Corn & Bacon Griddle Cakes

strange is how we like it

This recipe was so far out when I came across it on Google Plus (yes, I still occasionally use it; this recipe discovery might be justification to use it more!). My close friends know that I rarely pass up a recipe that seems strange and unconventional, and this one was not an exception.

These stuffed pancakes look very involved, but the batter comes together surprisingly quickly once the ingredients are assembled. The cakes themselves are full of structure from the corn and bacon, almost like an okonomiyaki.

The recipe calls for Monterey jack cheese, but rest assured that this recipe works handsomely with bolder cheeses as well; I used a blend of asiago and parmesean.

After the cakes are finished cooking (just like how you'd make other stuffed pancakes, such as banana, blueberry, or chocolate chip), be sure to top with some extra bacon and plenty of maple syrup

[Recipe from RecipeGirl.com]
Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 cup frozen, canned or fresh corn
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
warm maple syrup, for serving


Directions:
1. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture for topping the griddle cakes upon serving- and set it aside.
2. While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner than those pictured, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.
3. Heat and grease a griddle or large skillet. Pour a heaping 1/4-cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.
4. Serve stacks of griddle cakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon/onion and a good dose of warm maple syrup.

New Year, New Cookies

Hello everyone/anyone who still follows my blog; what a hiatus it's been (since April 2011!) and my how time flies.

In the past year, I seem to be surrounded by friends amid a craze for French macrons. I was at first confused and underwhelmed by all the fuss, after trying a few bland ones. As a mutual friend of mine Alex Woo aptly put it:

(credit: Alex Woo; http://www.woopictures.blogspot.com)

However, after sampling a few properly made ones, I think the light, crisp yet chewy and flavorful creations grew on me. When the boys at Sorted Food did a video on how to make them and made it look so easy, I decided I had to have a go at it myself.

First attempts? Well, not great. The batter was runny and ended up with macaron halves that looked like cells caught in the middle of mitosis...

This was a good lesson for me: be patient with beating egg whites! Make sure they are whipped to the point of undoubtedly stiff peaks. However, if the piped cookies flow together, you can still cut them apart once they have cooled.

 

Other than that, this recipe is actually really simple, but remember simple doesn't always mean easy; work with precision and neatness, and you will save yourself from heartbreak and a nightmare cleanup job. Once you have the basic steps down, then the flavors and varieties are only limited by your imagination.

Flavor + Filling combinations I've tried so far:

• Vanilla + Nutella
• Raspberry + Berry Jam
• Spiced Bourbon + Pumpkin
• Pistachio + Nutella Buttercream
• Lemon + Lemon Curd
• Orange + Chocolate Buttercream

Pistachio + Nutella Buttercream

Recipe (via Sorted Food)