Recipes for Father's Day

Next Sunday, June 14 is Father’s Day. We are featuring recipes this week for Dad.

Truck-Stop Buttermilk Pancakes

5 eggs

1-1/2 cups milk

6 T. butter, melted

5 c. buttermilk

5 c. all-purpose flour

5 tsp. baking powder

5 tsp. baking soda

1 pinch salt (optional)

5 T. sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter and buttermilk. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar; stir into the wet ingredients just until blended. Adjust the thickness of the batter to your liking by adding more flour or buttermilk, if necessary.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupsful of batter onto the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula and cook until browned on the other side. Continue with remaining batter.  Suggestion: Serve with bacon or sausage, fried eggs, and/or fresh fruit, etc.

Grilled Beer Can Chicken  

1 T. onion powder

1 T. salt

1 T. smoked paprika

1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1-1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 (4 lb.) whole chicken, rinsed and dried

1 T. vegetable oil, or more as needed

1/2 (12 oz.) can beer

Combine onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and brown sugar in a small resealable plastic bag and shake the bag to mix the spices. Pour spice mix into a small bowl.

Make 2 cuts in the chicken skin, on front and back of chicken; insert your hand underneath the skin in front and back and loosen and separate skin without tearing it. Rub the chicken skin and cavity with vegetable oil, and rub the spice rub over the chicken skin, inside the cavity, and beneath the loosened skin.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Place the beer can on the preheated grill and sit the chicken onto the beer can. Grill until chicken is thoroughly browned, the juices run clear, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the breast, not touching bone, reads at least 165 degrees F, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Serves 6

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

4 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

4 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

1-1/2 c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled

1-1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks

4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 pt. vanilla-chocolate chip ice cream, softened

1-1/2 pt. mint chip ice cream, softened

1-1/2 pt. chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream, softened

Chocolate sauce, for topping

Line 2 large baking pans with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugars on medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low, and slowly add flour mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Divide dough into fourths. Press into 4 6-inch disks; place 2 disks on each prepared pan. Refrigerate 4 hours, or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until the edges are golden but still soft in the center, 20 to 24 minutes. Cool completely on the pans on a wire rack.

Top 3 cookies with 1 flavor of each ice cream, spreading to edges; freeze 4 hours, or up to 24 hours. Stack frozen cookies on a cake plate or platter, and top with remaining cookie.

Freeze until ready to serve. Let stand at room temperature before cutting, 10 to 15 minutes. Top with chocolate sauce just before serving. Yields 10

Quote of the Week:

“Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than trying to solve them.” 

~ Henry Ford