Libby's Hot Waffles

I've had this image in my head lately of the 1950's housewife.  For background, I've been stuck inside for six days with a sick child, vacuuming copious amounts of NYC dust like crazy, reaching into my secret stash of chocolate (my version of mommy's little helper.)  But this morning it seemed we had all turned a corner.  Cheeks were rosy again, spirits were higher, and I thought of making waffles.  Instead of our usual, whole wheat, flax-filled waffles, I pulled out my tattered copy of the Good Housekeeping Cook Book that belonged to my Grandmother.  There, circled in purple pen by my own mother, was the waffle recipe I remember from my childhood.

And for the first time, my little family happily gobbled up white waffles- just regular flour, sugar, butter, eggs and milk.  Boy were they good.  Then, to redeem my feelings of failure over having reached the end of my rope a couple times over the last few days, I pulled out the glue and glitter and built my kids a Broadway Local train.  

I've listened to other mom's lament that they lost part of their identity when they chose to stay home with their kids.  I can't look at things in that light.  Learning to be a mother and to organize and protect and wipe noses and shlep, I gained a whole new identity, certainly.  It's not all about flax and veggies and overachieving.  What will these boys remember about these years together?  I guess when we judge the adults who raised us, it's best to think that we all do our best.  And hopefully, we remember eating well.

Libby's Hot Waffles

Adapted from GoodHousekeeping Cookbook copyright 1955

Makes 4-6 waffles.  We prefer real maple syrup.  You can follow the steps below, which I copied from the cookbook, or I find the recipe works just as well if you throw all the ingredients into a blender, saving time and energy!

1 ½ cups sifted all purpose flour

3 teaspoons double acting baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 to 1 ½ cups milk (I use 1, but you can use an additional ½ cup for a more liquid batter)

2 eggs, separated

¼ cup melted butter

1. Start heating waffle iron.

2. Into large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar.

3. Slowly stir in milk, beaten egg yolks, then melted butter.

4. Beat the egg whites stiff, then fold in to batter.

5. Pour batter into center of lower half until it spreads about 1" from edges. Bring cover down gently. Do not raise the cover while baking.

6. When waffle is done, lift cover, loosen waffle with fork, serve at once.  

Pumpkin Waffles

Mornings we rise early, in the dark.  Famished, thirsty. Full of anticipation for another day to begin. Dogs bark, trucks roar, the street sweeper whirrs, the garbage trucks open and close their huge crushing jaws.  We are not alone in the city that never sleeps.  Certain things are predictable and even wonderful. The city wheels go round this way.

I try to remind myself to embrace these painfully early hours as part of the natural rhythm of our life right now.  Change what we can, accept what we can't change.  Eating good things, especially with a good dose of pure maple syrup, helps.  Wholesome, freshly pureed pumpkin makes me feel I've gone the extra mile for all of us. A little care for the caregiver.

Pumpkin Waffles

Makes 4 to 6 waffles, depending on size.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (sometimes I use white-whole-wheat flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter or olive oil (if you use olive oil, add 1 tablespoon sugar to the mix)

1 cup pumpkin puree (homemade or canned is fine...)

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and stir with a whisk.  Beat the eggs and add them to the dry ingredients along with the milk and butter or oil.  Stir in the pumpkin and combine well.  Heat up your waffle iron and go to it!  Serve with real maple syrup.

Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

We live in a time of so many choices.  What to do with our days, our lives, who we want to be, what we stand for.  As a little girl, even into my twenties, I dreamt of notoriety.  As a ten year old, I signed my diary entries with a grand flourish, convinced that one day the world would read them when I  became a famous dancer.  I declared that I'd never have kids because I would be too busy as a diva on the stages Europe. 

These are just muffins, but to me, they represent a lot more.  You see, the diva in me would probably have had a staff in charge of menial daily chores.  But I could never give up certain things for the sake of an "easier" life.  The hard worker in me thrives on stirring up a batch of the granola that Roman loves, whipping up some of his favorite multigrain pear waffles for second breakfast, and so on for lunch and dinner.  In between there is laundry and there are always dishes to be done.  

I know I've grown up because I'm grateful for my life as it is.  I feel settled and no longer need the attention I once craved.  There is order, calm and purpose in caring for other people- something I never would have understood as a younger person.  I'm just living.  Trying to help my people thrive and grow.  Modest tasks.  And for now, this is how I go on, one snack at a time.

Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

Adapted from Bob's Red Mill's recipe

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup cooked Quinoa

2 large eggs

3/4 cup canned pumpkin (unsweetened)

1/2 cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1/4 cup raw shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat the oven to 400.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, salt.  Stir well with a whisk.  Add the cooked and cooled quinoa and stir with a whisk or fork to break up any clusters. 

In a measuring cup, beat the two eggs and add to the flour mixture. Measure out the buttermilk and combine it with the pumpkin, adding this to the large bowl.  Add the melted butter and the vanilla if using.  

Fill 12 muffin tins (grease them or use muffin liner cups if needed) about 3/4 of the way and sprinkle each muffin with pumpkin seeds.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool them in the tins for about ten minutes before turning them out to cool completely on a rack.  These muffins freeze well.

* To cook quinoa, rinse one cup of dry quinoa well using a fine mesh strainer.  Boil 2 cups of water, then add the quinoa, cover the pot and simmer for 12 minutes.  Remove from heat and leave the cover on the pot for another 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.  

Muesli

About six years ago, P and I used to zip off for weekends in Athens, Malta, London, Lyon.  There was a springtime trip to Zurich, Switzerland for a few days. A great chill filled the air once night would fall and we'd duck inside a cozy restaurant for some beer and sausages.

Seeing myself these days, overtired, heavy into the third trimester with my second baby, I have to squint to see remnants of the old me.  I imagine a day might come again there is some balance in my life and some of the old me creeps back into this new version.  Surely there must be room for both.

I like to peel back the layers to get to that girl on Lake Zurich who had the luxury of just being a tourist with no real agenda.  Those were the days.  That was when I first tasted muesli.  Creamy with whole milk, an added spoonful of yogurt and so many shredded and mashed fruits inside to discover.  The crunch of a walnut, the surprising sweetness of a dried date.  We both filled our bowls that weekend.  The old me is still there after all.  She's the reason why muesli is not just a breakfast dish.  

Muesli

Adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe

Jamie uses dried apricots, which I omitted, but you can add whatever type of dried fruits you like.  I couldn't resist adding flax and chia seeds for a healthy dose of Omega 3's and 6's in the morning.  Make sure you read the recipe all the way through, since muesli is best when soaked in milk overnight before serving. 

8 handfuls of organic rolled oats

2 handfuls of ground bran

1 handful of chopped dried dates

1 handful of chopped walnuts

1 handful slivered almonds

2 large spoonfuls ground flax seeds

2 large spoonfuls chia seeds

Combine all of the above in a large bowl stirring well.  Store in an airtight container.  It will keep for several months.

Additional ingredients for making and serving:

Milk (at least 2 % or partially skimmed)

Apple

Banana

Berries or other seasonal fruits

honey

yogurt

The night before you want to eat it, place the amount desired in a bowl and cover with milk.  You can make more than you want for the next day and eat it over several days.  Grate in around 1/2 an apple per person and stir immediately to keep the apple from discoloring.  Cover and place in the fridge.  

The next morning, remove the bowl from the fridge.  The muesli will have softened and thickened, so add a little more milk.  Add a banana, sliced or mashed.  You can add honey to taste, if you like.  Serve in a bowl with a dollop of yogurt (optional) and some mixed fresh berries in summer.  Pear would be delicious in the winter.

Sour Cream Breakfast Buns & News

About six months before we left Italy, we shared a meal with my friend Gaia, who was newly pregnant at the time.  I remember asking her if the expression "bun in the oven" existed in Italian.  The same expression in fact exists in many languages.  This stayed in my mind for a long time as an idea for a blog post if I were ever to have a second child.

That time is now!  Our second child is due three years to the exact day that Roman was born (September 18). We are humbled by the enormity of this gift.  I can't write this post nonchalantly because the journey to motherhood was a long and windy road for me, one with hidden ravines and pot holes.  I suppose I will never understand why things go the way they do, but two babies have now been conceived naturally, in their own time.  I can just thank the forces that be.

Breakfast has been a major moment in my day, and there is usually a second breakfast about two hours after the first.  I usually make a burrito with two scrambled eggs, cheddar, avocado, sour cream and salsa- all swaddled comfortably in a whole wheat tortilla.  I inhale vegetables, anything wickedly spicy, pickled or cured.  I have the privilege of experiencing this amazing transformation for a second time and I love every minute of it.

Sour Cream Breakfast Buns
The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook
Makes 18 buns

In true Magnolia Bakery fashion, these buns are worth every ounce of butter, sour cream and sugar.  Keep this recipe around for a special occasion.

Note: I ended up using only half the topping because it really seemed like too much.  Next time, I will use more, especially more pecans because once the buns puff up, the topping seems like less.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Topping:
1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 18 large muffin cups.

To make the buns: In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, the baking powder and the baking soda.  Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Mix in the sour cream. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.

To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, the pecans and the cinnamon.  Sprinkle the topping evenly (and generously) over the buns.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of bun comes out clean.

Good Shepherd Cereal

 

I know what they say about American cereal being bad for you, and in many cases it's true.  But in my world, cereal has always been a health food by definition.  And in the beginning, it really was.  "Granula" was first invented in 1894 by a doctor in New York, the name later changed to granola by Kellogg's.  Store-bought granola is expensive and can also be sugary, so I've been making my own for years.  A small bowl of homemade granola with some fruit and yogurt is one of my all-time favorite snacks.

I came across this recipe on a tiny piece of paper folded inside Ruth's box.  I added a few trendy ingredients like chia seeds and flax seeds and substituted my beloved Massachusetts maple syrup for the honey.  I succeeded in eating a batch practically single handedly.  What appeals to me most is the crunch of the buckwheat and the absence of spices.  This actually allows the taste of each ingredient to shine through.

From a health perspective, I am attracted to foods like chia seeds and buckwheat groats that act like super heroes in my body.  Honestly, I get a bit lost in the science of all the amazing things they do for the capillaries or how they increase "microcirculation."  That's all terrific but I'm content just knowing that it's taking care of me.  I only have one body after all.

It's hard to keep up with nutrition fads and trends. The information changes too often to sway with it.  What's good for you one week isn't good for you the next.  When I find foods like this that are a nutritionist's dream, I quickly incorporate them into my meals without a second thought.  Then I help myself to another guilt-free handful.

Good Shepherd Cereal

Makes 10 cups

Feel free to adapt this recipe by using the nuts and dried fruits that you love. This stores well at room temperature for several weeks in an airtight container.  Great with milk or yogurt, or even as a topping for ice-cream.

3 cups organic whole rolled oats

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup flax seeds

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1/2 cup wheat germ or wheat bran

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup whole raw cashews

1 cup raw buckwheat groats

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup currants or raisins

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then pour in the olive oil and maple syrup and stir to moisten all the ingredients evenly.  Spread this onto a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes or so.  Remove from oven and cool, then stir in currants or raisins if using. 

Cinnamon-Raisin Whirls and the hands that knead them

Her hands kneaded the dough for squash rolls, dill bread, chocolate bread, babka.  They stirred, mashed, sprinkled, poured, formed, and created wonderful treats right before my eyes. Those hands braided strands of dough into challah, and sometimes formed them into turtles or even body parts when she was feeling spunky. Those hands, with their un-manicured fingernails, were adorned with artsy rings and jingly bracelets.  I can see those hands holding a ripe mango (which for some reason chemotherapy had her craving) up to her mouth as the juice ran down her arms, dripping from her elbows.  I can see them clearly still because they are like mine, with long, slender fingers perfect for piano.

Sometimes I look down at my hands or my sister's hands when they are working in the kitchen.  Those are mom's hands, I think to myself, or sometimes say out loud. I know it's why I love to cook, because (in my mind) she's there with me sometimes.  Her voice cautions me to toss something that has been in the fridge too long, urges me to exercise wild abandon with my spices, and tells me never to apologize for anything I put on the table.

Her hands made these cinnamon whirls on many occasions when I was a kid.  Now, so many years later, I make them myself, hoping I'll find her standing beside me as I peer nervously into the oven. If only for a second.

Cinnamon-Raisin Whirls
Makes 12
These instructions are for use with a KitchenAid Mixer. I made them without, just with the use of a large bowl and wooden spoon.  We never iced these in my family, but I'm sharing the icing recipe because I know that some people out there love icing. Baking as instructed, in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, will yield doughy rolls.  You can also slice them and arrange them to rise and bake separately on a cookie sheet, in which case the rolls will seem slightly drier.  Both methods are delicious.

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup warm milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 to 5 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup raisins

Cinnamon Sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Icing (Optional)
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons warm water

Sprinkle the yeast over the water in the large bowl of an electric mixer.  Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar.  Let stand until the yeast is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining sugar (to make 3/4 cup), milk, salt and the softened butter.

Add 3 cups flour.  Mix to blend, then beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Separate one of the eggs; reserve the white for glazing. Beat in egg yolk and one whole egg, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in about 2 cups more flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto the counter or a board coated with some of the remaining 1/2 cup flour.  Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, adding just enough flour to prevent it from being sticky.

Turn dough into a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours).  Punch down dough and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll dough out evenly into a 14 by 18 inch triangle.  Spread with 1/3 cup softened butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and raisins.  Starting from the 18 inch side, roll jelly roll fashion, then moisten a long edge and pinch to seal.  Cut roll into 12 equal slices.

Arrange slices, cut sides down, in a well-greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Cover lightly with waxed paper. Let rise until doubled in bulk (45 minutes to 1 hour).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, beat reserved egg white with1 tablespoon water. Brush lightly over rolls.
Bake until well browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Optional icing:
Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over warm rolls, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Spelt Scones

Fall is here! Here's a recipe I recently posted at Honest Cooking for your weekend. Unbelievably light, irresistably tasty.

Gladiator Pancakes

Last weekend we flew from Rome to the UK for a weekend trip to Richmond Upon Thames, outside London. We spent the weekend walking along the Thames, playing on the green and visiting with friends for P's birthday. It was a much needed change of air and scenery. I realized that feeding a toddler can be challenging while on the road, and I have spent the last two days since we returned home making sure he gets salmon, broccoli, kiwi and what has evolved into "the Breakfast of Gladiators."

When I was pregnant with Roman, my enormous belly got a lot of attention and Romans around the city center would say he must be a campeone or gladiatore, which always made me smile. Since I am the sole "provider" in the kitchen, I take our meals very seriously, and even more so since I'm raising a gladiator.

Enter the pancake. In its "pure" form of white flour and butter, it's not the healthiest choice for breakfast. But with a whole lot of tinkering in the form of cooked oatmeal, spelt flour, grated apple and cottage cheese, it makes for a complete meal, not to mention one that is portable and stroller (or shall I say "buggy") friendly.

Gladiator Pancakes

All winter long I have been making some form of this pancake. When I started I would use the homemade fruit purees that Roman never ate. The pancakes in the photo above have coconut oil and pumpkin puree. There was also a version with pureed prunes and apricots. You can also add ricotta instead of the cottage cheese.

1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cooked oatmeal (3/4 cup uncooked oats and 1 cup water, prepared in microwave or on stove top)

1 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 apple or pear, grated

In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon with a whisk. Add the milk and beaten eggs. Stir in the cottage cheese, cooked oatmeal and grated apple or pear. Cook on a skillet with butter for several minutes each side and serve hot with pure maple syrup. Freeze any leftovers and reheat in the toaster oven.

Morning of Dates and Milk

Sabah an-nour, Sabah digla wa halib. Morning of light, morning of dates and milk, they say in Tunisia.

صباح النور، صباح دجلة والحليب

Shortly after we moved into our house in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia in 2005, the ground beneath us literally shifted. There had been a water main break and water had been leaking into the garden for months. One day the doors and windows no longer closed and there were huge cracks in the wall. We had to move out temporarily, and it was a hassle, but if this had not occurred, I never would have met the owner Hanane, who became like a big sister to me. My time in Tunisia, and my life were enriched tenfold.

Two years later, the morning we left the country, I stepped out into the street before the van came to take us to the airport, already full of nostalgia. Leaving was bittersweet. The sun was rising over Sidi Bou Said, our small village looking over the Mediterranean and I snapped one last shot.

Now the ground has shifted again in Tunisia. The sun is rising for a new day, a new life without the tyrant Ben Ali, there is hope for a life full of freedoms that the people have not known previously. Open press, opportunity, freedom to speak their mind and elect their own government. This is a historic time, but one of many unknowns.

None of this comes easily. Not without violence, not without danger and a mess in the streets. Right now, Hanane is holed up, waiting in her house for the shooting to stop, for calm to be restored, the future to be written. I imagine as a young girl that her mother would make her some dates with milk in the morning, or as a special comfort when she needed it. It's soothing and naturally sweet, and drinking a warm cup full is like coming home to a hug after a long day.

And it's going to be a long day in Tunis, a long wait to see how events play out. We can only wait and hope, provide support however possible for this country full of so much potential. May there be many mornings of light, many mornings of dates and milk. A new door has opened.

Milk with Dates

From Cuisine Tunisienne by Christiane Desbordes

For Hanane, with love

Serves 4

750 ml whole milk

250 grams dates

1 vanilla bean

1 clove

In a medium pot, over low heat, gently bring the milk to a boil. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and add to the pot, along with the clove and the pitted dates. Stir frequently for about 15 minutes until the dates are very soft. Remove the clove and the vanilla bean before blending in a blender or food processor. Serve hot.