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For the last couple of months, I have been helping prepare the men's breakfast at the church. Now that I have the quirks of the oven,  and the layout of the kitchen down, it's time to get creative with new recipes. The inspiration for these pancakes came from a restaurant chain in the Pittsburgh area. Kings Family Restaurant had my favorite dessert, hot apple pie with cinnamon ice cream. I probably have consumed 20 pies and who knows how many gallons of ice cream in my late teens. This recipe is a flip of that great combination, with the cinnamon in the pancakes, and the apples in a slightly gooey caramel sauce. Begin by combining: 1 cup baking mix 1 tablespoon sugar 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon softened butter 1/2  cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 pinch of ginger Stir until combined, but don't over mix. Caramel Sauce: 1 cup light brown sugar packed 1 stick bu

One of our favorite restaurants, has a fried pork tenderloin sandwich on a rotating basis. It what we order every time it is available. Unfortunately, it is only available a few weeks a year. That left me with no other option but to create my own. To begin, preheat a cast iron pan with about 1/2 inch of oil to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, make the coating for the pork. This is a basic 3 step process. One bowl of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, one dish of beaten eggs and one of panko bread crumbs. First dredge the pork in the flour. Next place in the egg wash. Finally, coat in the panko bread crumbs. When the pork is coated, carefully add two pieces at a time to the hot oil. Remember, the oil is very hot, and will cause burns if you are not careful.  Fry on one side about 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully flip, and fry the other side until the pork is golden brown. Check with a meat thermometer, and make sure

About every six months, several members of the cast iron groups I belong to, go on a Dutch Baby kick. It seems every other post is a picture of this German style pancake. Think of a cross between a pancake and a souffle and you have a Dutch Baby. They are easy to make and fun to watch baking.  I felt it was time for my own version. When making most pancakes, you mix the batter until the ingredients are combined. A few lumps are no problem. Over mixed and the batter becomes tough and rubbery. With a Dutch Baby, whipping the ingredients is the key. Most recipes call for using a blender, but I use my immersion blender. Ingredients: 2 jumbo eggs room temperature 3/4 cup warm milk 3/4 cup flour sifted 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 3 tablespoons butter 1/4 teaspoon baking powder powdered sugar for dusting. Place a 10 inch cast iron pan in your oven, then preheat to 400 degrees. When the oven reaches 400 degrees, begin mak

I love this time of year. Cool weather, citrus is in season, and my favorite crop is ready, Florida strawberries. Sweet, juicy, and abundant, these delectable treats are  available everywhere. Every trip to the farmers market, produce stand, or even grocery store means a couple of quarts coming home with me. It's a good thing my wife enjoys them as much as I do, otherwise I wouldn't be able to eat everything that will be made in the kitchen during the next few months. Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1/4 cup oil 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup half and half 1/4 cup milk 1 cup coarse chopped Florida strawberries Place a cast iron wedge pan into the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Allow 20 minutes to stabilize. Mix all in ingredients. in a large bowl. Batter will be slightly thick and sticky. Carefully  remove pan from oven, it will be

Meatballs are great side items that are very versatile: spaghetti, quick sandwich, even as a main course. They are great. This recipe will even help you get rid of some leftover items in the pantry. Instead of bread crumbs, I used finely chopped french fried onions, left over from the green bean casserole from the holidays. Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef 1/2 pound ground pork 2 cloves garlic minced 1 egg 1/2 cup finely diced  crispy fried onions 1/4 cup half and half 1 teaspoon chopped parsley 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Saute in a large skillet to brown the meatballs on all sides. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Serve over spaghetti with some garlic toast. Enjoy! .

As a child growing up, I was a very picky eater. Butter, cheese, and a host of other delicious morsels were off limits to my palate. The only way mom could get me to eat mac and cheese was topping it with ketchup. However, with maturity, I am making up for lost tastes. This dish is a nod to the past with a tasty twist. Ingredients; 12 slices of thick sliced bacon 1 stick unsalted butter 2 cups heavy cream 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese 2 cups mild cheddar cheese 2 cups Mexican cheese blend 1/4 cup good quality Parmesan cheese 1 chunk  Parmesan rind 1/2 cup diced green pepper 1/2 cup diced red pepper 1/2 cup diced mild Hatch chilies 1 jalapeno diced with seeds removed 1/2 cup sweet onion 3 thin sliced scallions (for topping) 2 tablespoons sun dried tomato paste 1 1/2 pounds of elbow macaroni Start by boiling macaroni in a large stock pot of water with the parmesan rind added. No salt is needed, the rind provides enough. Cook until al dente, drain, then sent aside.

To me, nothing says comfort food like turkey. Turkey with potatoes, cold turkey sandwiches, hot turkey sandwiches, you get the point. Normally, I roast a turkey breast with a bacon weave. This self-basts the bird and makes it very moist. The downside is you are left with more bacon grease than turkey drippings, which doesn't make the best gravy.  For sandwiches, I go a more traditional route. Begin by chopping vegetables for the gravy base. I use three sticks of celery, two large carrots, a small sweet onion, a clove of garlic, and a teaspoon of parsley. Add the veggies to the bottom of a roasting pan, then add two cups of chicken broth. Now to prepare the turkey breast. Rinse the breast well and pat dry. Place on a roasting rack and brush with melted butter. Lightly season with herbs de provence. Use the spices sparingly, they can be quite strong. Bast the turkey about every 30 to 45 minutes with melted butter. After about two hours, check for brownin