Revisiting Norwegian Pancakes

So John's first words as we woke up Monday morning (yesterday) was: "I dreamt of having a baggie of Norwegian pancakes." I recalled how I used to make "Norwegian Pancakes" all the time for breakfast for the kids and John and then if there were leftovers, I would cut them in half and put them in baggies for a snack. Sometimes Kelsy's school lunch would just be a baggie full of Norwegian pancake halves.

So, feeling ambitious, that morning (5 am) I whipped up a half batch of ...

NORWEGIAN PANCAKES

In blender... put...
1 cup milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
dash salt
a squirt of honey
2 teaspoons melted butter

Blend well. Pour straight from blender into hot skillet that has been greased. ( These are like making crepes...pour enough to coat the bottom of the skillet as you tip the skillet around.) If you melted the butter in the skillet, you can use that, or use some canola oil.
THE TRICKY PART IS HAVING THE SKILLET HOT ENOUGH. I got 5 Norwegian pancakes from this recipe...just enough for 2 people. You serve lemon wedges on the side, and soft brown sugar. Sprinkle the pancake with the lemon juice, then brown sugar..you can swish the brown sugar around with a spoon to cover the surface of the pancake. Roll up and eat...or cut in half and put in baggies for a snack later. Because they are egg-y...you may want to refrigerate them if you do not eat them up in 4 hours. ENJOY! Brings back memories, huh, kids???

Healthy Snack!

I have been wanting to make these for a loooooong time and I finally did this week!

I melted a bunch of 63 % dark chocolate chips (Thanks to Molly, who bought them at Sam's club in St. Louis and brought them up to Stevens Point to give to me and then I packed them in my suitcase and brought them back to California on the airplane).

I melted the chocolate chips in a stainless steel bowl over simmering water, and then I stuffed each prune with a pecan and drenched it in the chocolate, lifting it out with a fork and letting the excess chcolate drip off back into the bowl. Then I set each one on wax paper covered tray and refrigerated them. After they hardenend, I put them in a tupperware. Now, John and I just grab one from the fridge when we want them. What a life.

Here is also a picture a Kalea, age 4, enjoying one.

The prune has been studied and found to contain the highest amount of antioxidants of any fruit. The pecan also has the highest amounts of anti-oxidants of any nut. Amd we all know dark chcolate is very good for you. So...I ask you...is there any better treat you can have on this earth?????

Anyone out there have a cute name for this treat? "Chocolate covered prunes stuffed with pecan" is too long and unappealing. We need a cute name, and then I can package them and sell them...maybe???? Hmmm...after writing this, I want to go eat one...but it is Fast Sunday...quick...run away from that thought!
OK...names...how about....Proofles????(Cross between "truffles" and "prune")

Scenes from Notting Hill

HI everyone..if you scro1l down to the Notting Hill Brownie post, you wil1 see the famous scenes in the movie that are the actual history of the famous "Notting HIll Brownies". I used my lttle camera and had to break it up into 3 segments...hope you can view them OK.

Someday this chocolate

Someday when I am very rich and can afford to buy this great chocolate..the bombalinas, the Black Pearl bar, the bacon/chocolate bar...if you are with me, I will share. I have just pictured here the bombalina. I have copied the descriptions of the other 2 products I think I wold love. Click onlink on side...How To Eat Chocolate ...It will take you tto the site that sells these chocolates, as well as tell you HOW to enjoy chocolate.

Naga Mango Bombalina 62% dark chocolate enrobed mangoes + sweet curry
$9.00
http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/category/bombalinas

Black Pearl Bar
Inhale warming ginger as menthol-nuanced wasabi cools. Sense the evolution of flavors in the mouth. Commence with ginger, followed by earthy cacao notes, mellow wasabi reminiscent of coriander, finishing with black sesame seeds, rich in nutty texture.

Black Pearl: ginger + wasabi + black sesame seeds + dark chocolate, 55% cacao
3oz.

Consume within 6 months
$7.50
http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/black_pearl_exotic_candy_bar/exotic_candy_bars

It was surely only a matter of time! Following the huge popularity of Mo's Bacon Bar in deep milk chocolate, we can present the newest member of the exotic candy bar family. With the same applewood smoked bacon and Alder wood smoked salt as its famous relative, the beautifully rich 62% dark chocolate encases these tantalizing flavors.

Mo's Dark Bacon Bar: applewood smoked bacon + Alder wood smoked salt + dark chocolate
62% cacao3oz.
$7.70

consume within 6 months
SKU: CB-EXO-DBA
"I began experimenting with bacon + chocolate at the tender age of 6, while eating chocolate chip pancakes drenched in Aunt Jemima® syrup, as children often do. Beside my chocolate-laden cakes laid three strips of sizzlin' bacon, just barely touching a sweet pool of maple syrup. And then, the magic—just a bite of the bacon was too salty and I yearned for the sweet kiss of chocolate and syrup, so I combined the two. In retrospect, perhaps this was a turning point; for on that plate something magical happened, the beginnings of a combination so ethereal and delicious that it would haunt my thoughts until I found the medium to express it—chocolate.

From there, it was just a matter of time…and what began as a love of salt and sweet quickly unraveled into an obsession. No sooner could I wait to unveil the royal coupling in solid bar form, a deep milk chocolate with bits and pieces of applewood smoked bacon and just a sprinkling of Alder salt. Really, what doesn't taste better with bacon?"
–Katrina
SKU: CB-EXO-DBA
BACON BAR-STUFFED DATES
15 medium-sized Medjool dates
3 chorizo sausages, casing removed
1 Mo's Bacon Bar (8 squares)
8 pieces Nueskes Bacon
1 batch of Spicy Oaxacan Red Sauce
cilantro, for serving

Cut a date on one side lengthwise, remove pit. Stuff with chorizo and place ¼ of a bacon bar square in the center of the chorizo. Fold chorizo around chocolate.

Wrap in half a piece of smoked Nueskes bacon. Sear bacon-wrapped dates in pan until crispy. Set aside. Pour red sauce half-way up the sides of a baking sheet with 1-inch side walls and transfer dates to the baking sheet. Space dates 1 inch apart. Bake in sauce for 25 minutes at 350ºF. Serve in sauce, garnish with cilantro and bacon bar shavings.
SKU3: CB-EXO-DBA

The Notting Hill Brownies recipe

I am putting this recipe here on this blog so I won't lose it. Molly and I made these at her house once and Molly was so impressed, she immediately put some on a plate to take to her neighbors, sure that these brownies would impress them so much, they would want to come to church with her!

Notting Hill Brownies
2 cups butter (1 lb.) melted and cooled (1 and 1/2 cups work good, too)
2 cups granulated sugar (joan uses 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar - (packed)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 large eggs lightly beaten
1 1/3 cup cocoa
2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups walnuts or pecans (optiona l)
Nonstick cooking spray (Joan uses oil or melted butter.)

Method : Blend melted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar in bowl of large mixer. Add vanilla and eggs and blend well on slow speed until combined. Stir together cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl. Fold into batter and blend well, scraping bottom of mixing bowl to ensure ingredients are evenly combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in nuts if using. Pour or spoon into 13- by 9-inch baking pan greased with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until brownies are set and slightly firm but not dried out, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool, then freeze 1 hour before cutting. To cut, unmold from baking pan. Peel off parchment paper. Cut into large blocks (about 2 1/2 by 3 inches). Wrap each in wax paper and keep frozen or refrigerated. This recipe yields 15 large brownies.

Note: When I bake them for 40 minutes, and then put atoothpick in to test it, it is still quite gooey...so bake it a little linger..try not to overbake. It is tricky.


Comments: These Notting Hill Brownies (from the comedy with the same name) are high and dense and make a dramatic statement. To serve these for a party, pile brownies on a platter and dust with powdered sugar. They're also great served with a scoop of ice cream on top and chocolate syrup or frost with Master Brownie Frosting (see recipe) for a rich, chocolate treat.


FOLLOWING ARE SCENES FROM THE MOVIE "NOTTING HILL"

Brownies:Homemade or Mix

I recently made some very delicious homemade brownies. Then, out of curiosity, I bought a Betty Crocker brownie mix and made them up. The taste and texture were different from my homemade ones. The mix was too salty. The texture was too gummy (and I overbaked them a bit, so they were not partly raw). Now I have another project: revisit my Nottinghill recipe and see how I like them now. I will keep you posted.

Boudin Bakery's Brownies (Adapted)

Today, even though it was 89 degres outside and 86 degrees inside, I decided to make a new brownie recipe I saw in the LA Times. Yes, I fired up my oven to 350 degrees! The picture was so tantalizing, and well, I seemed to have needed some chocolate aroma therapy! So here is a picture from the newspaper (the last picture)along with the recipe.

Here are also my picture of mine (blue and white dish)and at the end of this post I will tell you what I did different in the recipe. Notice my 2 pictures: the plate of brownies on the bricks is taken with no flash (outdoors). The plate of brownies on the tablecloth was taken with a flash (indoors).

Here is my opinion of these brownies: REALLY GOOD! MMMMmm G O O D !

CULINARY SOS
Boudin Bakery's brownies
Though famous for its sourdough, the bakery also makes great, fudge-like brownies.
Noelle Carter

Dear SOS: Could you possibly get the recipe for the brownies at Boudin Bakery near South Coast Plaza? They are the most delicious brownies I have ever tasted!

Mindy Morse

Los Angeles

Dear Mindy: It may be most famous for its San Francisco sourdough, but Boudin Bakery puts out an equally mean brownie. Thick and almost fudge-like in consistency, it's richly flavored with a slightly sweet finish. Arm yourself with a big glass of milk before delving into one of these winners.

Boudin Bakery's brownies


Total time: About 1 hour

Servings: 24

Note: Adapted from Boudin Bakery.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, plus extra for greasing the dish.

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

5 eggs

3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (6.38 ounces) flour

2 1/2 cups toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.

2. In a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the melted chocolate, then the salt and flour just until combined. Gently fold in the nuts.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven until puffed and almost set, about 45 minutes. A toothpick inserted will be slightly moist. Remove and cool slightly before serving.

Each serving: 336 calories; 4 grams protein; 38 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 21 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 64 mg. cholesterol; 113 mg. sodium.

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times, September 2, 2009

OK...WHAT I DID DIFFERENT> I used 1 1/4 cup oat flour and 1/4 cup unbleached flour.
I used 1/2 teaspoon salt instead of 1 teaspoon.
I used 2 1/2 cups sugar instead of 3.
I used my whisk and beat the egs and sugar and vanilla with it for 2 minutes, that's all.
I added 1 cup chocolate chips.