Corn Cakes

These savoury corn cakes are a great side dish to your menu. To add a bit more zip serve with sour cream, salsa and extra herbs.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 cups corn, cooked and drained
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Method:

1. In a medium size bowl combine dry ingredients with grated cheese and set aside.
2. In another bowl whisk together corn, buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
3. Pour corn mixture over dry ingredients and stir just until moistened, like you would for a muffin batter.
4. Scoop batter for each cake on a hot grill (350º) which has been lightly greased.
5. They will spread a bit so no need to flatten them.
6. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes on one side, until brown at the edges, flip and cook another 4 minutes.
7. Yield: 7 cakes

Yogurt Parfait

This is more of a method than a recipe. It's a great way to serve yogurt with fruit and granola at a Brunch. I used an ice bucket to assemble the parfait. If you have a large group at your brunch you could use a standard trifle bowl for this, too. You would just need to increase all the ingredients.

One large bucket of vanilla yogurt - 2 lbs.
3-4 cups of granola
1 pound fresh strawberries cut into bite size pieces
12 oz. of fresh blueberries

Assemble and serve with small dessert cups.

Of course as with any recipe of this type you can add variations that your family would enjoy more. A different flavor of yogurt, or homemade yogurt. More berries such a raspberries and blackberries. You could add more nuts of your choice. Use your imagination and create!

Almond Blueberry Bread

Almond Blueberry Bread

This is a quick easy bread to make using Bisquick or another pancake and baking mix

Ingredients:
1 egg
3/4 cup of sugar
1- 1/2 cups milk
3 cups Bisquick mix
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup finely chopped almonds
3/4 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan by greasing it. Beat the egg and add the sugar beating until well combined. Add the milk and Bisquick mix and beat well. Stir in almonds and almond extract. Carefully blend in blueberries. Pour batter in prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Ovens vary so check at 45 minutes. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then remove from pan onto wire rack to continue cooling. Slice and enjoy.

Cheese Stuffed Breadsticks

If you have tried the French Bread or Pizza Buns with the same recipe, today's breadsticks should come by quite easily, as it's the same recipe recycled once again. It's the bread recipe with endless options and so easy to mix.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tsp salt
• 2 cups hot water
• 4 - 4 1/2 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp instant yeast
• 3 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella or mix )
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 clove garlic crushed

Method:

1. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put first four ingredients in mixing bowl or Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cups flour and yeast.
3. Mix until well combined and then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time, until dough can easily be shaped into a ball with all the flour well mixed in. No need to rise.
4. Divide in half. Roll first half out on floured surface, to approx size of cookie sheet. Roll up on to rolling pin and unroll unto cookie sheet. Stretch into shape where needed. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Roll out second half, a bit larger. Roll onto pin and unroll on top of cheese. Fold under the bottom layer, along edges. Cut through the dough with a pizza cutter to create 20 - 24 pieces. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 20 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 425F.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, Parmesan, oregano and garlic. Brush evenly over dough.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes, until breadsticks are light golden in color. If a large bubble pops up while baking, simply break with a knife to keep the sticks even.
9. Cut along the seams of the breadsticks and serve warm with soup. Can also be used for kids' sandwiches.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

My sister Vera has been making these pancakes for years. They are always a welcome breakfast treat!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

6 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed for one minute. Stop and scrap down the sides of the blender.  Continue blending until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Pour onto hot griddle or pan that is lightly greased. Flip when browned on one side and continue cooking until cooked through.
Serve any way you like with syrup or powdered sugar. Add some breakfast meat of your liking and some fresh fruit.

This recipe serves 4 people.

*You can also add one ripe banana to the ingredients in the blender for Banana Cottage Cheese Pancakes.

*If you don’t have a blender just mix with a hand held mixer or by hand.