Blueberry Walnut Pancakes

When I find a recipe in a paper or magazine that I want to make, I cut or tear it out and add it to the pile.  I have a big pile.  When I can't decide what I want to fix for the next week, I dig through the pile.  I did that recently. 

What does it say about me that most of the recipes in my pile involve flour and sugar?  I am convinced it means I love spoiling those that I feed. 

I have been saving a recipe for pancakes that I found in Parade magazine that I get with the Sunday paper.  You shouldn't make pancakes for two people, so I waited until we had company and made them.

Blueberry Walnut Pancakes

2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts



Melt the butter first so that it will cool a bit and not curdle the eggs when added to the batter.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a large bowl.   Mix the egg and the buttermilk in a medium bowl and add to the dry ingredients, stir to combine.  Add in the melted (and slightly cooled) butter. 

 

Let the batter sit for about 15 minutes.  You can also make the batter and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator for a fast and easy breakfast.  In fact, I may add this to the B&B repertoire for the guests that need to get up and dash.  I used this time to set the table and heat up the griddle. I used oil on the griddle to prevent sticking.  You may also use butter.

 

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle and then drop about 5 or 6 blueberries and 4 or 5 walnut pieces.  Actually, I filled the griddle with pancake circles and then added blueberries and walnut pieces to all of them  If you are using frozen berries, you should keep some wet paper towels nearby.  Your fingers will turn blue!  You will want to wipe them after each batch of pancakes are blueberried.  If that is not a word, it should be.  I can think of many recipes that will benefit from being blueberried.

 

Cook until lightly brown and the edges are set, then turn the pancakes.  Cook until they are lightly browned again, or about 4 minutes on each side. 

 


Serve with butter and syrup.  And coffee.  And OJ.  Maybe even bacon!  Accept adulation from all.  Post the recipe so someone will make them for you one day.

Next time I may double the berries and nuts.  It couldn't hurt.

Soy Lime Pork Tenderloin

We like pork tenderloin.  In fact last night Lee mentioned that he prefers it to steak.  It is always tender and hard to ruin it.  I found a new recipe in the latest Parade magazine that was spotlighting citrus meal ideas.

This is an easy recipe, but you need to start it the day before, or at least 4 hours before cooking so it can absorb the flavors of the marinade.

Soy Lime Pork Tenderloin

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin, not the flavored kind.

 




Place all the ingredients in a bowl and pour into a gallon Ziploc bag.  Yes, you can put it right in the bag, but I worried I would spill it, so I did the bowl first.

 

Trim the fat and the white band called silverskin from the tenderloin.  Get a sharp knife under it, grasp the silverskin tightly and slide the knife along the underside.  You won't get it all on the first pass.  I don't know why the butcher can't do this, but they don't.

 

Place the tenderloin in the Ziploc bag and get out most of the air.  Seal it and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.  You may want to turn it over halfway through, so that it absorbs all the flavors equally.

Clean up is easy.  Seal the bag and toss.

Heat the oven to 450°.

 

Heat a cast iron, or other oven safe pan, over medium high heat with a bit of oil.  Sear the tenderloin on each side for about 2 minutes.  Place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes at 450°.  Remove the pan from the oven and let the tenderloin rest for 5 minutes.

 

Slice across the grain and serve.  We also had cole slaw and I made a bit of horseradish sauce.  We have leftovers for the next dinner, but only because we used a lot of will power...and I want an easy meal tonight.

I liked the soy and lime flavors and you could really taste them.  I did leave the tenderloin in the marinade for a whole day.  The horseradish kind of overpowered the flavors, so I didn't use much.  Delicious!