Spek Pannekoeken Recipe (revised version)

(recipe originally on my Dutchish Deirdre blog, dated 6/14/12

http://dutchishdeirdre.blogspot.com/2012/06/6-medium-and-24-mini-pannekoeken-later.html

I adjusted it to add whole wheat flour, and then not have it be unbearably dry :)

Spek Pannekoeken (pawn uh kooh kuh)

1 lb bacon, cut into small pieces

2 cups all purpose white flour (approximately 250g)

1 cup whole wheat flour (approximately 150g)

4 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/2 t salt

4 cups milk (I use 2%)

3 eggs

6 T butter (salted), melted

Fry bacon in pan until lightly browned but not too crisp.  Empty into small bowl (with grease)

In large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

Add 3 cups milk and 3 eggs, stir until smooth.

Add 1 cup milk and melted butter, stir until even.  batter will be quite thin

Heat non-stick frying pan.  Scatter a spoonful of bacon pieces and some bacon grease into skillet.

Add small amount of batter and swirl around pan to reach to edges

Cook until top stops looking shiny, flip and cook briefly on the other side.  Pannekoeken should be light brown (darker than breakfast pancakes).

Remove to hot plate and cover with damp paper towel or let people eat as they are ready!

Serve with stroop drizzled over top.  You can roll up and cut into slices or just cut into bite-size pieces.

Makes about 15 plate sized pancakes.  Can also be made without bacon, or with thinly sliced cheese, apple, or banana folded inside

Stroop (syrup served with pancakes in Holland is different than what is sold here)

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

3 T dark brown sugar

1 T molasses

1 T water

Put all in a pyrex and heat in microwave for a minute to dissolve sugar.  Stir thoroughly.  It will become quite thick and sticky once cooled.  Once it has cooled somewhat, it can be put into a squirt bottle for easier dispensing.

recipe: Surinam cherry jam

Surinam Cherry Jam

This odd-looking berry (not actually a cherry) has an unusual taste reminiscent of traditional cherries, bell peppers, and even tomatoes, with a slight smokyness or spicyness.

Adapted from recipe at http://thewitchykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/05/food-update-surinam-cherries.html

2 C whole Surinam cherries (approximately 45 cherries)

6 T sugar (3/8 Cup)

1 T lemon juice

Squeeze the seeds out of the cherries.  I was left with a little less than 1 C of pulp and juice.

Add all ingredients (1 cup pulp, sugar, and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat.  Turn heat down to low-medium heat and simmer for approximately ½ hour, stirring frequently, until it is the thickness of pasta sauce, or a little thicker.

Makes a single 4oz jelly jar of jam, so preserving it is probably not necessary.  But if you wanted to give it away or keep it, put in sterilized jars and fill within ¼” of top, then process briefly to get lids to pop (seal).

recipe: chai spiced almonds

(slightly different from previously posted recipe)

CHAI SPICED ALMONDS

2 C raw almonds

egg white from 1 egg
1/4 C granulated splenda
1 1/2 t chai spice blend*

preheat oven to 300°
grease cookie sheet or use parchment paper

measure out nuts and mix together in bowl
pour egg white over nuts and stir until all nuts are wet
combine splenda and spices and mix thoroughly
sprinkle spenda+spices mixture over nuts and stir thoroughly
spread out on cookie sheet.  separate clumps as much as possible
bake for 20 minutes or until thoroughly dried.

makes 10 servings, 1/4 C each

approximate nutrition info per serving (from entering recipe into myfitnesspal website):

192 calories, 8g carbs, 4g fiber, 7g protein, 15g fat

*CHAI SPICE BLEND
(from http://macrobiotic.about.com/od/wholefoodsdesserts/r/chaispice.htm)       

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

recipe: chai spiced mixed nuts - low carb

CHAI SPICED MIXED NUTS

1/2 C pecan halves
1/4 C whole cashews
1/2 C almonds
1/2 C sunflower seed kernels
egg white from 1 egg
1/4 C granulated splenda
1 1/2 t chai spice blend*

preheat oven to 300°
grease cookie sheet or use parchment paper

measure out nuts and mix together in bowl
pour egg white over nuts and stir until all nuts are wet
combine splenda and spices and mix thoroughly
sprinkle spenda+spices mixture over nuts and stir thoroughly
spread out on cookie sheet.  separate clumps as much as possible
bake for 20 minutes or until thoroughly dried.

makes 8 servings, 1/4 C each

nutrition info per serving (approx, from entering recipe into myfitnesspal website):
164 calories, 5g carbs, 2g fiber, 5g protein, 15g fat


*CHAI SPICE BLEND
(from http://macrobiotic.about.com/od/wholefoodsdesserts/r/chaispice.htm)       

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

behind as usual!

wow, it's been way too long since I've posted here.  I've been most active on my fb page.  I just did a count and am astonished to have more than 130 unique items listed!  42 rings, 43 pendants, 24 pairs of earrings, 14 sets, 4 bracelets, 8 custom items, plus odds and ends like the crabs :)

here's some of my "recent" favs: (sorry, having trouble formatting)

jewelry: lapis lazuli cursive loops necklace

This piece is my most ambitious so far, as I wanted something special to showcase the real lapis beads I got as a Christmas present.

The loops get their shape from something called memory wire.  Complete pain in the neck to use, but holds its shape very well.  I also used copper lined glass beads and wrapped it in copper wire for accents.  The necklace itself is strung on very strong copper stringing wire.  I hope to get some good pictures of it on a beautiful redheaded friend of mine before listing it on Etsy. :)

New jewelry! Tree of Life and Cherry Blossom pendants

I've been so busy posting on my Crafty Dee Dixon Etsy page and my Crafty Dee Dixon fb page, I've totally forgotten to post on the original Crafty Dee Dixon blog! LOL

Around Christmas I started making a design called the Tree of Life.  I found the idea when researching Celtic inspired designs, and made the first one from scratch.  After that I looked up a tutorial, which streamlined my method a bit.  Here's the ones I put up on Etsy:

The response I got to the Tree of Life (ToL) pendants made me brainstorm other branch/plant type designs I could create in wire and beads.  I tried a branch with tiny beaded cherry blossoms, and loved the way it came out!  I also like that it's something original, never seen anyone else make something like it (yet :)

You can see the first Cherry Blossom branch pendant I made in the picture above.  Below are some rectangular variations, which I like even better: