Tastefully Tuesday...

Happy Fat Tuesday!!  Did you know that this was the day medieval Christians used up their eggs, butter, and milk because they were forbidden during their Lenten abstinence.  Traditionally they used them all to make pancakes and pastries, thus was born the tradition of pancakes on Fat Tuesday.  In Britain "Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday to use its correct title, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent - the 40 days leading up to Easter - was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday Christians went to confession and were "shriven" (absolved from their sins). Pancake Day became a great way to use the foods that were given up for Lent – milk, butter, and eggs. The humble pancake has featured in recipe books as far back as 1439." Quote from About.com 

With that in mind I though I would find a couple of great Pancake ideas for today.  The first one is from Paula Dean's show, the second is from the Food Networks Magazine.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Cream

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 large eggs, separated

3 tablespoons butter, melted plus 4 tablespoons, divided

1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Cinnamon Cream, recipe follows

Maple syrup, for serving

Cinnamon Cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and 3 tablespoons melted butter; add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until stiff. Gently fold into batter. Gently fold in chocolate morsels.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter on hot griddle. Ladle about 1/4-cup batter for each pancake onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Turn and cook the other side. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining batter.

For the Cinnamon Cream:

In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until thickened. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and cinnamon, beating until stuff peaks form. Cover and chill.

Serve pancakes with Cinnamon Cream and maple syrup.

Prep time 15 minutes, cook time 20 minutes, yields 10 servings.

Almost-Famous Cheesecake Pancakes

1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

2 tablespoons seedless strawberry jam

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 large egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

2 cups chopped frozen cheesecake

Cooking spray

Butter, confectioners' sugar or whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Mix the strawberries, jam and 2 tablespoons warm water in a bowl; set aside. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Pulse the flour, buttermilk, egg, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheesecake pieces, keeping them whole.

Coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, pour about 1/4 cup batter into the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbly on top, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is golden brown, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the finished pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Serve the pancakes topped with the strawberry sauce; top with butter, confectioners' sugar or whipped cream, if desired.

Prep time 15 minutes, cook time 15 minutes, yields 8 cakes.

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$0.50 off Imperial Sugar^® Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bags
$0.35 off Diamond Crystal Salt Sense
$0.55 off Horizon Organic Milk Plus
$0.75 off Davidson's Safest Choice All Natural Eggs
$0.50 off Land O Lakes Spreadable Butter
$0.50 off two Nestle Toll House Morsels
$1.00 off Spice Islands Spices or Extracts
$0.55 off any Welch's Jam, Jelly or Spread
$0.50 off  LouAna® Vegetable Oil
$1.00 off 2  Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Products

Today's no cook options are from Restaurant.com, for today only when you check out use coupon code BEADS to get a $25.00 certificate as low as $3.00!!  I love this one because you are less limited on your choice of where to go eat.

Have a great Fat Tuesday everyone.

C.Q.