of rain and cool temperatures forecast, I suggested soup.  That wasn’t quite what he had in mind.  My next suggestion was coconut shrimp, and that sounded perfect to him.

I had made coconut chicken tenders a couple months ago, and the recipe was a hit.  They were easy to  make and had a decent amount of crunch even though they were baked instead of fried.  While I had given the chicken a coating of batter and a coating of coconut, for the shrimp I decided a single layer of coconut would be better.

With the assistance of our 11 year old daughter, the shrimp were coated and ready for the oven in no time.  While the shrimp cooked, we made a veggie stirfry, which provided a savory contrast to the sweetness of the coconut.

One very important note about this recipe:  Make sure you use a liberal amount of nonstick cooking spray on the aluminum foil topped baking pan.  Between the egg whites and sweetened coconut, the shrimp will stick to the foil quite easily.

Coconut Shrimp

1/3 cup cornstarch

pepper

3 egg whites

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 375.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.  Using 3 small bowls, put cornstarch in one, add some freshly ground pepper, and mix well.  Place egg whites into second bowl, and whisk lightly.  Put coconut into remaining bowl.  Rinse shrimp, and place on paper towels to remove excess moisture.  Take 1 piece of shrimp, and dredge in cornstarch.  Dip shrimp in egg whites, then coconut, coating completely.  Place shrimp on prepared baking sheet, and repeat process with the rest of the shrimp.  Bake for 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes.

As both my husband and I are foodies, our children are exposed to a variety of food experiences.  New recipes and ingredients are regular parts of our meals.  Interesting restaurants (meaning places that don’t offer chicken tenders on its menu) are visited.  Television shows that have cooking, restaurant reviews, or food travel are watched often.

So, last Saturday morning after an hour of mindless children’s cartoons, we switched to a cooking show, a real cooking show in which the chef made everything from scratch.  Our 11 year old daughter was watching with us, and upon seeing homemade salad dressing announced, “I would like to make a dinner this week.”

Now, as much as I love cooking, I gladly will share my kitchen with a recipe-inspired family member.  After figuring out the week’s calendar, it was decided that Sam would make dinner on Wednesday.  By Sunday night, she had her menu ready for my trip to the grocery store:  green bean salad with lemon vinaigrette and breadrounds (a breadstick that is shaped as a circle).

We discussed the schedule for what needed to be prepared at what time.  So, when she arrived home from school she was ready to prep and blanch the green beans and make the vinaigrette.  She was an excellent cook and student, in that she knew what she wanted the vinaigrette to taste like but also took advice willingly.

This vinaigrette was a wonderfully simple topping for a salad.  While it was a light dressing, its lemon and garlic flavors were bold.

Lemon Vinaigrette

3 lemons

2 Tb. olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. sugar

salt

pepper

Juice lemons into measuring cup or bowl.  Add olive oil, garlic, and sugar, and whisk well to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Last Friday night was a typical weekend night for us.  Our 13 year old was headed to the movies with a friend, and our 11 year old had 2 friends over for dinner.  The three girls were thrilled with the idea of take-out pizza for dinner, although my husband and I were less excited.  To please everyone, we ordered pizza for the girls and decided that the adults would enjoy some munchies later.

After a day of work and an evening of bringing different kids to different places, we wanted appetizers that were simple to prepare.  We had a package of chicken andouille sausage in the freezer that we could grill and serve with some homemade sweet and sour sauce for dipping.  We wanted another finger food to balance the spiciness of the sausage.  Using fruit and cheese seemed like the perfect compliment.

Sure, we could have made dinner very simple by serving cheese, crackers, and fruit, but it was Friday night, the start of the weekend.  So, with just a couple minutes more of effort, we made a warm appetizer that was appealing to see and eat by combining goat cheese and nectarines.

While nibbling on this snack (and after having taken photos), we decided to make a few additions of flavor.  This dish rounded out the palate quite nicely with an assortment of flavors.

Goat Cheese and Nectarines

4 oz. goat cheese

freshly ground black pepper

1 ripe nectarine, diced

honey

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Slice goat cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Place in pie plate.  Sprinkle a small amount of black pepper on each slice.  Top goat cheese with pieces of nectarine. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is warm and slightly melted.  Remove from oven, and drizzle a small amount of honey on each slice.  Serve immediately with pita chips, crackers, or bagel chips.

As I was thinking about dinners for this week, I knew that I wanted one of the dishes to include steak.  With a multi-day stretch of rain forecast, grilling was a less desirable option.  Panfrying the steaks seemed like a simple way to make dinner on an evening that was most likely to be filled with taking children to and from practices.

Although panfrying on its own would have been okay, I wanted to make a dinner with a bit more flavor.  Searching through my cookbooks, I found several different recipes for Steak au Poivre.  This dish seemed to have a variety of options for its sauce- some using butter for richness, others using heavy cream.  I took elements from several recipes and created my own recipe that was lighter than all of the recipes I saw.

As luck would have it, the day I decided to make this dish was rainy, which caused the cancellation of one child’s practice.  With no transporting of children needed until 7:00 pm, we had the opportunity to enjoy a more leisurely dinner.  With steaks cooked to everyone’s preference (medium well for the girls and medium for the boys) and topped with a lightly creamy sauce, dinner was an enjoyable meal that didn’t need to be rushed.

Steak au Poivre

2 lb. top sirloin, cut into 4 1-inch steaks

1 Tb. freshly ground pepper

salt

2 Tb. butter

1/4 cup Cognac

1/4 cup beef broth

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tsp. dijon mustard

cornstarch

Press pepper into both sides of each steak.  Sprinkle salt onto one side of each steak.  Heat large frying pan over medium heat, and add butter.  When butter is melted, place steaks in pan.  Cook for 6 minutes, flip steaks and cook for an additional 6 minutes. (This amount of time should produce medium steaks. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.)

Remove steaks from pan, place on plate, and cover with foil.  Remove pan from heat, and add cognac and broth.  Return to heat, and stir to combine.  Add milk and mustard, and bring to boiling.  Sprinkle a pinch or two of cornstarch on sauce, and continue stirring.  Allow to boil for approximately 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

Serve steaks topped with several tablespoons of sauce.

A while ago we purchased lamb shanks while grocery shopping.  We put them in our freezer, saving them for a special “dinner for two” night.  Last Sunday seemed the perfect day for cooking them.  After defrosting them overnight, we slowly braised them with red wine and an assortment of spices and vegetables.

Unfortunately, while they were cooking, it seemed that fate had other plans, and the shanks were put aside until Monday.  However, there was a hidden benefit to that.  I hadn’t planned an interesting side dish for Sunday, but with dinner delayed a day I decided to go to the grocery store and get items for a yummy veggie dish.

We had made Spiced Cauliflower previously at Thanksgiving as an appetizer.  However, it worked well as a side dish for the two of us.  The spices used to coat the cauliflower were perfect in that they weren’t overpowered by the red wine in the sauce or the bleu cheese coating for the lamb but also didn’t hog the spotlight.

Having made Spiced Cauliflower twice, I think it could become one of my favorite go-to recipes.  I can use it as a side dish or appetizer, and it is a dish that is ready with little time or effort.  I also think that the spices could be varied to compliment other dinner dishes or please diners’ preferences.

Spiced Cauliflower

2 lb. cauliflower, cut into florets

2 Tb. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cumin

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 500.  Using a microwave, melt butter in a large bowl.  Add florets, and toss well to coat.  In a small bowl combine seasoning, sugar, salt, cumin, and black pepper (to taste).  Sprinkle seasoning on cauliflower, and mix well.  Spread cauliflower onto a baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cauliflower is golden brown.