Breakfast is one of our favorite things about Christmas day. We sit down together later in the morning after all the presents have been unwrapped but before Michael and the boys begin work on assembling toys, and enjoy a hot breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls, scones, pancakes, cranberry apple French toast, panettone, or waffles. These eggnog waffles are a Christmas morning favorite we savor with butter and warm maple syrup, and small glasses of eggnog on the side with a sprinkling of nutmeg. These waffles energize the boys for a full day of play, including time outside in the snow when we’re lucky enough to have some during the holidays.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

EGGNOG WAFFLES

Makes 6 or 7 Belgian waffles.

Equipment

large mixing bowl
Belgian-style waffle machine

Ingredients

3 (360 g) cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2-1/4 cups (540 ml) light eggnog (Rich eggnog may cause the batter to be too thick.)
1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower or canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in the mixing bowl. Add the eggnog, oil, and eggs. Stir well, until all the dry ingredients are coated, but don’t over mix.

2. For each waffle, pour 3/4 cup of batter onto the hot waffle iron, spreading it around lightly to even it out a bit, then cook according to the manufacturers directions. Keep finished waffles warm in the oven at 150° F until ready to serve.

More Christmas Morning Breakfast Recipes

More Recipes with Eggnog From Around the Blogs

Pinch My Salt – Spiked Egg Nog French Toast

Brown Eyed Baker – Eggnog Fudge

Eclectic Recipes – Panettone Eggnog Bread Pudding

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Vegan Eggnog Cheesecakeg

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

It’s apple butter season! Ok, well, it’s apple season, and just like every year I find myself craving apple butter, apple pie, apple dumplings, apples in salads, apple cakes, apple cider, I could go on for a while. I like Empires, Honeycrisp, Cortland, and Fuji for eating out of hand, and usually bake with Granny Smith or Gala. I’ve tried a number of different apples for apple butter, and finally settled on Gala as my favorite due to it’s slight sweetness and soft texture, which easily cooks down.

I found this recipe for muffins at Eating Well and as soon as I saw they had apple butter in the ingredients this recipe went on my to do list. I first made them for a girls’ brunch, where they were a hit, and have also sent them to school for teacher breakfasts. My family loves them and I always make a double batch so we can have some for another day, and they keep pretty well because they are so moist. I make the muffins according to the recipe with only one change, I grate the apple rather than chop it because I like the texture better that way, but you can certainly chop if you prefer.

Applesauce has long been used as an ingredient in muffins, and apple butter makes so much sense because it adds flavor as well as moisture. You can use just about any kind of apple butter you like, but I recommend choosing one with plenty of spices. I also love the molasses in the muffins, which gives them a rich flavor.

APPLE BUTTER MUFFINS

Adapted from Eating Well.

Makes 12 muffins.

Equipment

small bowl
large mixing bowl
medium bowl
muffin tin, lined with muffin papers and lightly coated with cooking spray

Ingredients

1/2 cup (80 g) golden raisins
3/4 cup (96 g) whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup (90 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (70 g) oat bran or wheat bran
1 large egg
1/2 cup (120 ml) low-fat milk
1/2 cup apple butter
1/2 cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower or canola oil
3 tablespoons molasses
1 Gala apple, grated

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190° C. Put the raisins in the small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside for about 15 minutes.

2. In the large mixing bowl, whisk the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the bran.

3. In the medium bowl, whisk the egg, milk, apple butter, brown sugar, oil, and molasses until
blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Drain the raisins and add them and the grated apple to the bowl. Stir just until combined; don’t over mix. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Each cup will be full.

4. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when touched lightly, about 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

More Autumn Muffin Recipes

More Muffin Recipes From Around the Blogs

Gluten-Free Goddess – Gluten-Free Pear Polenta Muffins

Pinch My Salt – Sour Cream Cinnamon Streusel Muffins with Pecan Filling

My Baking Addiction – Morning Glory Muffins

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Carrot Spice Muffins

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Ranchera. Say it. Try flipping the “r”. I still have trouble making that sound, even after living in a Spanish-speaking country for two years and developing an accent that could almost pass for a native. The Rs always gave me away. When I first moved to Colombia I couldn’t speak any Spanish except for the numbers I’d learned from Sesame Street, and to further complicate matters I’d recently finished a semester studying Japanese. Add that to my high school German and all the languages I used to sing in at college, and my early Spanish was a mess. I’d try talking with locals at the shops, asking for certain things, and instead of Spanish a mix of English/German/Japanese/Spanish would flow forth. I got some very confused looks those first couple months.

Even if I can’t quite say it like a native speaker, I still love ranchera sauce. It’s the classic sauce for eggs in Mexico, but there’s no one right way to make it. This version, which was inspired by a recipe from Chef Roberto Santibañez, is my favorite because the fresh tomatoes are roasted and then cooked with onions, garlic, chiles, and a stick of cinnamon. Sublime, I say. Chef Santibañez broils the tomatoes whole and removes the skins after roasting, whereas I halve the tomatoes before roasting on high heat and leave the skins on in the sauce because they add a bit of smokiness, which I like. My sauce is a little bit thicker, but not too much. If you use a Mexican cinnamon stick as Santibañez recommends, make sure to wrap it in cheesecloth because it tends to fall apart. Other kinds of cinnamon sticks remain intact while cooking.

After I made the sauce, Hockey Guy got in the kitchen with me and helped cook the eggs for Sunday brunch. He even plated up the dish for the photos, not bad for an 8-year-old food stylist. The sauce is easy to make, just have the older kids help with halving the tomatoes and be sure an adult is around to supervise all the cutting and blending.

Many traditional recipes for huevos rancheros have you briefly fry the tortillas in oil to soften them, but instead I dunk the tortillas in the hot sauce. Less mess and one less pan to clean.

To serve, dunk each tortilla into the sauce just long enough to soften it, about 30 seconds or so, then stack two on a plate. Pour on more sauce, add a fried egg, then top with a little more sauce and eat with your favorite Mexican rice, beans, and some avocado.

Make sure to visit The Kids Cook Monday for more recipes to cook with your kids.

How Adults Can Help the Kids

• Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: cutting, blending, using the oven.
• Onions can be a little tricky to grasp while chopping, so let an adult or older child take on that job if you are making the salsa with young children.

Safety Tips

• Make sure an adult is present at all times.
• Young children should not handle sharp knifes. Teach older children knife safety, such as keeping fingers back from the blade, and laying the knife down on the board when not in use.
• Wear protective gloves while working with hot chilies. Keep chilies and gloves away from your face.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS

Inspired by Rosa’s New Mexican Table, by Roberto Santibañez. (review)

Makes about 4 cups.

Equipment

baking sheet
blender
3-quart saucepan with lid
cheesecloth (optional)

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.36 k) ripe plum tomatoes
2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, seeded and sliced
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup (60 ml) canola oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 Mexican cinnamon stick wrapped in cheesecloth (or other cinnamon stick)

SERVE WITH
corn tortillas (see below)
Mexican rice
beans
fried eggs
avocado slices

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 475° F/250° C. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds and juices. Arrange them cut side down on the baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake until the skins are evenly black all over, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Discard the skins and transfer the tomatoes and the juices to the blender. Blend with the chiles and garlic until smooth.

2. While the tomatoes roast, heat the canola oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook while stirring until the onion is soft and translucent, and 4 minutes. Add the tomato puree, cover, and bring to a boil. Stir in the salt and cinnamon stick, reduce heat, and cook uncovered at a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes. If sauce thickens too much, like a paste, reduce the heat slightly and add water a tablespoon or two at a time.

3. Taste for seasoning and add more salt to taste.

4. TORTILLAS: Dunk each tortilla in the sauce for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to warm and soften, then lay each tortilla on a plate.

5. SERVE: Spread some sauce on the tortilla, then lay a fried egg on top and pour some more sauce on the egg. Serve with Mexican rice, beans, and sliced avocado.

6. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

More Kids Cook Monday Recipes

More Mexican Style Eggs Recipes From Around the Blogs

Gluten-Free Goddess – Santa Fe Huevos on Polenta aka Eggs Rancheros

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Mexican Baked Eggs with Black Beans, Tomatoes, Green Chiles, and Cilantro

Pinch My Salt – Butternut Squash Hash with Mexican Chorizo and Eggs

The Perfect Pantry – Black Bean, Green Chile and Tomato Frittata

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

When it comes to savory breakfast casseroles and quiches, I’m not a fan of crust. Unlike my love of a good sweet pie crust, I want to just taste the fillings without anything surrounding it. And I like mine stuffed with plenty of vegetables, like this one. My sister shared this recipe with me last week, a healthy, low calorie breakfast casserole she makes once a week. The good thing about these kinds of casseroles, besides the flavor and the fact that it’s healthy, is that there are so many ways to vary the vegetables and have something different each time. This time I made it with spinach, some frozen bell peppers leftover from the summer garden, onions, and a couple chopped tomatoes, but you can add just about anything and it will still be good, and it’s easy to make gluten-free, too. For a weekend breakfast when you have more time, try sautéing fresh chard and using it instead of the spinach.

(Print this recipe)

EGG WHITE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE WITH SAUSAGE, SPINACH, AND TOMATOES

Adapted from my sister, Angela Hayes.

Serves 8.

Equipment

medium skillet
3-quart deep casserole dish, coated with cooking spray

Ingredients

12 ounces (340 g) turkey sausage, crumbled
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce/284 g) box frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
32 ounces (946 ml) liquid egg whites
1 cup (113 g) grated 2% cheddar cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

2. In the skillet, sauté the sausage over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the sausage on a paper towel, then add the chopped onion and continue to cook over medium heat until the onion is slightly soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the drained spinach to the skillet and stir into the sausage mixture. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the spinach is warm. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Pour the meat mixture into the prepared casserole dish, then add the liquid egg whites and top with the grated cheese.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is browned and the egg whites stop bubbling, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes, then serve.

Variations

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free sausage. My sister uses Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles.

Other things to add: crushed red pepper, diced bell peppers, chili powder.

Sauté fresh chard and use it instead of spinach.

More Breakfast Recipes

More Breakfast Recipes From Around the Blogs

Just Bento – 1 Egg Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelette)

Pinch My Salt – A Portable Omelette: Southwest Style Egg Muffins

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook – Trout or Salmon Omelet

From Argentina with Love – Tortilla Española (Potato Omelet)

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

More Recipes for The Kids Cook Monday

More Grits Recipes From Around the Blogs

Ezra Pound Cake – Smoked Gouda-Chipotle Grits

Cooking by the Seat of My Pants – Beer Braised Beef Shank with Garlic Grits

Homesick Texan – Jalapeño Cheese Grits

What We’re Eating – Grits and Grillades

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

The final weekend of Mardi Gras is approaching, which means Pancake Day (aka Pancake Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday) is next week. In our home one would think that it’s Pancake Day just about every Sunday morning since that’s our weekly ritual, though these pancakes were born on a snowy weekday morning this winter when the boys were trapped at home and schools were closed. The morning was much more relaxed than our usual rush to get everyone fed, dressed, and off to school on time. The boys played while I took my time making breakfast, then they eagerly asked for syrup and apple butter to top their plate of pancakes.

The boys liked these so much that they asked for them every morning of that week we were snowed in. Thankfully we had heat to keep us warm with all that snow and ice piled up, and there were plenty of pancakes to go around.

(Print this recipe)

WHOLE WHEAT, OATMEAL, AND BANANA PANCAKES

Makes 4 to 5 servings.
Time: about 30 minutes

Equipment

food processor
medium mixing bowl
small mixing bowl
griddle or skillet

Ingredients

1 cup (80 g) uncooked whole oats
1 cup (128 g) white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup (90 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (28 g) packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 very ripe banana, mashed

SERVE WITH
maple syrup
apple butter
fried apples

Preparation

1. Process the rolled oats in a food processor until the texture resembles coarse flour. In the medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

2. In the small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

3. Warm a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Ladle the batter onto the hot griddle and cook until bubbles form and the edges turn dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side. Keep warm on a covered plate while cooking the rest. Repeat with remaining batter.

More Pancake Recipes

More Pancake Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kitchen Parade – My Mom’s Pancake Recipe

Appetite for China – Chinese Scallion Pancakes

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Socca (Garbanzo or Chickpea Flatbread Pancake from France)

The Perfect Pantry – Latkes, Potato Pancakes

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

We’ve had quite a few snow and ice days recently, more than we thought we would have this year. I guess after the unusually powerful snow storms we had last year we thought the next few winters would be milder, more like the average winters for this area. But there is still snow on the ground and just a couple days of sunshine sprinkled here and there, and with being cooped up we’ve been baking more than usual. Not that that’s a bad thing, and the boys appreciate having fresh muffins and scones for breakfast.

These whole wheat ricotta muffins \stick to the ribs and keep the boys going in the mornings, and they love the flavor and smell of the orange zest with the dried cranberries. After zesting the orange, I rub it into the sugar with my fingers and let it sit for a few minutes before mixing with the butter, which gives the sugar a distinct orange flavor that permeates the muffins. You can also use orange sugar leftover from storing candied orange peels for more fabulous orange flavor.

Whole wheat muffin batter tend to be stickier than muffins made from all-purpose flour, and coating the muffin papers with nonstick spray helps them to peel off easier without the muffin sticking. The texture is best on the first day, but if you have some leftover muffins you can warm them up a bit the next morning and they’ll be fine.

WHOLE WHEAT CRANBERRY ORANGE RICOTTA MUFFINS

Makes 12 muffins.

Equipment

muffin tin, lined with paper liners coated with nonstick spray
small mixing bowl
medium mixing bowl
stand mixer with paddle attachment, or hand mixer and large bowl

Ingredients

1 cup (175 g) granulated sugar plus more as needed for sprinkling
1 orange, zested and juiced
2 cups (256 g) white whole wheat flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (248 g)  whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 cup (80 g) dried cranberries

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F/175° C.

2. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar with the orange zest, using your fingers to rub the zest in. Set aside and allow the orange to infuse the sugar for about 15 minutes. You can also do this the day before to really let the flavor soak in.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the stand mixer, beat the infused sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta until it’s thoroughly mixed, then add the eggs and orange juice, mixing until thoroughly combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir by hand just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy), but don’t over mix or the muffins will become tough. Gently fold in the cranberries.

4. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a little sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

More Muffin Recipes

More Whole Grain Muffin Recipes From Around the Blogs

Farmgirl Fare – Whole Grain Pear Bran Muffins

Guilty Kitchen – Brown Butter Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

This Week for Dinner – Whole Wheat and Flax Cornbread Muffins

Pinch My Salt – Pumpkin Maple Muffins

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

It’s time for another post for The Kids Cook Monday, and this time our boys chose one of their favorite breakfasts, waffles. Around our house breakfast can also be dinner and the boys enjoy waffles any time of the day. Serve healthy whole wheat waffles with fruit and  a vegetable omelet or frittata or and you’ve got a great meal.

This is a whole wheat waffles recipe that I adapted from King Arthur Flour using honey instead of sugar, buttermilk instead of milk, and adding some cinnamon for a bit of spice. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1-1/2 cups, then let it rest on the counter for about 10 minutes. It will start to curdle and give you some tangy milk. You can also substitute plain yogurt. This is an easy recipe for the kids to help with, just mix and let the waffle iron do the cooking. All three of our boys get to help and each has a task, and they get excited about wearing their chef aprons and hats.

Here’s how you make the waffles:

Whisk the dry ingredients.

Whisk the wet ingredients.

Stir it all together. (I love this picture of Michael and Monkey Boy.)

Cook.

Enjoy!

How Adults Can Help the Kids

• Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, pouring.
• Demonstrate how to pour the waffle batter on the hot iron, remove the cooked waffle, then assist the kids as necessary. Young children should not handle the hot waffle iron.

Safety Tips

• Make sure an adult is present at all times.
• An adult should be in charge of plugging in and turning on the waffle iron.
• Use wooden tongs or a heat proof spatula to lift the cooked waffle off the hot iron.

HONEY CINNAMON WHOLE WHEAT WAFFLES

Adapted from King Arthur Flour.

Makes 4 Belgian waffles.

Equipment

medium bowl
small bowl
Belgian waffle iron, or other type as desired
nonstick cooking spray

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups (192 g) whole wheat flour, white or traditional (We recommend King Arthur flours.)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk or lowfat yogurt
2 tablespoons honey, warmed
1/3 cup (75 g) melted butter

SERVE WITH
maple syrup
apple butter
fried apples
fresh fruit

Preparation

1. In the medium bowl whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

2. In the small bowl stir together the egg, buttermilk, honey, and melted butter.

3. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined.

4. Cook according to your waffle iron manufacturer’s directions. You can keep cooked waffles warm in a 250° F/120° C oven while making the rest, just lay them directly on the oven rack, and they will even crisp a little.

More Breakfast Recipes

More Waffle Recipes From Around the Blogs

A Bloggable Life – Gingerbread Waffles

The Perfect Pantry – Yogurt Lemon Waffles

Gluten-Free Goddess – Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles

Baking Bites – Raised Orange Waffles

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

I admit that I’ve been a bit of a chicken about trying gluten-free (GF) baking. Though I’m a relatively accomplished baker, the list of ingredients for many GF recipes left me quaking in my boots and I’ve studiously avoided it. Cooking GF for my sister has not been a problem because most things I cook are naturally GF, but I usually just ask her about what kinds of bread of whatever else she might need when she visits and just go out and buy it. Leave it to Shauna to get me out of my GF baking rut. She threw down a Thanksgiving GF baking challenge and how could I possibly say no?

But I was still a wee bit nervous.

So I decided to start simple and adapt our pumpkin scones recipe, which would make a delicious addition to the Thanksgiving breakfast table. I like to make Thanksgiving breakfast the night before so the morning gets off to an easy start, and it’s so refreshing to wake up with breakfast ready to go, especially since the rest of the day will be spent in and around the kitchen.

I found GF ingredients at Target. How easy was that?

For the scones, I used 2 cups of the GF baking flour and 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum, which is the replacement for gluten. The Bob’s Red Mill flour mix has garbanzo flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, sorghum flour, and fava flour, and is easy for a beginning GF baker to start with.

Mixing was a snap, no different from our regular recipe, though I did add a tablespoon of milk toward the end of mixing to pick up the loose bits of flour laying in the bottom of the bowl. The dough shaped nicely and baked up beautifully. From the exterior we couldn’t see any difference. The real test was in the tasting, and Michael gamely cut into one and took a bite, then another, and gave me a big look of surprise and said he couldn’t taste a difference. We could have done a blind taste test with the regular and GF scones and would have been challenged to tell which was which. Now I call that a successful first GF baking experience.

There’s a bunch of us participating in Shauna’s GF Thanksgiving challenge, so make sure you check out Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef for links to the other blogs. And thank you, Shauna, for the challenge! Between you and my fabulous sister I might actually get this gluten-free baking thing down.

And while you are over at Shauna’s blog, make sure you check out the incredible giveaway they are offering to get you started on gluten-free baking! Prizes include:

• 3 copies of their fabulous cookbook,
• a collection of all the gluten-free flours necessary to bake from their cookbook,
• a grab bag of spices and oils that might be necessary to bake from their cookbook,
• a baking package, including jelly roll pans, a Silpat, tart pans, etc., and
• a Kitchen Aid Mixer!

[Updated January 15, 2011.]

(Print this recipe)

GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN SCONES

Makes 8 scones.

Equipment

food processor with blade attachment
small bowl
large mixing bowl
baking sheet, greased or lined with parchment paper

Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/3 cup (58 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick (8 tablespoons/113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup (120 mil) pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (50 g) raisins or golden raisins
milk
cinnamon & sugar mix

Preparation

1. Move the oven rack to the lower-middle part of the oven. Preheat oven to 400° F/200° C.

2. In food processor bowl, mix the flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Add the pieces of butter and pulse about 10 to 12 times. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.

4. Pour the flour mixture into the large mixing bowl and add the raisins. Stir in the pumpkin mixture until large dough clumps form. Press it all together with a spatula, making sure you don’t have any loose bits of flour.

5. Flour your hands well. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat into an 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Brush milk on the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mix.

6. Cut into 8 triangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

More Gluten-Free Recipes for Thanksgiving

The Complete Gluten-Free Thanksgiving 2010

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef | Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Dishes
Andrea’s Recipes | gluten-free pumpkin scones
Not Without Salt | gluten-free chocolate biscotti
Zest Bakery | warm pumpkin polenta with goat cheese
The Mommy Bowl | gluten-free bread
Smith Bites | gluten-free celery root soup with cashew cream
White on Rice Couple | Turkey Sloppy Joes on Rosemary Rolls
What’s Gaby Cooking | gluten-free molasses cookies
Food for My Family | Gluten-Free Apple Pie Cheesecake
Kitchen Gadget Girl | gluten-free pumpkin strata
Rookie Moms | chocolate peanut butter brownies
Tiffin Tales | gluten-free Thanksgiving torte
Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom | gluten, dairy and egg free crescent rolls and cinnamon rolls
Eat the Love | Gluten Free Maple Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Gingerbread Bottom
Gluten-Free Doctor Recipes | gluten-free sourdough rosemary rolls and gluten-free mincemeat cookies
The Art of Gluten-Free Baking | gluten-free pumpkin pie
Sophisticated Gourmet | cranberry-almond-coconut macaroons topped with chocolate
Cook 4 Seasons | gluten-free pumpkin mousse
Cook It Allergy Free | Cornbread and (Shauna’s) Crusty Bread Stuffing
Lexie’s Kitchen | dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, no-bake pumpkin pie filling
Recipe Girl | an entire Thanksgiving menu, gluten-free
Two Peas and Their Pod | gluten-free apple cranberry crisp
Gluten-Free for Good | gluten-free cherry cobbler
My Madeleine | butternut squash soup.
The Sensitive Pantry | gluten-free brown sugar hand pies
Art and Lemons | gluten-free rustic squash tarts
Bellalimento | Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll with Mascarpone and Nutella Filling
Mom Food Project | an entire Thanksgiving, gluten-free
Gluten-Free Easily | candy carrot coins
Dish Towel Diaries | kale Caesar slaw
A Baking Life | gluten-free gingerbread cake
Glugle Gluten-Free | gluten-free pumpkin muffins
Wenderly | sweet and savory prosciutto cups
Cannelle Et Vanille | sweet potato and crabapple clafoutis
Who Ate My Tomato? | gluten-free squash tart
What’s Cooking with Kids | gluten-free apple crisp
CakeSpy | Gluten-Free Turkey Meatloaf Cupcakes
Blue Bonnets and Brownies | apple and pear cobbler
Wasabimon! | gluten-free butternut squash pie
Chez Us | gluten-free apple crisp

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

When I lived in Bogotá years ago I frequented a small restaurant called Aquí en Santafe in Chapinero (Carrera 7 # 62-63). If you weren’t looking for it you would probably walk right past it, because at the time the only thing that made it stand out on the busy street was the dark red door. The restaurant served traditional Colombian cuisine, and my favorite thing to order was the arepas. They had an amazing assortment of arepa toppings, and the arepa with avocado and cheese was my favorite. The school cafeteria also served them, and the teachers could usually count on finding some arepas and aji for breakfast in the teachers lounge.

Arepas are typical Colombian breads made from white or yellow precooked cornmeal known as masarepa (Brands: Goya, P.A.N.). They are very easy to prepare and make great snacks, breakfast, or appetizers. Arepas range in size from minis about 1-1/2 inches across to large plate sized, and I usually make a medium size about 3 inches across which is a good breakfast size. You can make them with or without cheese or just enjoy them with butter and salt or top them with aji, the Colombian salsa. The aji I remember from the school was green and slightly spicy. Some ajis have tomatoes, but this one just had onions, peppers, cilantro, and a bit of vinegar. I make aji at home using a bit of lime instead of the vinegar, and I tone down the heat a bit for the boys with an Anaheim pepper. For a spicier version of aji, use 2 jalapeño peppers with seeds instead of Anaheim. If you really want to set your head on fire, add a habanero.

A Word on Gluten-Free

Like cornmeal, masarepa is naturally gluten-free, though it might be processed in facilities that also process wheat products. Make sure you check the labels carefully to be sure.

(Print this recipe)

COLOMBIAN AREPAS WITH CHEESE (AREPAS CON QUESO) AND AJI

Makes 6 medium (3-inch) or 12 small arepas.

Equipment

medium mixing bowl
10-inch cast iron skillet
blender or food processor

Ingredients

AREPAS
1 cup (170 g) masarepa (arepa flour)
1 cup (113 g) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) plus 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower oil

AJI
1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (20 g) chopped fresh cilantro
1 Anaheim chili, seeded and rough chopped
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
pinch salt

Preparation

1. AREPAS – In the medium bowl, toss together the arepa flour, cheese, and salt, then stir in the water until well mixed. Let the mixture stand until enough water is absorbed for a soft dough to form, about 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Form the pieces into balls and flatten between your palms, gently pressing to form a 1/4-inch-thick patties, then gently press around side to eliminate cracks. Place the shaped arepas on wax paper.

3. Heat oil in the cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry arepas in 2 batches, turning over once, until deep golden in patches, about 8 to 10 minutes total per batch. Drain on paper towels.

4. AJI – Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until slightly blended, but still a bit chunky. Dollop on top of the cooked arepas.

Variations

Use 2 jalapeño peppers instead of Anaheim. To make it really hot, add a habanero pepper.

More Colombian Recipes

More Colombian Recipes From Around the Blogs

My Colombian Recipes – Colombian Empanadas

Nika’s Culinaria – Colombian Tamales

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.