Fried Cornmeal Mush

This is an old fashioned, family recipe that I thoroughly enjoyed as a child. While it may have been traditionally served for breakfast, my mother used to make it for dinner on nights when my dad was out of town. It makes a wonderful, winter lunch or snack, served when the kids come in from playing in the snow.

The origins of this thick corn pudding are disputed.  While most regions of the United States make claim to it in some form or other, this version is the one most commonly made in my native state of Pennsylvania, and is still popular with the Amish today.

3 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup milk

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

(about 1/4 cup cornmeal and 1 tablespoon flour reserved)

Bring 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan.  Add salt and sugar.  In small bowl, whisk cornmeal, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cold water (COLD).  

Pour cornmeal mixture into boiling water. Whisk well to blend. Carefully, bring mixture back to a boil.  WARNING: the mixture thickens quickly.  If the heat is too high, the mixture will 'pop' out of pan as it begins to boil, and can cause skin burns.  Be ready to quickly reduce heat, or move pan from burner when it begins to boil again.

Cover and simmer mush on stovetop for one hour.  Remove from heat and pour into a large, greased loaf pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, cut 'firm' mush into slices about 1/2 inch thick.  Mix remaining 1/4 cup cornmeal and flour on sheet of waxed paper. Carefully remove the slices from the loaf pan.  Gently coat each slice with cornmeal/flour mixture.  Fry slices in small amount of oil (can use cooking spray) in skillet, until crispy and golden brown.  

Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.  YUM!!

Wonderfully, Old-Fashioned Breakfast Waffles

These are the best waffles ever - a cross between the wonderfully sweet, (authentic) Belgian dessert waffle, and my grandmother's buttery-tender breakfast waffle.

Most of what's passed off as a waffle today, bares too close a resemblance to the popular, frozen, Eggo waffle, which is tasteless and stiff as a board.

I'd tried several other recipes (I don't buy the gourmet-yeast-waffle either) and knew I'd found a keeper when I read this one, which is similar to my grandmother's recipe (calling for beaten egg whites and butter), but has more sugar.  Its easy, and requires ingredients you'll have on hand.

Remember these waffles are tender. The longer you cook them, the crispier they'll become as they cool (I like a softer waffle).  Cook just until golden.  

If you want to make several waffles to serve together, place on a cookie sheet in a warm-NOT-hot oven, or again, they'll end up too crisp (its the butter - the batter is chock full)!

Makes 8-10, 6 1/2 inch waffles.

2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs separated (beat egg whites until stiff)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla

In medium size bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder.  In another small bowl, beat together egg yolks, milk, butter and vanilla.

Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, just until moistened (don't over mix).  Carefully FOLD in the BEATEN egg whites.

Pour the appropriate amount of batter into your waffle iron and cook just until golden brown. Plate and top with syrup, or homemade jam. (do NOT overcook, or leave to warm in a hot oven too long, as they will become too crisp)!
NOTE:  I freeze the left-over waffles, and reheat them in the toaster.  Keep an eye on them in the toaster as they're tender waffles, and could get stuck.  Gently remove them from the toaster.  They crisp on the plate and are just about as good as they were hot off the iron!

Lemon-Blueberry Pancakes

I've always loved blueberry pancakes - who doesn't, right?  Yet, my favorite breakfast treat, is IHOP's Swedish (lemon) Pancakes.  Imagine my delight, when a good friend and gourmet introduced me to lemon-blueberry pancakes.

I've experimented with several different recipes, and like this one the best - it's easy and the pancakes are light and fluffy.

The basic pancake recipe is one my daughter found on-line and is delicious in its own right.  Toss in a little lemon juice, a spattering of zest, and a pint of blueberries, and you have heaven on a plate.

1 1/2 cups milk
juice of 2 lemons (about 4 tablespoons)
zest of one lemon
pint of plump, ripe, blueberries
2 cups all-pourpose flour
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
4 tablespoons melted butter
cooking spray
lemon wedges for garnish

Combine the milk, lemon zest, and juice; set aside.  Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a small bowl or custard cup, combine the cooled, melted butter and beaten eggs.  Add to the milk/lemon mixture.

Coat a large griddle or skillet with cooking spray, and heat.

Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients.  Mix, just until the dry ingredients are wet (over mixing will make the pancakes tough and flat).  Drop the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot griddle.  Quickly add a small handful of blueberries to each dollop of batter.  Repeat until the griddle is full.  Flip the pancakes when dry bubbles appear.

Serve with butter, a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Ummm - ummm!  You'll think you've died and gone to heaven!

NOTE:  in a pinch for time?  I experimented using a boxed pancake mix (Hungry Jack, Bisquick . . . ) and though the end result wasn't quite as tasty as the version above, the pancakes were still worthy.  Follow the directions on the box mix for a basic recipe, but reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons.  Then, add the juice and zest of 1 lemon.  Add the blueberries as advised above.

Ham and Swiss Cheese Strata

I love the idea of serving a breakfast casserole, but I've had trouble finding one that isn't too rich.  This one fits the bill!  I served it at breakfast (minus the onion and red pepper), and it was a hit.  I recommend cutting the whole strata into serving portions before letting your guests help themselves, or plate beforehand. 

The strata above had baked for an hour when I took this photo.  Although the center tested clean and was set, I put the casserole back in the oven for a few minutes to brown the center.  Watch it closely the last few minutes so it doesn't get too dark. 

1 pound loaf of Italian bread (or similar good rustic-type bread), cut into large cubes

1 cup good quality ham, diced

2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons minced chives

8 large eggs

4 cups milk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

(optional:  add 1/2 cup red bell pepper, 1 small onion, and/or 1 cup sliced mushrooms)

Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Saute veggies to remove liquid (if using).  Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in the baking dish.  Sprinkle with half of the ham, cheese, chives and veggies.  Add another layer of bread, and cover it with remaining ham, cheese, chives and veggies.  

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper until well combined.  Pour mixture over the bread and cheese layers.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for about an hour.  Let strata come to room temperature (on counter about 30 minutes).  Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Let stand 15 minutes, and serve.  

Eggs Benedict

One of the most elegant breakfast dishes, eggs benedict is also, one of the easiest to prepare.  Simply layer a toasted English muffin with a big slice of fresh Canadian bacon (buy it from a good butcher - not a grocer - the difference is amazing), and a nicely poached or gently panfried egg.  Top with a generous helping of lemony hollandaise sauce.  Garnish with capers, pimento or a slice of black olive.

For a real treat, substitute smoked salmon for the bacon.

Stuffed French Toast Strata

Wonderful for a holiday breakfast treat.  This is easy to make and can be assembled the night before. I love the orange-pineapple version below, but you can customize this with your family's favorite jam and cream cheese spread.

12 slices raisin-cinnamon bread, or plain cinnamon bread, lightly toasted
1/2 cup pineapple cream cheese spread
1/2 cup orange marmelade
2 T butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Spray rectangular baking dish (13 x 9) with cooking spray.  Place six slices of bread in bottom of dish.  Spread each slice evenly with cream cheese and marmalade.  Butter remaining bread slices; place butter-sides up on top of bread in dish.

Beat eggs, milk and vanilla in medium bowl with wire whisk until blended.  Pour over bread.  Cover with foil and refrigerate at least six hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350.  Uncover dish and bake 35 to 45 minutes or until deep golden brown and slightly puffed.  Serve piping hot with maple syrup.  Fantastic!

Gertrude's Waffles

Everyone loved my grandmother's homemade waffles.  They have the most distinctively sweet aroma.  Serve with pure Pennsylvania maple syrup and butter.

5 eggs separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
buttermilk to suit

In medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.  Set aside.  In small bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and lemony in color.  Slowly add cooled, melted butter into the sugar mixture.

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.  Add the egg mixture.  Batter will be very stiff.  Add enough buttermilk to make a pourable batter.

Finally, fold in the beaten egg whites.

Pour into a hot waffle iron, cook and enjoy!

Grandpap Mike's Fried Apple Rings

I use McIntosh apples because they're not too firm, and cook quickly.

Years ago, my dad's father was a fairly well-known chef in the city of Pittsburgh.  This apple fritter recipe is one of the few recipes I have that belonged to him.  My mother loved these, and would make them as a special treat, on Sunday mornings before Mass.  I can still smell the sweet aroma throughout the house.  Such a nice wake-up call!

Mom always cooked these in oil or bacon drippings, (just a couple of tablespoons) as they are really supposed to fry like a fritter.  You need to replenish the oil in between batches when the skillet gets dry.


1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg beaten
milk to suit
3 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" rings

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.  Blend in egg and vanilla.  Add enough milk by hand, to make a working batter (not too thin).  Don't over-mix.



Heat oil in fry-pan until a small amount of batter sizzles when added.  Dip each apple ring in the batter to coat, and quickly place it in the skillet.  Continue until pan is full.  Cook on medium-high heat until bubbles appear and pop, through the top of each fritter.  Flip.  Cook equal amount of time on second side.  Test for doneness by inserting fork or toothpick to see if the apple is soft (cooked).

Remove to plate and top with powdered sugar and butter.  Yum!