soybeanoil

Tired of bland breakfasts?
How about adding some color and flavor for a change, and just in time for Valentine’s day!

I don’t know about you, but I’m no stranger to mixing sometimes unconventional flavors to suit my stomach’s latest whim. Lately, those cravings have strayed towards new interpretations of the classic staples fruit and cheese, particularly during breakfast. To most people, breakfast is either sweet or savory. They don’t dare experiment beyond having bacon with their eggs and toast. However, should you find you suddenly have a bit of extra time the morning of Valentine’s day, and perhaps an urge to try something new, indulge yourself and your loved one with one of my favorite breakfast recipes: eggs with aged gouda and cranberry pancakes, best accompanied with bacon on the side (to dip in the syrup, of course!). Both simple, easy to accomplish recipes, and they will probably only take minutes longer than your usual breakfast routine (though some of the ingredients may have to be bought specifically for the recipe). So, shall we begin?

Eggs with Aged Gouda:
Now, there are plenty of ways to do this, and it all depends on your tolerance for cheese and your favorite style of eggs. My personal choice? Scrambled, with copious amounts of shredded gouda on top. However, this is the part of the meal where preference is key to enjoyment, so improvise as you see fit. The only thing you’ll need to get that might be outside of your usual grocery list is a wedge of great aged gouda. I get mine from Cowgirl Creamery in San Francisco, but if you’re not a foggy city resident, make sure you sample some of your options till you find one to your tastes. Once that’s out of the way, add as you see fit to your favorite eggs. You won’t be sorry.

Cranberry Pancakes
This is my little twist on the standard blueberry pancakes that were such a treat when I was growing up. Mind you, I’m only 18, but tastes change quick when you follow your tongue and your stomach, and though pancakes will always have a soft spot for me, I find I’ve lost the taste for the small, hot explosions the blueberry versions are known for. Instead, I’ve moved on to a more tangy relative: The Cranberry. Now, I prefer the delightfully chewy dried versions, but if you’re still fond of the dripping juice so reminiscent of blueberries, the recipe is just as easily completed with halved cranberries, though it’s a bit more time consuming (as you’ll have to halve them yourself… every single one). Since this is about my ideal breakfast recipe however, I’ll stick to the dried version.

P.S: Not alone for breakfast? Just double as you see necessary, or, if these pancakes are not to your liking, add cranberries to your own favorite recipe.

Needed Ingredients:
Makes a dozen 5-inch buttermilk pancakes. Total Prep Time – 25 min.

1 1/2 cups delicious dried cranberries (feel free to use restraint or add more)
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. white sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1/3 cup melted butter
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt ,sugar, baking powder) in one large bowl and mix together till unable to be separated. In a separate bowl, beat together wet ingredients (milk, eggs, butter, buttermilk). Do not mix the two bowls together until you’re ready to cook!

2. Heat a lightly oiled pan or griddle over a medium to high heat flame. Tip: flick a few drops of water on the surface of the pan. If it beads up, dances around and sizzles, the pan is ready to be used, and you’re ready to mix your ingredients.

3. Mix the wet and dry mixtures together and stir until blended, but not runny. Add cranberries to the mixture. Tip: You do not want to over stir the batter. It should still have a slightly grainy quality to the surface. If it’s too wet, your pancakes will not be fluffy.

4. Now you can begin to cook. Personally, I use a 1/2 cup measuring cup as my spoon, and fill about 2/3 of the cup for the perfect size pancake. Pour mixture into pan, brown on both sides and serve hot. Tip: if you’ve not made pancakes before, bubbles will rise to the surface of the pancake to let you know it’s cooking in the middle. Once enough have popped and the bottom is browned, you can carefully flip it.

There you have it! A breakfast fit for bohemian royalty (and you wouldn’t believe how great your apartment will smell after). Just add a side of bacon to dip in the overflow of syrup (I personally prefer the healthier, crispier turkey alternative), and you’ll find that breakfast will once again become your favorite meal of the day. Use caution however… this meal might just be habit forming.