Pan-Fakes: Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Posted on November 4, 2015 by AnniesDishList

oatmeal banana pancakes, healthy pancakes

Looks like pancakes

Most of us have an alias that we use when say, ordering a latte at Starbuck’s or making a dinner reservation. Some may even have a fake name they use when meeting unwanted suitors out at a party or bar. Mine used to be Sylvia. I don’t know why, just was.

One of my best friend’s alias’ is Mimi Henderson – sounds like her real name, but isn’t -long story for another post. Fake-Name Mimi has two young boys and she likes to cook healthy for them. Like she made their baby food from organic-only ingredients when they were tiny little people. So, during my last visit when I went to her cupboard and found organic wheat or whole grain or something ‘pancake mix’ – I shouldn’t have been surprised. Moreover, when I prepared the ‘pancakes’ using said mix, I wasn’t surprised when the children did not enjoy them…not even one bite of a bit. They were icky, grainy, cardboardy and not like pancakes at all.

So, before my next trip to see Mimi and the boyz – I set out on a quest for a better fake pancake. And, I gotta tell you – these oatmeal, banana, healthier, non-dairy pancakes are pretty great.

Tiny Apartment Tips:

Once you’ve blended and rested the batter in your KitchenAid blender, soak the pitcher immediately! The Quaker Oats get stuck to the sides and are tricky to remove.
If you choose to serve with real maple syrup – please heat the syrup up – nothing worse than cold syrup on warm pancakes…even if they are fake
Select perfectly ripe bananas as these will contribute to the creaminess of the pan-fakes

Pan-Fakes, The Healthy Dairy-Free Breakfast Treat (serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 Bananas – you want them perfectly ripe – not green, not brown
Real Ingredients for PanFakes
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Quaker Oats – I have this giant container of quick 1-minute oats which are perfect
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder – not the same as Baking Soda

Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium/low. A 10 or 12 inch All-Clad one is perfect.

Put all of the ingredients in a blender. I have an awesome KitchenAid blender – powerful thing it is!

In a KitchenAid blender Fake stuff happens

2. Blend…Use the mix setting first to combine everything and then use the puree setting to completely breakdown the little pieces of oats. I mean if you’re gonna fake it, fake it well.

3. Once blended until creamy and lump-free, let the batter sit for 15 minutes – it thickens during this resting period

Super Blend it!

4. After the resting time – ladle into a non-stick pan. No need for spray or oil.

5. When the fake cakes bubble and dry around the edges, flip ’em. Another benefit to these fake cakes is that the first batch is pretty.

6. Continue to cook about a minute more until done.

Unlike real pancakes – the first batch is pretty!

7. Serve with fake butter if that’s your jam…But, I figured it was fake enough already so I smothered with real butter and pure maple syrup.

Of course…I served with REAL butter and syrup

Eating healthier isn’t usually my thing – but I do like to test out a good fake. And, the next time Sylvia goes to see her bff, Mimi Henderson, Mimi’s boyz can finally have a PanFake they’ll enjoy.

Soup-Er Bowl: White Bean, Sausage and Cauliflower Soup

Posted on January 29, 2014 by AnniesDishList

Soup-Er Superbowl Soup

Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner. If I read the Roman Numerals correctly, it’s Super Bowl 48..Not 49-er. And while, we, as New Yorkers, lament that our (or Jersey’s depending upon how you look at it) hometown team won’t be playing, we rejoice in the fact that at least one Manning will be there….Hopefully leading the Broncos to victory.

And, let’s be honest, we’re just happy it’s not the Patriots.

superbowl soup dinner recipe budweiser horses

Boozy Budweiser Clydesdales – not Colts

I know it’s almost Super Bowl Sunday because I saw the Budweiser Clydesdale horses outside of my apartment the other day. That’s right, a team of boozy Broncos led by some Cowboy towing a ton of beer. Right here on 67th St. Only in New York, Kids.

And, then there are all of the cooking tips on TV. Seem that no one eats like a Saint on SBS. Most chow down more like Cardinals – twice their weight in one day – and view Super Bowl Sunday as an excellent opportunity to consume 8million tons of guacamole – always seemed odd to me. Maybe those Texans started this tradition of guac. Americans pride themselves on creating 7-layer dips in the shapes of football stadiums, wrapping billions of cocktail weenies in crescent dough and consuming copious amounts of …beer.

I, on the other hand, prefer to provide my guests with Giant Soup-er Super Bowl soups. Last year, I made the Soup-Er simple Taco Soup…..this year, I’ll be mesmerizing Manning fans with a not as simple, but equally delicious, White Bean, Cauliflower, Chicken Sausage Soup. A soup that may even entice my Seahawk friends Jet-ing in from the west.

Tiny Apartment Tips:

If you don’t have a hand held blender – get one. They don’t take up a lot of space, aren’t that expensive, come in pretty colors (mine is pink) are dishwasher safe and make an easy job of pureeing your soup.
Timing is everything – since you’re having people over, clean as you go – you don’t have counter space for all of those dirty pots & pans anyway and your kitchen probably doubles as your bar, coat rack, convening space for friends and Titans of Industry.
If you don’t have a Viking range, no worries, yours will be just fine.

Soup-Er Super Bowl Soup (serves 6)

Ingredients:

Super Sausage from Somewhere Upstate – Well East of Buffalo, home of the Bills

4 Chicken-Cheddar-Spinach Sausage links Sliced – mine were from Oscar’s Smoke House upstate – because Rachael Ray says so…PS, they ship to NYC
2 Cans White Northern or Cannolini beans – the big white ones not the Redskin-ed ones – rinsed
2 Cups Cut Cauliflower – don’t be an over Packer – just 2 loose cups will do
1 Medium Yellow Onion Diced
½ Small Shallot diced
2 Cups of fresh spinach leaves
1 Bay leaf
Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh Thyme – ok, mine are frozen – not in the refrig-e-Raider, but in the freezer
4 Cups of Good Chicken Stock – like you’d ever use ‘bad’ chicken stock?
1 Cup of Water
EVOO
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Spread the cauliflower on a lined baking sheet (Reynolds Wrap pan-lining paper is my fave), sprinkle with EVOO and salt and gently mix

Cauliflower Ready to Roast

3. Put Cauliflower in to oven and roast for :30mins

Brown(s) Food Is Good Food

4. Meanwhile…..In a large stock pot – Le Creuset, s’il vous plait – over medium heat, sauté the diced onion and shallot in about 2 tbsp of EVOO until well softened and sorta translucent – about :10 mins

soup onion shallot super bowl sunday dinner

The onion makes it onion-y the shallot makes it sweet…and it’s pretty

5. Toss in a Bay Leaf for flavoring….

Bay Leaf for seasoning

6. Add 4 Cups of Chicken Stock and 1 Cup of water

7. Add in the roasted cauliflower and the Thyme leaves

Stirring in roasted cauliflower goodness

8. BTB / RTS – bring to boil, return to simmer….but, you knew what I meant

9. Simmer for :25 minutes until the cauliflower is well softened. Keep an Eagle’s eye on your simmer – it’s an art, simmering.

While that’s simmering….

9. In a frying pan over medium/high heat, add 1 tbsp of EVOO and sauté the sausage slices until browned.

Chicken Sausage with Cheddar and Spinach – Oscar’s Smoke House NY

10. Remove the sausage and set aside

Browned and Beautiful

——————————WAIT—————————————

ABOUT :10mins – read a book, call your mom, watch an episode of ‘That’s So Raven(s)’, whatever….

11. In the sausage-y pan, add the spinach and wilt – :04 mins ish

Wonderfully Wilted Spinach

12. Remove the sautéed spinach and set aside

13. Back to the large stock pot….After :25 minutes Turn off heat on Stock Pot…….Remove the bay leaf

14. Stir in 1 15oz can of White Beans and simmer another :05 minutes

Simmering Simmering Simmering

15. Add pepper to taste – about 4-5 turns of a mill

16. Puree mixture with pretty pink hand held blender until smooth – you may have to chase the chunks of cauliflower…Like a Lion, Panther or a Bengal Tiger might chase down its prey.

Pretty Pink Pureeing – chasing chunks of Cauliflower

dinner soup recipe cauliflower spinach sausag

Smooth, Sleek and Silky…Like a Jaguar

17. Stir in 1 Cup of Cannolini / Northern White beans and the cooked sausage and the spinach. I like a soup that eats like a meal…so, I add no more stock… you do what you want, you know what I’m doing…If your guests are hungry as Bears, Ram in another can of beans to make it more stew-ish. You can also stir in some cream, don’t need to, but can – whatever you want. You’re the Chief Chef here.

Do you have to add spinach? No, but it’s pretty and delish

Gindo's Spice of Life fresh and spicy pepper sauce

That’s Hot!

18. Have some spice-loving Buccaneers coming over? You can, at this point, stir in a few dashes of Gindo’s Fresh and Spicy Spice of Life…for an extra point or an onside kick!

19. Heat Through

20. Serve warm (just in a simple soup bowl, no need for the formality of fine china on gilded Chargers).

Add some yummy, crusty bread – I paid just $1.19 for a baguette at Fairway today! At that price, I felt like a Steeler of breads!

The Spinach Swims in the Soup like a Graceful Pod of Dolphins

So….the Giants didn’t make it to the big game. It’s fine. Truth be told, I’m more in to the commercials anyway…And the cooking. And, with this chicken sausage, white bean and cauliflower soup – it’s sure to be a Soup-er Super Bowl Sunday!

Go Peyton!

PS – Maybe you’d rather watch reruns of Falcon(s) Crest instead of the Big Game. Listen, if you need to be entertained, find the 32 NFL teams mentioned in this post.

It’s OK To Be In The Can: Spicy Easy Bean Dip

Posted on August 19, 2013 by AnniesDishList

It’s in the Can

I heart my iPhone 5…even though it has some glitches. Like I had to get the speaker replaced when all noises – text pings, Twitter tweets, phone chime, email bings etc stopped. And, for whatever reason…when my phone reaches 35% battery and I try to take and post a picture (sort of the way of life of a food blogger) it just shuts off. Telling me in it’s own Apple way that it’s done with the social media thing for that day. I’m OK with it, though.

Heat

One thing that does drive me crazy is the auto text correct. Sure, generally, the phone is right and I mean to type rosé, not rose. The phone seems to have picked up on summer wine season. So smart.

But, I almost…wait, I actually never mean to type that ‘I’m in the can.’ For whatever reason – maybe it’s because the iPhone speaks ‘Californian’ and those people don’t take cabs like we do in NYC – the iPhone refuses to accept that I’m in the ‘Cab’ not the ‘Can’. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to text ‘I mean Cab, not Can’ to people who are waiting for me and now think I have an ‘issue’.

That said, there are times when it’s OK to be in the Can….Like when people are coming over and it’s national hot and spicy food day and you need to quickly get an appropriate array of appetizers ready.

My most recent favorite mix is:

Spicy Easy Bean Dip (serves a bunch – but lasts two days, so just make it all)

Tiny Apartment Tips:

You should probably always have these ingredients on hand, they don’t take a ton of space and last a long time…Oh, and they’re inexpensive too
You don’t need or have room for an electric can opener…I was guest chef-ing…and the kitchen had one…fun, but sorta silly and a space waster for NYC apartments.

Ingredients:

That’s Hot!

2 Cans Shoe-Peg or Whole Corn Kernels
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Garbanzo Beans
1 Avocado
1 Bunch of Cilantro – Like a hearty handful of leaves
1/2 Medium Red Onion
Gindo’s Spice of Life Fresh and Spicy Honey Habanero Pepper Sauce…You can use the green mild sauce or the original Pepper Sauce but since it’s National Hot and Spicy Food Day…Go for the gusto!

Pay attention – this is tricky…

1. Open the cans of corn kernels and pour into the bottom of a large mixing bowl

2. Open the can (or box, sometimes it’s a box like 365 brand at Whole Foods) of Garbanzo Beans, drain, and pour into the bowl

bean dip recipe vegetarian dips hot an dspicy

This is exhausting!

3. Dice the 1/2 red onion and pour dices in

4. Open the can of black beans, rinse thoroughly, and throw them in the bowl

can opener electric bean dip vegetarian recipe

Who still has an electric can opener???

5. Chop up the cilantro – chop it pretty well…and, yes, if you absolutely hate cilantro, you can use parsley… whatever makes you happy. I don’t judge.

6. Pour 3 TBSP-ish of the salad dressing over the mixture

7. Toss in a few dashes of Gindo’s Spice of Life Fresh and Spicy Pepper Sauce – this’ll get your guests to go ‘hmmmm…wow!’ as the heat hits their tongues. Don’t be afraid here, the smooth taste of the garbanzo beans and the cool, fresh, sweet avocado will balance out the spicy hot sauce.

I guess at the amount of the dressing – it’ a pretty design!

8. Mix…just get in there and mix

This really is TOUGH

9. Cube up about a whole avocado and gently fold in…This part isn’t shown, because our avocados weren’t ripe enough and we had to do without…But, I recommend including them if you can

This dip is best if allowed to sit, chill for a while – at least 2 hours…The flavors all meld together and add to the deliciousness.

Serve with the dippers – you know the Tostito Scoops corn chips…

I can’t really think of an appropriate time to text anyone that you are ‘in the can’…still can’t figure out why my iPhone wants me to say that. Unless the iPhone thinks that somehow I’m shoe-peg corn or black beans or garbanzo beans. Then, being in the can is totes OK.

Happy National Hot and Spicy Food Day! Enjoy the dip!

Put That In Your Bird and Roast It: Wine Can Chicken

Posted on May 20, 2013 by AnniesDishList

wine can chicken roast whole chicken thyme

Garlic and Thyme Infused. Perfectly Wine-ily Moist

As summer approaches, we, in our small, no outdoor space, apartments know we are about to suffer through endless Facebook and Instagram and WordPress/Tumblr/Blogger posts of suburbanites grilling everything from lobster to steaks to chicken to vegetables.

Just the way it is. Men off of the island will be boasting about giant meats grilled to perfection. Women will be mastering marinades. Even the vegans will get involved with newly purchased vegetable griller trays.

OK, we admit it, we’re jealous. We wish we had a gas grill. We also wish we had won the PowerBall. We wish a lot of things.

It’s all moot because, not only are gas grills illegal on the island of Manhattan…but even if you did manage to sneak one up the freight elevator while no one was looking, transporting propane through any of the tunnels is also a big NYC no-no. Sure, you might have shared outdoor space in your building and you could charcoal it up, but, let’s face it, that all sounds a bit messy. And, carting a 40lb bag of charcoal from Food Emporium to your apartment is next to impossible. Plus – you’ll be damned if you’re going to get one of those roll-y carts.

No fear, my dears – We can do lots of grillish meals in the comforts of our tiny kitchens. And this wine-can chicken may actually change your mind about always relying on the rotisserie option.

Wine Can Chicken (Serves 4)

Tiny Apartment Tips:

Ideally you might have a deepish roasting pan to sit the chicken in…but if you only have a lasagna or even a baking dish, use those. Just line with Reynold’s Wrap to ease clean up
OK, you have to have fresh Thyme on this one…But remember, you can freeze the unused Thyme and use it in future dishes for up to 6 months. Just put the thyme in a ZipLoc baggie and throw it in the fridge. I might wash it first too.
Remove all but the lowest oven rack before heating the oven…I put mine on top of my cabinets when not in use. You can hide it behind a door or something…
Invite someone who likes dark meat – I don’t…

Ingredients:

Always Mise En Place – partial MEP…forgot to photo the garlic and Jane’s Krazy stuff

1 Whole Chicken (3.5 – 4lbs) bought mine at Fairway who had the best price that day
3 Cloves Garlic Smashed
2 Lemons – juiced
The zest of 1 Lemon
5 Sprigs of Thyme plus the leaves from 2 add’l Sprigs
6 Oz Good-ish White Wine – whatever you have leftover. Consult @grapefriend.com for suggestions if you like. I used a chardonnay left over by my white wino friends
1 TBSP Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Lemon Pepper
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 empty 12oz Can, rinsed and cleaned inside and out – I used a lemon San Pelligrino can thinking that any left over flavor in the can from the lemon would be AOK

Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees F

1. In a small bowl whisk together the Olive Oil, Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Lemon Pepper and the leaves from 2 Sprigs of Thyme

2. Into a Cup Measurer with oz – Pour 6oz of Chardonnay

3. Into the Chardonnay add the juice of 1 lemon PLUS the zest of 1 lemon

4. Whisk together wine and lemon

5. Pour the wine and lemon mix into the empty San Pelligrino can

6. Into the can shove the smashed cloves of garlic

7. Add the 5 sprigs of Thyme into the Pelligrino Can

Doesn’t have to look perfect – I removed the tab from the can, but not sure you have to

8. Give the can a little swirl

9. Unwrap the Chicken and rub the front and back with the Olive Oil, Lemon, Thyme Leaves, Krazy Mixed Up Lemon Pepper

Rubbed with flavorful goodness

10. Sit the Wine-Filled San Pelligrino can on the center of the lined lasagna/baking/roasting pan and then sit the whole chicken atop the can – inserting the can into the Chicken’s ‘cavity’

roasted whole chicken in oven herb infused

Can on pan…I used a lasagna pan

wine can beer can chicken roasted in oven

Violate the Chicken with the Wine-y, Herb-y Can

11. Put into the oven – and roast for 1 hour – turning the pan 180 degrees about halfway through to ensure even cooking

12. Check with a meat thermometer beginning at :45 mins. Breast area should read 170 degrees and Thighs should read at 180 degrees when done

13. Take out of the oven and let sit for :10mins before moving chicken off of the can and onto a cutting board

wine can chicken herb infused recipe food

Perfectly Roasted Wine-Can Chicken – Next time I might take the Chicken off of the can and lay flat for the last :15 of roasting to even the browning on the skin. Next time

14. Slice and serve!

wine can chicken oven recipe dinner food

Served mine with pan crisped yellow zucchini

Yes, people make beer-can chicken on their outdoor grills all the time. But, beer is so gauche.

The wine-can chicken technique seriously may have changed my mind about defaulting to the store roasted bird. It was amazingly good and so very easy.

So this weekend when all of those suburbanites are busily posting pix of their outdoor grilling bonanzas, you just rest comfortably in your tiny kitchen with your perfectly roasted wine and herb infused whole chicken. Put that in your bird and roast it!

Bunnies Don’t Lay Eggs: Easter Egg Breakfast Cups

Posted on March 29, 2013 by AnniesDishList

Oozy Egg Cups

It’s Easter weekend…And, there’s a new pope. So, it’s like a totally important Easter weekend.

Thumper – The Mother To Be

One thing about Easter that always confused me is the mystical Easter Bunny who brought eggs to us on Easter morning. I mean, rabbits don’t lay eggs. I’m certain of this because growing up we had bunnies…lots of bunnies. It started with Snuggles and then we added Thumper. The guy that sold us the bunnies assured us that both Snuggles and Thumper were males…and, we naively believed him.

But soon we had many mini Snuggles and Thumpers living in the rabbit hutch in our back yard. That’s right, Snuggles may have been male but Thumper was definitely female and the proud bunny mama to many little bunny pups.

We were young when we the bunny breeding began and watching the miracle of life in our own back yard was pretty cool. At first, we didn’t know what was going on…Thumper was lethargic and seemed to be gaining weight. ‘He’ spent a lot of time in the covered part of the hutch and didn’t want to be held. Meanwhile, Snuggles hopped around all boasty and proud…The, one day when we went out to feed the rabbits we noticed four tiny bald bunnies peeking out from under Thumper’s fur. What? The light went on: Thumper was a lady rabbit and now the mother of four.

Like I said, we were young. We had heard about rabbits reproducing like, well, rabbits. But didn’t really know exactly how that all happened. One thing was certain, however, these bunnies were definitely not hatched from eggs.

So, I don’t really get the Easter Bunny who brings Easter Eggs. I’m sure I could Google the origin of this magical egg-bearing rabbit – but, I’m not going to ruin the mystery.

In addition to the Easter Bunny and silly flowered bonnets, Brunch is synonymous with a traditional Easter celebration.

If your brunch guests are multiplying like rabbits you’ll want to serve an easy yet impressive and traditional meal. Serving rabbit at Easter Brunch just seems wrong. But eggs, now that’s a different story.

Individual Easter Egg Cups (serves 6 if this is all you’re serving, but most likely there will be an Erik Estrada aka Egg Strada, a fruit salad, a frittata and maybe even a ham)

Tips for tiny apartments of any size:

Buy extra slices of prosciutto; you will inevitably tear one or two during the prep and you may even want to snack on a slice or two
Use your cup cake tin…not your Texas tin – if you’re lucky enough to have room in your tiny kitchen for both
Temperate (bring to room temperature) your ingredients…everything works better this way

Ingredients (why am I moved to start saying ‘ingredientses’ like Teresa Giudice – pronounced this season as Ju-DEE-chAY)

12 eggs at room temperature
1 10oz package Birdseye frozen chopped spinach
2 Cloves Garlic minced
1/2 Shallot diced
3 TBSP of heavy cream at room temperature
14 slices of prosciutto – sliced thin
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

1. In a microwave safe bowl, defrost the spinach – remove from packaging, place in bowl and microwave for 6-7 minutes, stirring about halfway through

Thawed and Smokin’

2. Squeeze the excess water from the defrosted spinach. Wrap the spinach in a kitchen towel and squeeze the water out. Don’t worry about staining the towel. Spinach is organic and the green residue on the dish towel will wash out. Best to rinse the towel immediately following the squeezification and then throw it in the wash.

Post squeezification

3. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat heat two tablespoons of Olive Oil

4. Throw in the minced garlic and diced shallot and saute until fragrant – about 2 mins

Saute Til Fragrant

5. Add the spinach and stir to combine

6. Heat through – about :02 mins

7. Turn the heat down and pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine

cream spinach birdseye frozen chopped egg cup bake

Creamy Goodness

8. Take one piece of prosciutto and line each cup of a 12-cup cupcake tin. Don’t worry if the pieces tear a little…just make sure the sides and bottom of each cup are covered with the salty meat

Line with prosciutto

9. Layer on a tablespoon of the cream spinach to the prosciutto

Layer in the Creamy Spinach

10. Crack one egg on top of each prosciutto – spinach cup

easter egg cups for brunch prosciutto food

I crack the eggs into ramekins and then pour into each cup cake well

11. Bake in the oven for :15 mins – until the eggs are set, but yolks are still runny. You may want to turn the pan halfway through the cooking process so that all eggs are uniformly baked. But, then again, you may have runny egg eaters and more done egg eaters. Your call.

12. Using a large spoon, gently lift each Easter Egg Cup out of the tin and transfer to a serving plate.

Easter Egg Cup Service

13. Serve. If perfectly prepared, the yolks will be runny and delicious and the prosciutto will be somewhat crispy and hold its cup shape.

Easter egg bake spinach prosciutto recipe

Perfectly runny baked egg

Bunnies don’t lay eggs. And, the Egg-Toting Easter Bunny is still a mystery to me. All I know is that if a bunny breeder promises you the two rabbits he’s selling are male – it’s probably a lie. And that these Easter Egg Breakfast Cups are an easy way to impress your Easter Brunch guests.

AnniesDishList

A passion for cooking supersedes the size of the kitchen.

Category Archives: Lo-Cal

Pan-Fakes: Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Soup-Er Bowl: White Bean, Sausage and Cauliflower Soup

It’s OK To Be In The Can: Spicy Easy Bean Dip

Put That In Your Bird and Roast It: Wine Can Chicken

Bunnies Don’t Lay Eggs: Easter Egg Breakfast Cups

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