Appetizer, Dairy-free, Eggless, Healthy, Kid-approved, Make ahead, Paleo, Pot Luck, Red Wine Pairing, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

Roasted Sesame Peas

roasted sesame peas

Out of all the seasons, my favorite would have to be fall. I love everything about it—from the first prayers of the Jewish High Holidays in September, to the last piece of turkey at Thanksgiving, with many birthday celebrations in between. Lots of entertaining, cooking, and more importantly, laughing. The days slowly shorten, shedding minutes like our dog sheds his fur and growing windier and chillier each hour. Each moment is filled with crinkly leaves, soothing spices, and lots of delicious autumn-themed food.

Every gathering at my house starts with the menu planning: a few appetizers to get the ball rolling, a good number of vegetable dishes, and one or two protein creations—a healthy variety to satisfy everyone’s taste preferences.

This year, I’ve been experimenting heavily with finger-food ideas. By now, I have collected quite a few unique recipes. I’ve shared a couple of those already—The Lightest Hummus on Earth, Brussels Sprouts chips and the Chia Cheese Crisps, to name a few.

Adding to my collection (and yours) is a recipe for the Roasted Peas, that already stole a few hearts when I last served them. These peas are not like anything you’ve tasted before: roasted with a bit of oil and seasoning, they are crackly and crunchy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. A low-cal nutritious appetizer that carries a nutty, briny umami flavor that’s kind of addictive. (P.S. also terrific with cocktails, but more about it later.)

roasted sesame peas

Roasted Sesame Peas

Adapted from Little Bites

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat
  2. Wash and dry the peas. Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, honey, and ginger in a large bowl. Toss in the peas and stir until evenly coated.
  3. Spread thee peas into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Roast until crisp, 30-45 minutes (start watching them at the 30 minute mark – they should start getting brown but not black.)

roasted sesame peas

Wine Pairing

The time I brought the peas to my friend’s house, I had a glass of ONEHOPE California Cabernet Sauvignon with them and I liked it. Just like in a song :)

roasted sesame peas

by Faina
Appetizer, Dairy-free, Eggless, Gluten Free, Healthy, Kid-approved, Low Sodium, Main Dish, Make ahead, No Cook, Paleo, Pot Luck, Quick & Easy, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

Oil-Free Paleo Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Oil-Free Paleo Pesto Zucchini Noodles

I’m the type of girl that shies away from trends. For example, way back when every girlfriend of mine was in love with Brad Pitt, I fancied Angelina Jolie. And when everyone was getting diamond earrings for their birthdays, I was psyched about my new shiny design books.

So when the whole world went zoodle-crazy, I sighed and made myself a bowl of Quinoa Mac & Cheese™.

But sometimes, it can be impossible to avoid trends completely. The other day, I was having dinner at my friend’s house and she served a bowl of pesto zoodles, a current internet-wide craze. And what do you know? The stubborn me realized that some trends are actually worth following. They’re trends for a reason, after all.

What surprised me even more was that I liked those zoodles so much, I made them a few days later. And then again the following week, changing the nuts but keeping the noodle “authentic”. And as much as I do not want to admit it, I have finally embraced a trend!

Now on to the recipe. If you think these zoodles will taste like noodles, think again. However, this is a healthy eating blog. We don’t do noodles (well, at least not that often.) So adjust your expectations and think HEALTHY, LIGHT, VITAMIN-RICH rather than cancerogenous, gut-wrecking, waist-expending.

Prepping the zoodles is really easy. Shred the zucchini (I use this shredder because it works well and looks great in the kitchen, saute them quickly—the key word is quickly, as the more you cook them the soggier they get—drench them in the sauce and… try not to be greedy and eat the whole bowl on your own! A bit of warning though, one shredded zucchini looks like a lot but it really isn’t (45 calories only.) So unless you are serving it with a big chunk of protein on the side, you might want to shred 2-4 for the whole family.

Oil-Free Paleo Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Oil-Free Paleo Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Inspired by Everyday Detox

Ingredients

Pesto

  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1⁄2 cup pine nuts, almonds or walnuts
  • 1⁄4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt

For the rest:

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pesto: Combine all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. For a chunkier texture, instead use the pulse function on your blender or food processor to gently mix the ingredients together.
  2. Use a spiralizer to create “noodles” out of the zucchini. For a warm dish, melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the zucchini “noodles” until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the pesto and stir quickly, just enough to warm the sauce, about 1 minute. Serve warm, with a sprinkle of pine nuts. For a cold dish, simply toss the raw zucchini “noodles” with the prepared pesto and top with the pine nuts.

Oil-Free Paleo Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Wine Pairing

My absolute favorite wine with pesto is Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Fumé Blanc. It’s full bodied and balances the pine nut purée in the pesto impeccably.

by Faina
Eggless, Gluten Free, Healthy, Kid-approved, Main Dish, Make ahead, Pot Luck, Quick & Easy, Soup, Vegetarian

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup – My Way

Mexican Soup

In our house, I am defiantly the obsessive health advocate. The person who keeps her kids from spending their lives in front of a computer, with a bowl of something carby, greasy or processed. But the truth is that everyone, even those of us hell-bent on staying healthy, has at least one guilty pleasure.

Mine is … burritos!

I have to say that I’ve done a pretty decent job not indulging in burritos too often. To keep those one-thousand-calorie monsters at bay, I feed my Mexican Food Addiction with healthier authentic options, like the Mexican salad, the guac and the tortilla soup.

This Vegetarian Tortilla Soup recipe, that I share with you today, went through lots of iterations before making its way onto CuceeSprouts. Years of “hard work” and “heavy user testing” have produced a final variation that is uber flavorful, filling, yet surprisingly light (as long as you go easy on the rice and the sour cream) and very quick to make. Make the base, add the yummies, pour yourself a glass of Muga Prado Enea and have a Mexican Dinner Night tonight!

Mexican Soup

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup – My Way

The base

The yummies (toppings)

  • Rice
  • Tortilla chips
  • Lime juice
  • Avocado
  • Cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Extra cilantro

Directions

  1. In a medium size pot, warm up the broth
  2. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions begin to brown
  3. Add the garlic and the cumin and cook for another minute
  4. Transfer to blender, with a can of roasted tomatoes. Blend until smooth
  5. Transfer the tomato and onion mixture to the pot with the broth. Add the beans and the corn and simmer, partially covered, until the soup is slightly thickened, about 30-60 minutes (the longer = the better!)
  6. A few minutes before you turn the heat of, blend the stems from the cilantro with ½ cup of water in a blender. Add to pot
  7. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls, leaving lots of room for the toppings

Wine Pairing with Mexican Soup

Wine Pairing

I do have a soft spot for the California wines, but when it comes to Mexican food, it is Beaujolais, Rioja, and Ribera del Duero that make it into my glass. For this particular dish, I recommend the silky 2005 Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva. It is hard to find it in stores, so order it in advance on Amazon or Wine.com

Mexican Soup

 

by Faina
Appetizer, Dairy-free, Eggless, Gluten Free, Healthy, Kid-approved, Make ahead, Pot Luck, Quick & Easy, Red Wine Pairing, Side Dish, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Lightest Hummus on Earth

Chard Stalk Hummus

I’ve been on a path to heal my achy gut this past year. I’ve tried many different approaches, but none have produced any good (or shall I say “gut”) results. The newest one is all about eliminating foods high in insoluble fiber, which is pretty challenging for someone who’s had a love affair with chia seeds, flax and beans for years now.

I have no way of knowing if I will stick with this way of eating for long before I’m put on my next diet. In the meantime, however, I am on the lookout for healthy nutritious recipes low in insoluble fiber. This hummus fits the bill – it is light and healthy, contains no garbanzo beans, and allows me to repurpose the Chard stems that I’ve been discarding all this time.

And it tastes soooo good! Everytime I serve it I get asked for a recipe!

Chard Stalk Hummus

Chard Stalk Hummus (or Lightest Hummus on Earth)

Adapted from The CSA Cookbook

In our house, we like hummus in any flavor, texture, or style. As a dip, a salad dressing, or a spread. The base of each hummus creation never changes: chickpeas, garlic, tehina, lemon juice and olive oil;  while the flavoring agents vary seasonally: sun-dried tomatoes in the winter, herbs in the spring, grilled peppers in the summer, root vegetables in the fall. Imagine my surprise when I saw this Chard Stalk Hummus recipe change the rules of the game completely and mess with the holy hummus base! No chickpeas in hummus? What? Well, this beanless light spread has really changed the way I approach hummus, thanks to a wonderful new The CSA Cookbook.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped chard stalks (from one bunch)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Swirl of olive oil
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

  1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the chard stalks and boil for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how thick they are) until the stalks are very soft
  2. Drain well, squeezing out any excess water, and add the stalks to a food processor, along with the garlic, tahini, salt, and lemon juice. Pulse continuously until the dip is slightly chunky and still has some bite to it, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed
  3. Serve with a generous swirl of oil on top and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Chard Stalk Hummus

Wine pairing

If you want to challenge yourself, try pairing Hummus with wine! I mean it! Or to make life easier, go with my suggestion and get a bottle of  2013 ONEHOPE California Pinot Noir. It is light, subtle and will not fight Hummus for your attention.

Chard Stalk Hummus

by Faina
Appetizer, Back to School, Dairy-free, Gluten Free, Healthy, Kid-approved, Main Dish, Make ahead, Pot Luck, Quick & Easy, Red Wine Pairing, Side Dish

Peruvian Quinoa Tortilla

Quinoa Tortilla

I’m about to call it quits!

It all started with my husband. He waited until our wedding to casually inform me that he eats kosher. That sent me for a spin, as I really liked my seafood and pepperoni pizza.

Then my son was diagnosed with food allergies soon after he was born. So our household went egg , nut and dairy-free. And I went bonkers! Back into the kitchen, learning to cook differently. Here come the chia seeds, the kombucha, and the vegetables I’ve never heard of. CuceeSprouts is born.

When my son outgrew all but his nut allergies, a ray of sunshine blossomed on my kitchen table, in the form of frittatas, greek yogurts and mushroom stroganoff. Even though he never learned to like milk and eggs, he couldn’t stop asking for steaks and grilled cheese sandwiches. And so my fridge slowly started looking like a mini supermarket, bloated with meat, dairy, vegetables and fruit.

Then, out of nowhere, my daughter came out to me as a vegetarian. She simply refused to eat her favorite species (something I do not condone her for, especially after witnessing someone at a table next to me take a knife through a body of a deep fried guinea pig with its head still on.)

After a bit of convincing though, mainly for my own sanity, I converted her to a pescatarian lifestyle and started planning on integrating a bed into my kitchen furnishing. How else could I comfortably create meals for a kosher carnivore son, a dairy-loving husband, a pescatarian daughter who doesn’t really like vegetables, and … me?

That is when our dinner table started looking like a gourmet all-you-can-eat restaurant, with a glass of wine permanently attached to my wrist.

And just when I thought I had it all figured out, my husband arrived from Peru and calmly informed that he is now an egg-eating vegan.

Quinoa Tortilla

Peruvian Quinoa Tortilla

Inspired by a trip to Peru; created by me :)

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 inch of ginger, minced
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • ½ cup bell peppers of various colors, chopped (or any other vegetables – I used zucchini in this one)
  • ¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 1 market-fresh corn, shucked
  • ½ cup cheese, cubed. My favorite cheeses to use here are feta, gouda, goat or cheddar
  • 6 eggs
  • Himalayan salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

  1. In a medium nonstick saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the onions. Cook the onions until they are soft and starting to caramelize, 5-15 minutes
  2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute or so
  3. Remove from heat, pour into a medium-sized bowl and cool slightly
  4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until they are light yellow in color. Stir in the cooled quinoa, onion mixture, cheese, corn, olives, bell peppers and combine until incorporated. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil in the saute pan. Return the entire mixture back to the pan and use a spatula to flatten out surface. Cook until the bottom is lightly brown, about 5 minutes
  6. To flip the tortilla, set a large plate over the skillet. In one motion, invert the tortilla onto the plate. Put the pan back on the burner and carefully slide tortilla in, cooked side up. Cook just until set, about 4 minutes longer
  7. Serve it warm or at room temperature. You can keep your tortilla on the lowest heat on the stove or in the oven until ready to serve

01

Wine pairing

I googled a bit to find THE perfect wine pairing for this dish as I really was not sure. My research led me to this beautiful rich and dry Olof Cellars Barbera that seems to complement and complete the dish! 

Quinoa Tortilla

 

by Faina
Dairy-free, Eggless, Healthy, Kid-approved, Low Sodium, Make ahead, Pot Luck, Russian

Kvass

Kvass

It was one of those warm middle-of-California-summer nights in a tiny lakeside town near Yosemite. You know, the type where you don’t feel like doing anything but don’t really feel like doing nothing either, so you just kinda slowly walk around in this hazy fog of dehydrated confusion. We were spending a week by the lake with other Russian families. The kids were glued to the TV. The adults were obsessing over how to unglue them from the TV. And as I sat next to a friend of a friend, listening to her talk about how her son had been taking piano lessons for over a year and could play a slightly off-key rendition of “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” I saw it.

A plastic soda bottle filled with a mysterious brown liquid that seemed like root beer in disguise. I lifted it up to my nose to smell it– and took a whiff of my childhood.

I filled up a bubbling glass of the drink I knew was one of my early memories– Kvass. A common Russian drink. I gave some to my son to try, and it was love at first sight. We’ve been making the drink ever since.

If you’ve never had a taste of Kvass before, you’re in for a surprise. Tasting like a milder version of Kombucha, it is tangy, slightly sweet and very refreshing on hot summer days.

Just like Kombucha, it is a Health drink, packed with vitamins C, B1 and E, amino acids, micronutrients and amazing natural bubbles. It energizes and regulates the body’s metabolic processes. It helps prevent infections and keep the heart and circulatory system healthy. And for those like me, suffering from gastritis, the acids that form during fermentation help in the digestion of meat and fat dishes.

Where I grew up, Kvass was a humble street drink. In Peru, the street drink is Chicha Morada. In Mexico, Tepache. In Soviet Union, Kvass! A thirst quencher, it was sold on almost every street corner, in any city from the smallest villages to the largest metropoli.

Picture a large metal barrel on wheels laying on its side in the middle of the sidewalk . A sweaty overweight woman stuffed into a long cotton dress, sitting in a creaky chair with a sack of coins around her waist. “Next,” she’d yell to the long line of thirsty locals waiting patiently for their turn.

3 kopeyki for a small. 6 for a large. A communal glass goes under a spigot and fills with the cold brown bubbly liquid. The next in line downs it in three large gulps and hands the glass over. In one fast motion, the vendor drops the glass into a bucket of water, swirls it once or twice, pulls it out, shakes off the water and waves to the line, “Next.”

This recipe I am sharing is of that nostalgically authentic Russian Kvass. Minus the germ-polluted glass. Minus the barrel. Minus the long line. Minus the hot and muggy Soviet Union. Minus the sweaty woman.

Kvass

Kvass

Recipe by Cucee. Edited by Mika

Ingredients

Brewing directions

  1. Toast the bread slices on the darkest toaster setting, until the bread looks VERY burnt. Darker bread makes darker kvass. You might need to toast the bread twice. (Alternatively, you can toast it in the oven)
  2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the bread. Cover with a clean towel (or a lid) and let rest in a dark, cool place overnight or for 8 to 10 hours
  3. The next day, carefully remove the toasted bread and discard it
  4. In a medium bowl, mix together sugar and yeast, add them to kvas mixture and stir. Add raisins
  5. Cover again with the towel (or the lid) and let set another 8 to 10 hours. Taste your kvass to see if it is the right flavor. For the the right flavor means Kvass tastes tangy and not too sweet
  6. When ready, scoop out the raisins and discard
  7. Poor Kvass into bottles, close with the lids and leave them in the fridge overnight. Make sure to have a tight seal if you want bubbly Kvass. Plastic bottles work best for this
  8. You can enjoy your Kvass drink the next day. However, like borscht, it does tastes better each passing day

Kvass

Kvass

by Faina
Dairy-free, Eggless, Gluten Free, Healthy, Main Dish, Make ahead, Quick & Easy, Red Wine Pairing, Soup, Stew

Soondubu Stew

When a health-conscious girl from Moldova makes Korean food in the States, it looks something like this:

A BIG MESS. In other words, a Soondubu Stew.

Soondubu, proper pronunciation not required, means “extra soft tofu”. My variation on the stew does not call for any tofu. Sorry.

Inspired by both a Russian soup Solyanka and a Korean street-food stew, this mishmash is currently my newest obsession. And I promise it will become yours too, if you are also into spicy, umami comfort food. You’re welcome!

This healthy hearty dish is full of vegetables and protein. Which is a good thing, because I like to eat food that fills me up and does not weigh me down. The fiery broth has a kick to it and definitely warms the belly from the inside. In fact, it is so good that I almost wish I could bottle it up and sell it!

Soondubu Stew

Food Truck Road Trip and Archimedes Spa’s Solyanka

Ingredients

  • 3 sweet chicken sausages from Trader Joe’s, diced
  • 1.5 tsp sesame oil
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp Korean coarse red pepper powder (or none if you can’t do spicy food)
  • 6 dehydrated shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 yellow squash zucchini, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 2 medium size pickles, diced
  • 4 cups stock
  • ½ cup diced scallion

Directions

  1. To re-hydrate the mushrooms, place them in a cup of boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes
  2. In a medium pot, without heat, mix the sausage, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper. Turn the heat on high and saute for 2 to 4 minutes
  3. Add the rest of ingredients. Bring to boil
  4. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add scallions
  5. Serve on its own or over brown rice or quinoa

Wine Pairing

It is pretty darn challenging to pair wine with Korean food. Trust me – I’ve tried! Your best bet – a light dry Biltmore Riesling that balances rather than fights the intense flavors in the stew.

Appetizer, Eggless, Gluten Free, Healthy, Kid-approved, Make ahead, Pot Luck, Quick & Easy, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, White Wine Pairing

Brussels Sprouts Chips

Brussels Sprouts

I once ordered a side of Brussels Sprouts chips in a little restaurant in Guerneville. They were fried, salty and so SO good!

Definitely not something I would attempt to make at home! (I said to myself as I left the restaurant.) Definitely something I tried making minutes after I pulled into the driveway!

And my version tasted JUST LIKE the one in Guerneville, perhaps even better!

Firstly, my Brussels Sprouts are roasted, not fried! And with all the extras that I add to them, they are crunchier and way more flavorful. Plus they require no driving to the restaurant – a true convenience!

I eat these as a snack. I sprinkle them over a salad. I serve them with polenta or mashed potatoes. #AllTheTime

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

Brussels Sprouts Chips

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
  2. Cut the stems from the Brussels Sprouts and halve each one lengthwise. Shred. (Sometimes, when I get my hands on young tiny sprouts, I don’t even bother to trim and half them before shredding.)
  3. In a large bowl, toss Brussels Sprouts with olive oil, garlic, poppy seeds, almonds, salt and pepper.
  4. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Roast in the oven, tossing every few minutes, until sprouts are crisp and browned, about 35 minutes. Don’t be afraid to get them dark – I like them almost burnt while my kids like them lightly browned.
  6. Serve or cool and store in a cookie jar ;)

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

Wine Pairing

Crispy Brussels Sprouts Chips are served best with Champagne. Period.

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

 

Appetizer, Eggless, Gluten Free, Healthy, Kid-approved, Make ahead, Quick & Easy, Red Wine Pairing, Snack, Vegetarian

Chia Cheese Crisps

Crisps

Now that the first Seder is just behind us and the Matza supply is on the verge of depletion, it is time to spice things up for the rest of the Passover!

Lets start with Chia Cheese Crisps. 2 ingredients; endless possibilities.

This is yet another one of those Cucee Originals, like the Grilled Cheese Egg and Very Cherry Chocolaty Larabar Truffles (both of which are also Kosher for Passover, by the way.)

An idea of toasting cheese and seeds came to me one Passover afternoon while I was fighting the craving for a grilled cheese sandwich. I took some cheese, sprinkled it over the pan, tossed in some Chia and voilà! Long story short – those delicate cheesy crisps were gone before I knew it. Trust me, if you are planning to make these to share, make sure you have enough cheese and seeds on-hand for at least 10 crisps – otherwise, make them when noone else is looking :/

I now make enough to last my family for days. I serve them

  • with soup
  • as chips
  • crumbled over a tossed salad
  • with wine

Chia Cheese Crisps

Ingredients

  • Grated Sharp Cheddar (or experiment with other flavorful grated cheeses, like Parmesan, Montasio, Asiago.) Pre-grated cheeses work better than home-grated
  • Chia Seeds

Directions

  1. Heat a small (4.5 or 6-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Have a cookie sheet, lined with paper towels or foil, ready as well
  2. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of shredded cheese onto a skillet, enough to loosely cover the skillet in a thin layer (not piled high) – this will make the crisps lacy and delicate. Amount of cheese depends on the size of your skillet
  3. Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of Chia Seeds over the cheese. You can experiment with the amount of chia seeds
  4. Cook for about a minute, until the cheese turns brown. I like mine REALLY brown while my kids prefer theirs lighter in color
  5. Remove the crisps from the skillet onto the lined cookie sheet. The crisps will crisp up as they cool
  6. Cool for 5 minutes and serve

Note: don’t mix the cheese and seeds together or you will end up with one very crumbly crisp. You want to layer the cheese and seeds, in that exact order

Crisps 

Wine Pairing

These crisps go well with any red wine. Just last night, I enjoyed them with a glass (well, more like half a bottle) of a delightful Glencorrie Red Blend

 

by Faina
Breakfast, Kid-approved, Vegetarian

German Pancake

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

We were in the hot and windy desert of Palm Springs when we visited a diner for breakfast. On the menu, there was an unfamiliar specialty item, a German Pancake.

Now here are some facts for you

Fact #1: No news to you, breakfast is still my favorite meal of the day.

Fact #2: I have served anything and everything breakfast-related at least once in my house.

Fact #3: To that day, I have never heard of a German Pancake before.

Of course we ordered THE pancake. And were completely blown away. And no, I am not exaggerating.

Billowing up high like a cloud, impressing the pants out of us and all the neighboring tables, our giant fluffy puffy arrived at the table. It looked like a crater of a volcano, with tall crispy sides and a volcanic custard-like center… A cross between a soufflé and an omelet. It was impressive. It was delicious.

Fact #4: I now serve a version of this pancake weekly.

Fact #5: I even stuffed it with meat once.

Each of us takes our German pancake differently. I like mine “skinny.” My daughter prefers it with a spoonful of homemade berry sauce. My son demands his CHOCOLATY! Very chocolaty! And my friend’s son, well as soon as he smells the pancake in the oven, hyperventilates in excitement, “A German Pancake? I love Cucee’s German Pancake!”

Ok, lets do this. A German Pancake recipe for you, times 3: Cucee’s three most asked for variations:

The Classic German Pancake

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

If you want drama, this is your recipe! It puffs up really high, and when it settles, you’re left with one deliciously custardy breakfast. Serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
  2. Place 2 tbs of butter in a 9-inch baking dish. Place in oven until the butter melts, about 2-4 minutes
  3. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the milk, eggs, flour, salt, vanilla and sugar until smooth
  4. Remove the pan from the oven, swirling butter to coat the sides
  5. Pour the batter into the pan and immediately return the dish to the oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes
  6. Working quickly, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve right away

The Skinny German

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

This is the lightest variation, both in texture and calories. Less flour, less sugar, less drama and lightness all around. This pancake will not puff up as much but will yield a really tender custard. What can I say, a drama-free pancake! Because sometimes you just need LESS DRAMA in your life!

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
  2. Place 2 tbs of butter in a 9-inch baking dish. Place in oven until the butter melts, about 2-4 minutes
  3. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the milk, eggs, flour, salt, vanilla and sugar until smooth.
  4. Remove the pan from the oven, swirling butter to coat the sides
  5. Pour the batter into the pan and immediately return the dish to the oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes
  6. Working quickly, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve right away

The German pancake with Sauteed Apples

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

This variation on the Classic, plus lots of extra fiber.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Melt 2 tbs butter in a small frying pan
  2. Add apples and sprinkle with 2 tbs brown sugar and cinnamon. Slowly cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until slices are glazed and tender yet still somewhat firm. Reserve.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees
  4. Place 2 tbs of butter in a 9-inch baking dish. Place in oven until the butter melts, about 2-4 minutes
  5. Remove the pan from the oven, swirling butter to coat the sides
  6. Sprinkle the pan with 2 tbsp brown sugar over the melted butter
  7. Spread the apples on top of the brown sugar and sprinkle with 2 more tbsp brown sugar. Put the pan back in the oven to caramelize the apples and sugar
  8. Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the apples and immediately return the dish to the oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes
  9. Dig in!!!

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

 

Drink pairing

I take my Skinny German with a cup of Pero (aka fake coffee; also known as coffee substitute.) If you read my previous post on Hell, you’d know why. But, really, this stuff is pretty good for what it is, especially when you try to stay away from the caffeine. Try it!

Pied Piper Players "Willy Wonka"

by Faina