Aebleskivers (Danish Pancakes) with Spiced Apple Syrup

You will need an aebleskiver pan. I bought this one. You will also need something long and thin to turn them over with. A cake tester works well. I use this one.


For the pancakes:

3 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1. Beat the egg yolks and mix with the oil, buttermilk and vanilla.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter will be lumpy.
4. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold the egg whites into the pancake batter.
6. Heat the pan over medium heat.
7. Add a pea-sized amount of butter to each cup in the pan.
8. When the butter is melted, add 1/8th of a cup of the batter.
9. Cook until lightly browned on one side. You will see bubbles around the edges.
10. Using the cake tester, pierce the side of the pancake and turn it over in the pan. Cook until it's a light brown.
11. Remove using the cake tester and eat while still warm.

*You can make the batter the night before, leaving out the whipped egg whites until you are going to make them, it saves on time and works very well.

For the syrup:

2 cups cold apple cider
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of cloves
pinch of ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt

1. In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider and corn starch. Whisk until the corn starch is dissolved.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Over medium-high heat, cook until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, stirring constantly.
4. Serve warm or cold with aebleskivers or other pancakes.

The traditional way to eat them is to dip them in powdered sugar. You can also serve with maple syrup, powered sugar, jam, etc.

Traditionally, cooked apple pieces were put into the middle of each pancake before it was turned over. Jam, berries, or savory fillings like cheese or sausage can also be used.

Salted Brown Sugar Toffee Popcorn

Salted Brown Sugar Toffee Popcorn

1/2 cup popcorn kernels (or two bags of plain microwave popcorn)
2 sticks of salted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or 1/3 teaspoon of regular table salt


1. Butter a large bowl.
2. Pop the popcorn kernels with an air popper, or two regular sized bags of plain popcorn in the microwave.
3. Combine the sugar, butter, water and vanilla in a medium saucepan.
4. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-high heat until a dark brown, with thickened bubbles and a burned smell, about 8-10 minutes
5. Pour immediately over the popcorn and stir a few times.
6. Sprinkle the salt over the popcorn and mix thoroughly. Omit this step if you using microwave popcorn that has added salt.
7. Let cool completely and break up.

Salmon & Vegetable Curry with Saffron Rice

For the rice~

2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter
a pinch of saffron threads

For the curry~

3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
10 cups frozen Normandy vegetable blend (Wal-mart or Costco carries this in big bags)
4 wild Alaskan salmon burgers, thawed (I get mine at Costco)
2 cans regular coconut milk
Curry power to taste
Salt to taste

1. Combine the rice, water, chicken stock, butter and saffron threads. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low with the lid on, stirring once or twice, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

2. While the rice is cooking, heat the coconut oil in a large wok. Add in the chopped onion and frozen vegetables.

3. Cook vegetables until somewhat soft, about 30 minutes, breaking up the bigger pieces with your utensil.

4. Defrost the salmon burgers in the microwave, chop up and add to the vegetables.

5. When salmon is thoroughly cooked, add in the coconut milk, curry and salt to taste. Start with 1 tablespoon of curry powder and then go from there.

6. Bring mixture to a boil and then turn off the heat.

7. Serve immediately over rice.


Chili Pie

Chili Pie

1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 - 15 ounce cans of chili with beans
1 - 15 ounce can of diced or crushed tomatoes
1 - 10 3/4 ounce can of condensed tomato soup
1 cup uncooked (dry) macaroni

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a 3 1/2 quart (or larger) oven safe skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, brushing up the sides to cover the inside of the pan.
3. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, stirring often.
4. Add the chili, tomatoes, tomato soup and macaroni to the pan, mix well and stir occasionally until it reaches the boiling point.

While the chili mixture is cooking, make the cornbread topping:

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 cup fresh or canned sweet corn

1. Combine the corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl beat the egg, then add the milk and oil and mix well.
3. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.
4. Add the corn and stir until just blended.
5. Pour over the top of the chili mixture and smooth the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until the cornbread is lightly brown and cracking on top.
Serve with grated cheddar cheese on top.

Fresh Salsa

Fresh Salsa

4 medium tomatoes (or 6 roma tomatoes)
1-3 jalapeno peppers (depending on how hot you want your salsa, I used 1 and it was mild)
4 scallions (green onions)
2 small cloves of garlic
1/2 cup unpacked cilantro
juice from two key limes
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt (depending on your taste)

1. Quarter the tomatoes. If you want a thicker salsa, remove the seeds, if not, leave the seeds.
2. Seed and roughly chop the jalapenos.
3. Roughly chop the scallions, garlic and cilantro.
4. Put all the chopped ingredients along with the lime juice and salt into a food processor.
5. Pulse the mixture until it's the consistency that you like.
6. Immediately serve or refrigerate and use within a week.