Sunday Brunch

There is something magical about brunch. Slow-paced and leisurely, preferably served on a terrace, veranda, or porch. A place with morning sun and a fresh breeze to enjoy. Books, coffee, newspapers, and casual conversation to pass the time. I always preferred working brunches. Lunch is routine, dinner is often stressful with it's extra layers of expected formality, but brunch is a treat, an indulgence. The brunch palette is sensual: flaky butter croissants, sweet,earthy maple syrup and rich hollandaise. The atmosphere is relaxed and people savor their food and their experience. It is a most satisfying meal to prepare.

I thought I'd share a couple from the notebooks:

Healthy Banana Bread French Toast
I had the pleasure to be the lead cook and recipie maven at 'The New Leaf', the first vegetarian cafe in Springfield, IL. One of our more popular brunch items was Banana Bread French Toast. I wish I had known then what I know now about oils, maple syrup and whole grains. The recipe would have looked more like this:

Healthy Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 5 x3 Pan
Mix together in medium-size bowl:
½ cup coconut oil (softened if necessary)
½ cup maple syrup
Beat these together with hand or electric beater until fluffy.
Add:
3 eggs
beat well.
In a separate dish combine:
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Combine dry ingredients with butter mixture. Blend well.
Add:
1 cup ripe mashed bananas
½ cup yogurt (greek-style kefir)
1 tsp. sour cream
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Pour in pan and bake for 1 hour, until a cake-tester
comes out clean. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Allow 1 1/2 eggs per 2-slice serving, add dash of vanilla, whisk until slightly frothy. Soak cooled bread in egg mixture for about a minute. Fry on medium heat until egg turns golden and bread is cooked thru. Serve with your choice of butter, jam, maple syrup, etc.
...Of course, the bread is delicious plain as well.

Pancakes are another favorite at brunch. At one restaurant, we struggled to find a good recipe. We wanted something fluffy and crunchy, not the rubbery discs that pass for pancakes in many establishments. Finally, a woman who worked in the kitchen brought in her grandmother's recipe. Simple yet perfect!. These are thick yet delicate, they take a bit longer to cook through, but are well-worth the extra time. No mix can compare...

Mary's Grandma's Pancakes
In mixing bowl combine:
2c. Flour
2Tbsp Sugar
2Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt

In another bowl combine:
1 1/2 c. Buttermilk
1/4 c. oil
2 eggs

Mix together. Let stand for a couple of minutes to get the buttermilk going. Fry on medium heat until golden with a good dollop of oil to make the outside just a little crunchy. These will puff up quite a bit. Serve, of course with the usual condiments. We also would make variations by adding various fruits and berries, coarsely grated chocolate, and one of my favorites, pecan, by adding a tsp of pecan extract and a 1/2 c. of finely chopped pecans to the mix.

Please feel free to add your favorites!
Bon Appetit!