Gorgeously Gluten Free Yorkshire Pancake

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Growing up my parents had a cabin in the mountains, and it seemed nearly every other weekend we’d make the 2 hour drive to spend those precious 2 days in the higher altitudes of the Cascade Mountain Range. I adored it. Winters meant lots of deep powder to ski on and great sledding. Summers meant riding our horses in the high dessert, soaking in the glory of God’s handiwork in the form of arid mountainous pines, alpine meadows, crystal clear running rivers, breathtakingly cold mountain lakes, and incredible mountain vistas. Whenever I reminisce my childhood it is chock full of those memories interlaced with the wonderful smells emanating out of my mothers kitchen. 

My love of cooking is an inheritance from my mother. Looking back I am amazed at the wonderful eats she churned out of that small cabin kitchen. My brother and I would leave the cabin after a hot breakfast, returning only when we were hungry, which repeatedly was not until dusk. In fact, it was so tough getting us in by dark that my mother hung a dinner bell on the back deck that she would ring when food was on the table, to which we would come running. Funny how kids are that way. Food is completely forgotten to the excitement of an ant colony, or a fish in the stream, meadows of shoulder high grass for hide and seek , or a rotted out tree trunk that needed to be explored for critter signs. But when that dinner bell rang, our stomachs let us know quite clearly we had not fed our engines all day! 

Yorkshire pancake is a dish that my mother made on a regular basis. She only ever made it at our cabin, I’m really not quite sure why. Was it the secret of the cast iron pan? Was it the mastering of having something puff so gloriously at a high altitude? Was it the simplicity of ingredients? Or was it that the cabin was a simple life and we were easily impressed by the sight of that mile-high puffed treat, showering her with praise. She is no longer with us, so I cannot ask her. I like to think it was a memory maker. A tradition unique to that time in our lives. All I know is how grateful I am to have that very same skillet in my possession, well seasoned by decades of use, non-stick smooth and black as night. 

As the resident ‘memory maker’ in this family I have passed this tradition down. This has become a favorite of my girls that I bake on the long, cold, snowy winter weekends we have here. The original recipe is made with flour and if you are not GF, by all means make it with regular flour. It will produce results that will stun and wow any guest or family member. Just be sure to call the crowed BEFORE you pull it out of the oven. Like any popover/pudding batter, it will begin to deflate immediately, but as you can see from the photo below, should maintain it’s vertical edges beautifully browned bubbles. Made with my new favorite Pamelas Artisan Flour I get near identical results to my regular flour version. It doesn’t rise quite as high, but my daughter is tickled pink she can have her Yorkshire Pancake once again. 

A couple of tips for making this pancake:

Bake in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have cast iron skillet use an oven proof heavy bottomed pan with low sides.

This recipe can be doubled. I’ve not had much success tripling it as GF, but with flour you can easily triple it to feed a crowd. I have adjust the butter compared to the original whopping 1/2c amount, and have tried to make it as low fat as possible without compromising taste. This recipe is not dairy free, but I cut down the lactose by using Lactose-Free milk. Pre-heat your oven while preparing, and whisk well prior to pouring in the pan for GF. For wheat flour, mix thoroughly and let rest while oven heat. 

Gluten Free Yorkshire Pancake

1/2 cup Pamelas Artisan Flour (I cannot recommend good results with any other flour. I’ve not had success with this recipe until I used this brand of GF all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs (whisked in to the milk)

1/4 c butter, melted (see recipe) 

pinch of salt. (I love to use my himalayan salt)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Move the rack to the middle/lower rung of your oven (to allow for it to puff) and place your 10 in cast iron pan in the oven to heat up. (If your pan is not cast iron, heat on the stove top until very hot, but would NOT smoke oil) In a bowl whisk the eggs in to the milk  and add a pinch of salt. Add the flour and whisk in. There will be some lumps, let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then whisk out any remaining lumps. If using wheat flour, be careful not to over beat, as this will make the pancake tough. 

When the oven reaches temperature, CAREFULLY remove the hot pan to your stovetop. Add the butter and let melt. When completely melted, pour the batter in to the pan, and place in the oven. (I have found the GF flour can get a little thick, just make sure it’s spread to the edges)

Set your timer for 14 minutes and then check the cake. It should look set in the center, not raw. For the recipe amount above, I’ve found it to be done in between 14-16 mins. If I triple the recipe, I use a larger skillet (14inch) and let it go a full 18-20 mins. When it’s done, the edges will have puffed up and be crispy brown, the center will be soft like a pudding but not raw at all. 

This is so delicious served with real maple syrup and powdered sugar, a side of sausage links and a fried egg. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Let it be your memory maker! 

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Cold Kicker Tonic, and Friendship

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Today, I am doing something new. I am highlighting someone else’s blog. (Photo comes from Keeper of the Home)

We have a lot of talented, creative, well-informed citizen ‘journalist-bloggers’ (you say potato, I say po-TAH-to, who is limit the definition of journalist nowadays!) out there on the internet who are sharing a incredible wealth of information, tips, tricks, resources and knowledge to what amounts now as ‘the world’. All the information that we used to have to go and dig for in the bowels of a library is at our fingertips, in the comfort of our homes. Heck, we can sit in our PJ’s or sweats and fill our minds with a cup of coffee at hand. For me personally, that has been a blessing. I’ve always had a sensitivity to the florescent lighting in those buildings and so I shun them like the plague.

Todays blog highlight is called “Keeper of the Home” and you can go here (**Or see below for the recipe**) to find the Cold Kicker Remedy I am referring to.

This recipe came from my ‘grocery store friend’. Back when I was blessed enough to live on the east side of the bay area (oh, I long for the weather and scenery there) and I met my friend Jamie. My girls were runts back then, 2&4, when we moved from Oregon to California. It was an awesome home in the suburbs of Concord. I had on my property a Meyers Lemon tree, a pomegranate and grapefruit tree. We lived on a cul-de-sac at the foot of beautiful hills (deemed mountains, here in the midwestern flatlands ), mesquite trees from which I’d collect the pods to smoke meat on the grill, incredible farmers markets that were chockfull of heirloom produce, and sigh…..the weather. As I sit here staring out at the never-ending white wasteland of Minnesota, knowing there is still yet another 2 full months of winter-like weather, I long for that more temperate climate and abundant varieties of produce.

Back to the story.

For those who have no experience of living on the West Coast, it is particularly appealing for its’ transient, mobile and flexible communities. People migrate up and down the coast for jobs and family. I was born in California, my family moved to Oregon when I was 6, but my relatives lived back in southern CA and also up in Washington State. We put a lot of miles on the cars, driving up and down the coast to visit relatives, friends and vacation. I grew up thinking nothing of a 16 hour drive to have Christmas with my cousins. In college, I had many friends from up and down the coastline whom we’d visit. I think you get the point: We are mobile. As such, there is a spontaneity and openness in people I’ve not found here in the midwest. When you meet someone, and if you like them, you make friends. You invite them in to your home. You connect, because you never know how long they may stay in your area.

That is how I met my friend Jamie in the grocery store. I was with my girls, one in the cart and one at my hip, feeling at that time overwhelmed by the simple task of grocery shopping with 2 littles. Don’t get me wrong, my girls were angels compared to some of the behavior kids get away with nowadays. But I’ve always had high expectations for good behavior from my kids and more so back then.  Roaming from aisle to aisle I kept passing a woman with 4 kids and 2 shopping carts. Her oldest, a boy, pushed one cart with the youngest a boy; her oldest daughter was at her side, while the 2nd daughter sat in the shopping cart seat. She was going through the aisle calmly and orderly, kids quiet, well-mannered and well-behaved. I stopped dead in my tracks and complimented her on what an inspiration I thought she was! (We mom’s really do need positive feedback to keep us trudging through the day!)

We chatted for a bit, then she moved on, and a I finished up my shopping. We were destined to become friends, because there she was right behind me in the check out line! We got to chatting more, and exchanged both emails and phone numbers. Over the course of the next 6-9 months, we chatted via email as her 4 kids all went consecutively through the infection, incubation and scabbing of chicken pox. Finally, about 7-9 months after meeting in the grocery, we got together. I remember seeing her and laughing to myself that my mental image of her had changed in the course of time!

We have remained friends since sharing recipes and our lives back and forth over the distance. She sent this recipe to me quite awhile back, but it was this winter season that I actually used this tonic. We have had a bad winter here in MN. Lots of people have been coming down with the flu, and all other sorts of buggy nasties. I, however, have been dosing myself with this natural tonic, and have remained illness free. I’ve felt a couple of times that initial grunge that precedes an illness, but with a daily dosing, have never come down with anything.

Homeopathic remedies do work. I know we live in a world that is blessed by anti-biotics, but those are abused by the medical profession and I worry about the over-prescribing of them. When it’s not a bacterial infection (which most aren’t) there is not need for antibiotics.  Seems to me, an ounce of prevention is well worth the investment if we are to prevent anti-biotic resistance from becoming an issue.

This tonic taken straight is not for the faint of heart. Personally, I’ve grown to love the taste. It reminds me of a wonderfully spiced artisan vinegar. You can use it in a vinaigrette if that is the only way you can get it in. For me, I put a couple tablespoons in a shot glass, down it, and follow it with water. For those who have acid reflux, this really does help. I know it’s counter intuitive, but it does help. Starting the day with something acid forces our normally acid system to stop producing acid. It helps balance your gut out.

Since I am in need of a fresh batch, this recipe is out and ready to share. This time I am contemplating adding Tumeric, for its’ anti-oxidant properties. Brew yourself up a quart and then let me know what you think.
See the link above to read the entire recipe.

COLD KICKER TONIC

  • 1/4 c. ginger root, freshly grated
  • 1/4 c. onion, freshly chopped
  • 1/4 c. fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 c. fresh sage leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 c. grated horseradish
  • 4 cloves of garlic (you can up it to 6, if you feel adventurous)
  • 2 Tbsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • organic apple cider vinegar to cover

Jada our Foster ‘Child’

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Jada our Foster 'Child'

Meet Jada. (My Miss Mia is the black blob she is laying on) Little Jada is 6 months old and came to us from a friend who’s daughter lost her place to live and so cannot care for her puppy. We have no idea if she will ever be able to take care for her again, but in the meantime we can provide a healthy, safe and disciplined environment for her.

I have always had humane society ‘adopted’ lab-shepherd mixes, Miss Mia is my 3rd This is my first experience training a different breed, let alone a pure bred pitbull. I am sad that pits have such a bad rap, and I am horrified at the culture of dog fighting that has taken a wonderful family dog and created a sense of fear over this breed. As a dog lover, I can’t bear to think of what people do in the name of making a buck. In my opinion, the two-legged animals that participate in that aren’t fit to be breathing air.

On the positive side: SHE IS SO SWEET!

She makes us laugh daily with her pogo stick legs. She literally springs straight up and down when excited, her little body just a-quivering with excitement. She has a tiny tongue that is just itching at every opportunity to roam free on anyone or thing in the vicinity. (we are working on that). She is smart as a whip, which is good for training, but also means she can outsmart me at times! She is loving and already devoted to my family. Unlike labs, who tend to bond to one member of the family, she is an equal opportunity lover.

I was worried that my 4 year old Mia might get a little jealous sharing attention. But our other lab-shepherd mix (who was 15) had to be put down this summer and I think she has been a little lonely. She seems to be fully enjoying the playful company of the puppy, as our older dog was more than a little grumpy in her old age and didn’t really want to ‘play’.

On a final note what I find just hilarious is that Miss Mia has a full sized bed she can sleep on, but it is this teeny tiny pink puppy bed that she is drawn to! Miss Mia is 75 lbs, but somehow she manages to curl up in to a small enough ball to squeeze on that to it!