Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

I bought some pastry flour intending to make a pie. Then my oven died! Wary of baking a pie in my convection oven, I settled on biscuits.

The recipe I adapted from FaithfulProvisions.com is the best using whole wheat flour that I've found.

I made a slight alteration, using a cup of Arrowhead Mills Pastry Flour and 1.75 cups of King Arthur Whole White Wheat Flour.

See: http://faithfulprovisions.com/2012/05/16/whole-wheat-biscuit-recipe/ for details.

Waffle & Wolf, Brooklyn

What a wonderful way to enjoy a waffle! Baked in bacon bits, creamy avocado yogurt, and cheddar sprinkled atop tomatoes and cool arugula. Yum. Besides the #12 and other savory options, this tiny eatery whips up sweet creations and fresh squeezed juice combinations.

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Bacon Cheddar Cornbread

My sis begrudgingly took a square of this cornbread home. I begged her to because I wanted it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When she emailed me later requesting more, I couldn't resist the opportunity to gloat.

I followed the instructions on a Publix cornmeal package. Adapt your favorite brand by adding the following:

6 bacon slices

.25 cup mild cheddar

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp finely diced shallots

.25 tbsp dried oregano

Cook the bacon to a crisp. Set aside to drain but reserve enough grease to lightly coat the frying pan. Saute the garlic and shallots until they soften. Meanwhile, crumble the bacon. Before adding wet ingredients, stir the oregano into the cornmeal. Repeat with the cheese. Add the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is almost completely moistened. Gently stir in the bacon. Cook according to package instructions.

Doughnut Plant, NYC

TV shows repeatedly showcase Doughnut Plant. I added the shop to my list of must-visit NYC eateries years ago in part due to the publicity; mostly due to its array of high quality ingredients and its flavor combos. Few in my inner circle would dare try foods infused with matcha green tea or lavender. Most balk when I profess my love of coconut or blueberries, especially in baked goods. Discovering these varieties and more at Doughnut Plant proved a bit overwhelming. Filled with house-made jam or not? Cake or yeast?  Add on fresh ice cream or flavored milk or juice meticulously processed by Doughnut Plant staff instead of some faraway vendor?

I ignored a Valrhona Chocolate doughnut tempting me from the display case. It looked too sinful. These pastries, after all, would pass as my breakfast instead of dessert.

The Coconut Lime cake and the Lavender Flower yeast varieties played like lullabies across my taste buds. Each exhibited subtle ingredient notes. The Fresh Blueberry yeast and Matcha Green Tea cake varieties popped on my palate.

Doughnut Plant's yeast offerings exhibit a chewiness and a density similar to ciabatta bread. I saved the lighter cake varieties for the next morning. They remained fresh without refrigeration.

Sweet Potato Coconut Muffins

These breakfast muffins will keep you full much longer than boxed cereal:

You'll need approximately:

• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• .50 cup Arrowhead Mills Organic Rye Flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• .25 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• .5 cup milk
• .5 cup Trader Joe's Shredded Sweetened Coconut
• .5 cup Bruce's All-natural Sweet Potato Pie filling
• .5 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, including the coconut. Break apart larger clumps of sugar. In another bowl, beat the egg. Sir in the milk and oil. Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until halfway combined. Gently stir in sweet potatoes. Then do the same with the sour cream, using less than portioned if mix is too wet. Spoon mixture into greased muffin tins. Place tins in the oven and bake for 14 to 20 minutes. Will make at least six muffins depending on the amount portioned in each tin cup.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Pancakes are my main choice for a make-ahead breakfast. They freeze wonderfully and defrost quickly. I adapted these from AllRecipes.com. I replaced the pumpkin with Bruce's Sweet Potato Pie filling, which I found for 50 cents. With no allspice on hand, I added more of the other spices. I also skipped the all-purpose flour. Instead, I opted for equal portions of King Arthur Unbleached Whole Wheat and Arrowhead Mills Organic Rye flours. I oiled the griddle with Smart Balance spread. 

See http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-pancakes/detail.aspx for recipe details.