Fluffy American Pancakes

This morning I wanted to make a special breakfast for my family. I haven't made pancakes for almost 2 years because I did not have any Maine Maple Syrup. During the Christmas holiday my parents flew across the Atlantic to visit. They brought Maine Maple Syrup and other snacks I haven't had for years. Sunday breakfast: homemade pancakes and sunny side eggs with Gouda cheese, salami, and sun dried tomatoes. 

Pancake batter

1 cup milk 3 Tablespoons white vinegar

1 1/2 cup flour 3 Tablespoons white sugar 1 Tablespoon vanilla powder 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs (lightly whisked) 2 1/2 Tablespoons butter (soften)

Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl or cup, set a side for 5 mins. Just another similar way to make butter milk.

In a large bowl add all dry ingredients and mix.

Then whisk in milk/vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients. Add in the eggs and butter. Whisk until most lumps are gone. Set a side to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter or cooking oil, just to get the skillet grease. When butter melts, ladle 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles appears on the top about 2 minutes, then flip with a spatula and cook until brown (not too brown) on the other side.

Serve with maple syrup, cinnamon butter, fresh chopped fruit, whipped cream, chocolate chips, or jams.

My version of Vietnamese Pancake

For the batter

1 3/4 cup of rice flour

2 tablespoons corn flour

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can coconut milk

2 cups iced water

2 tablespoons oil

In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, corn flour, turmeric, sugar, salt, coconut milk, water, 2 tablespoons oil until smooth. Cover and place in the fridge for about an hour or overnight to rest.

For the filling I used

3 clove minced garlic

1 onion, minced

1 1/2 lb ground pork lightly marinade with oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb bean sprouts

1 cup Chinese cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

coriander

green onion

In a large skillet or a wok, on high heat, heat up 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add in minced garlic and minced onion, cook for 4 minutes then add in marinade ground pork, stir and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, bean sprouts, fresh coriander, chopped green onion. Cook and stir everything well and remove from heat.

In a large non-stick skillet on medium/high heat, using a ladle, ladle in flour batter, tilt the skillet to distribute the batter evenly. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until edge curls up.

Then add in the pork filling on half side of the pancake, sprinkle some more bean sprouts, and fold pancake in half, cook for about 2 minutes and slide onto a warm plate. Continue with the rest.

Serve with peanut dipping sauce or sweet fish sauce/chili sauce lettuce, herbs such as mint & basil

Grilled Eggplant with tomatoes, mozzarella, .........

The other day I made grilled eggplant with tomatoes, mozzarella, parsley, sun dried tomatoes, and homemade crispy panko chicken breast. I didn't know if my husband would like this because he's a typical meat guy (beef & pork). He told me this dish was delicious. The whole family loved my crispy panko chicken breast. I usually make this during the summer for grilling. I really like using panko bread crumbs than ordinary bread crumbs. I was a bit shocked to see my kids eating the eggplant and tomatoes because they don't like to eat their veggies.



Crispy Panko Chicken Breast

2 lbs chicken breast, (pounded all chicken breasts with a meat pounder)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 to 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 to 1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon garlic power
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
2 tablespoons seasoning sauce or Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper

2 cups of panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
olive oil for brushing

In a large mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, dried seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce, then add in chicken breasts, mix well to coat each side, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

After being in the fridge for hours. In a shallow dish combine panko bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, mix well, then add chicken breast coat on each side.

Heat up a grilled pan on medium to high heat. Brush olive oil in the grill grates. Grill chicken breast for 20 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with whatever side dish you like.



Grilled Eggplant with tomatoes, and mozzarella

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
4 large tomatoes, sliced thin 1/4 inch thick rounds

extra virgin olive oil 

about 1lb mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
grated Parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce (prego sauce)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (extra for topping)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

On a lined paper towel, lay slices of eggplant and lightly seasoned with salt and leave for half hour, to let the liquid out of the eggplant.

Then brush extra virgin olive oil on top of each slices of eggplant. Brush extra virgin olive oil on the grill pan and grill each eggplant slices for 4 minutes on each side.

In a blender, blend minced garlic, sun dried tomatoes, tomato sauce, and parsley. 

Preheat oven 420F

Lightly oiled baking pan and arrange 6 eggplants round, side by side. Then spread tomato sauce on top of each slices of eggplants. Then add slices of mozzarella cheese on top, then top each with slices tomatoes, and top another layer of eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella slices. Bake in the oven 420F for 12 minutes.

Remove from oven sprinkled each top with fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan and serve with crispy panko chicken breasts.