PW's Sour Cream Pancakes

Oh My Gosh!!!

It's not very often I get excited about breakfast.

Dessert? Yes. Breakfast? Not so much.

These pancakes are not your run of the mill Krusteaz pancakes.

These are light, amazingly fluffy and beyond yummy.

They remind me of the Belgium Waffles we make, in that they

are also all of those things, light, fluffy and yummy.

The amount of sour cream to flour ratio, made me wonder how

in the world they would hold together, but they did and am I ever glad.

Since they are so delicate, flipping them takes some patience,

but once you take your first bite you will be so glad you tried them.

PW's Sour Cream Pancakes:

2 c. sour cream
3/4 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
butter

In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well. Add the salt, baking soda, sugar and flour. Mix well.

Place skillet over medium low heat, melt a tablespoon of butter. Pour the batter into the skillet about 1/4 c. at a time. Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes and then gently flip. Cook for another minute or so and remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
Top with butter and syrup or fruit and whipped cream.

Bon Appetit!

Raspberry Cream Muffins

Summer is on it's way - nothing says warm weather like berries.

This recipe has everything that makes a muffin superb...raspberries,

sour cream and cream cheese. It's almost a dessert!

Raspberry Cream Muffins:

4 eggs
2 c. white sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 c. sour cream
2 c. raspberries - or any berry that suits you
5 oz. cream cheese
white sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins or line with paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl beat eggs, gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in the oil. Stir in vanilla, almond extract and sour cream. Add salt and baking soda and flour.

Gently fold in raspberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins. Using a teaspoon, place about a teaspoon of cream cheese onto the tops of each muffin then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Bon Appetit!

Cinnamon Rolls

I've been known to make a few cinnamon rolls on occasion.

I've tried so many different recipes - and feel like I've found the best one out there.

My family prefers them without nuts or raisins, but feel free to add them.

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Roll your dough out - it's not a science - into a rectangle

Spread with softened butter, not margarine.

Sprinkle with brown sugar (I add a small sprinkling of white sugar too)

Sprinkle generously with cinnamon

Roll up the dough

Slice into 1 inch pieces, using a sharp knife makes this part much easier

Let them rise in a warm location until doubled in size

Bake until golden

Frost with your favorite frosting or make your own

Eat them!

Best Ever Cinnamon Rolls: (makes approx. 2 dozen)

1/2 c. warm water

2 T. yeast

2 c. milk

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar + 2 T. for proofing

1 1/2 t. salt

3 eggs

6 cups flour (may take up to 1/2 c. more)

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. brown sugar (I've never measured, but I make sure all of the dough is covered)

1/2 c. white sugar

Cinnamon - enough to sprinkle generously, maybe 3-4 T.?

Nuts or raisins (optional)

In the large bowl of your Kitchen Aid, mix the water, yeast and 2 T. sugar. While the yeast is proofing, combine the milk, butter, 1/2 c. sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Over low heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and temper with the warm milk & butter mixture. Careful not to scramble the eggs - so do it slowly.

Once eggs are tempered and yeast is proofed, add the milk/butter/egg mixture to the yeast. Adding one cup at a time, incorporate the flour. DOUGH WILL BE STICKY. Cover and let it rise until doubled.

Once risen, turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface - roll dough into a rectangle keeping the dough about 1/3 of an inch thick.
Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough. I find the back of a large spoon works really well -

Sprinkle with brown and white sugars, then sprinkle with cinnamon.

Begin rolling up the dough from the long side. Once rolled, let it sit seam side down while you prep your pans.

Grease 2 large pans, mine are 11x15 inch pans and each one fits 12 rolls nicely. You may need additional pans depending on the sizes. You don't want to smash them in or they will have nowhere to rise:(

Cut the long roll into 1 inch pieces and place in the greased pans. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place.

Once doubled in size and touching each other, place in the oven, preheated to 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Once cooled, frost with the frosting of your choice. I usually make my own cream cheese frosting.

Bon Appetit!

Chera's Sour Cream Belgian Waffles

I wasn't always a fan of waffles...Belgian or otherwise,

but this recipe from my sister changed everything.

Light and fluffy - yet filling, these can be topped with

anything your heart desires. Jaina and I prefer berries,

while the boys and James like syrup and whipped cream.

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This recipe can be made the night before and stored

in the fridge for 3 days.

Chera's Sour Cream Belgian Waffles: (makes 10 waffles)

2 eggs, separated
2 c. sour cream
1 c. milk
6 T. butter, melted
2 c. flour
4 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder

Beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form, set aside.

Mix all wet ingredients in the large bowl of Kitchen Aid. When combined, add all dry ingredients. Fold in stiff egg whites, gently until combined.

Pour into lightly sprayed waffle iron. Enjoy with berries and whipping cream.

Bon Appetit!

Raspberry Cream Breakfast Braid

I love-love-love pastries.

I love creating them, making them and eating them.

This one is a culmination of a couple different recipes.

I used the "Amish Bread" recipe for the bread portion and took

the filling from another recipe "Braided Lemon Bread."

I used raspberry jam instead of lemon curd since that's

what I had on hand. I'll include the lemon curd recipe if you'd like

to give it a whirl.

Raspberry Cream Breakfast Braid:



1/2 recipe Amish White Bread recipe for 1 braid, or a full recipe for 2 braids

Amish White Bread: ***these proportions are for the full recipe***

2 c. warm water

1/3 c. sugar

1 1/2 T. yeast

1 1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. vegetable oil

5 1/2 c. flour



Filling: (enough for 1 braid)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 T. sugar

2 T. sour cream

2 T. flour

2 t. lemon juice

1/2 c. raspberry jam or lemon curd

Combine all ingredients except for the jam/curd, in a small bowl, set aside.

Lemon Curd: (enough for 1 braid)

3 T. fresh lemon juice
3/4 t. lemon zest, finely chopped
3 T. sugar
1 large egg
2 T. butter, cut in small pieces

Whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar and egg in a medium saucepan. Add butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking often, until curd is thick enough to hold whisk marks and first bubbles appear on the surface - about 5 minutes. Transfer the curd to a bowl and chill, it's surface covered with plastic wrap until cold about 1 hour. Makes just slightly less than 1/2 cup.

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For the dough, using a Kitchen Aid mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, sugar and yeast - stir to dissolve. After the yeast has proofed and become creamy looking add the oil and salt. One cup at a time, incorporate the flour until your dough comes together, with a little stickiness. You can always add more flour if the dough proves difficult to handle after the first rising.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place. Let the dough rise until doubled.

Once doubled, punch the dough down and turn the dough out onto a greased cookie sheet. Using a rolling pin create a rectangle, rolling the dough to somewhere between 1/4 inch - 1/2 inch thick. By looking at the dough, divide your rectangle into thirds and spread the filling mixture down the middle third of your rectangle. Spread the jam or lemon curd on top of the cream cheese filling. To form the braid, cut crosswise strips 1 inch apart down the outer length of your dough, careful not to cut into the middle with the filling.

To begin "braiding" begin by folding the top flap and bottom flap over the filling. Lift the top dough strip diagonally across filling and repeat with the other side, continuing all the way down the dough until you get to the end. At this point tuck to last strip decoratively under the braid.

I like to used melted butter to brush over the braid, but you may use an egg wash if you prefer.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until quite puffy, about 45 minutes depending on how warm your "warm spot" is.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Let it set for 15-20 minutes, and serve warm. You may also drizzle with frosting or sprinkle with coarse sugar if you like.

Bon Appetit!