Dad's Best Waffles and G.I. Pancakes

My dad, Ed Prather, was imaginative and inventive with his culinary skills. He loved to cook and created a lot of wonderful recipes for every meal of the day — and moments in between.

I remember him as a master of breakfasts — cooking eggs every which way, frying bacon or making pork sausage patties with his own special blend of ingredients. He liked hot cereals of all kinds and often served them with cream instead of milk. There would always be buttered whole-wheat toast to go along with those steaming bowls of filling, nourishing porridge made from corn, oats, rice or wheat.

A friend and I reminisced recently about his distinctive French toast. She recalled that he would add cinnamon to the egg mixture, which was usually made with evaporated milk. He dipped white bread slices into the egg and milk mixture and then in crushed cornflakes on both sides before frying them.

He frequently made pancakes and waffles — adding extras like mashed bananas, raisins, blueberries or oatmeal. And, he always made his own syrup from Mapleine, sugar and water, serving it warm with his outstanding French toast, pancakes or waffles. It’s an honor to share a couple of my dad’s mainstay recipes with you today — perhaps you’ll try one of them for your Father’s Day breakfast tomorrow. CJK

Dad’s Best Waffles

(Edward H. Prather)

Waffles

3 egg whites

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup oil

Preheat waffle iron.

Beat egg whites to soft peaks, set aside. Combine egg yolks and buttermilk. Add flour sifted with salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Mix in the oil. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites. Bake on an ungreased waffle iron. Serve with honey butter sauce or syrup.

Yield: 10 to 12 waffles

Honey Butter Sauce

1 cup honey

1/4 cup butter

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

Mix ingredients and cook on the stovetop or in a microwave, stirring occasionally until fully combined. Serve warm.

Dad’s G.I. Pancakes

(Edward H. Prather)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

6 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

3 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat the griddle.

Beat the eggs. Add milk. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together and stir into the egg and milk mixture. Add the melted butter last to combine with the other ingredients.

Grease the griddle. Cook pancakes on griddle over medium heat.

Yield: 8 to 10 pancakes

A note from Carol: Dad had a unique way of greasing a pancake griddle. He would cut a small potato in half and stick it into a fork, with the cut side down. He’d dip the potato into vegetable shortening or butter and then rub it over the griddle before each batch of pancakes was cooked. 

I can still hear him saying “only flip the pancakes once or they’ll get tough.” I follow that advice to this day. 

Strawberry Romaine Salad

This easy salad is attractive, refreshing and wholesome, too! It’s at the top of the “favorites list” in Pat Voigt’s kitchen. She’s been making it for at least 15 years for family gatherings, special occasions or simple get-togethers. Pat especially likes to make it during the summer when strawberries are in season. CJK

Strawberry Romaine Salad

(Pat Voigt)

Salad

1 large head of romaine lettuce or other mixed greens, torn into bite-size pieces

1 pint strawberries, sliced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

Dressing

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

1 tbsp. poppy seed

Layer the salad ingredients and mix the dressing. Immediately before serving, toss the salad with the dressing.

Yield: About 6 servings

A note from Pat: Even our grandchildren love this strawberry salad. The first thing they eat are the strawberries. They call the salad “the purple one” because of the red onion. They ask for it often even though they normally don’t care for onions.

A note from Carol: I would describe Pat as sheer energy-in-motion. She’s worked at the Area Learning Center in St. Cloud serving lunch to students for 10 years and helps out at St. Augusta Legion Post 621 as a “gal-Friday.” In addition, she volunteers for several organizations and her parish. She and her husband, Jim, live a farm near St. Augusta where they raise beef cattle and a large garden. Pat and Jim love spending time with their eight grandchildren and are members of St. Mary, Help of Christians Parish in St. Augusta.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Italian Salad

My husband, Ole, and I have been making this crunchy, colorful, nutritious salad for a number of years. It’s consistently remained his all-time favorite! I’ve often brought it to potlucks or served it at family gatherings. It travels well and is a good choice for summer picnics. CJK

Broccoli and Cauliflower Italian Salad

(Carol Jessen-Klixbull)

1 head broccoli

1 head cauliflower

1 pint bite-sized tomatoes*

1 (6 oz.) can pitted ripe black olives, drained

2 (5 oz.) cans whole water chestnuts, drained

Italian dressing**

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Add the tomatoes, olives and water chestnuts. (Cut the water chestnuts in two if they are too large for one bite.) Combine salad ingredients with desired amount of Italian dressing.**

Yield: 16 servings

A note from Carol: *Smaller cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes work well for this recipe. Use bite-sized tomatoes so there is no need to cut them. Cutting them would definitely change the dynamics of the salad! (You don’t want to do that — do you?)

**Over the years I’ve tried all kinds of bottled Italian dressings for this salad and each one has added it’s own distinct flavor. (If you have a favorite brand, that’s exactly the one for you to use.)

I like making my own dressing beginning with a Good Seasons Zesty Italian packet. I follow the directions and prefer to use apple cider vinegar. (I often choose the “to prepare with less oil” option on the package.) Additionally, I don’t overdo the amount when adding the dressing to the salad — too much will make the veggies soggy as they marinate. They should remain crisp even though they have been lightly coated with dressing. (Let’s face it — you can always add more dressing for flavor and moistness — but you can’t take it away if you’ve added too much!)

If I’m going to serve a portion of this large salad, I add dressing to that amount only — otherwise the veggies get too soggy and unappetizing by the next day.

Honeydew Blueberry Salad

Mmmmm. What a delightful combination this simple fruit salad bestows — both in taste and appearance! 

It’s easy to visualize the sweet, juicy light green flesh of the honeydew contrasted with the deep, dark blue of the berries. Intersperse those with the darker green color and pungent flavor of chopped basil and the fresh, sassy taste of lime. It’s a most alluring fusion. CJK

Honeydew Blueberry Salad

(Nikki Rajala)

1 honeydew melon

1 pint blueberries

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

Cut the honeydew into 3/4-inch cubes and place in a large glass bowl. Gently stir in the blueberries. In another bowl, mix lime zest and juice, sugar, basil and olive oil. Pour over fruit shortly before serving — adding it too far in advance causes the melon to become overly juicy, diluting the dressing.

A note from Nikki: I’ve played with this recipe, using fresh mint, limeade concentrate and even cantaloupe. And, I’ve read about others using white wine, mango, ginger, orange zest and juice, but this combination is my favorite — the flavors and colors really appeal to me.

A note from Carol: Nikki, a friend and colleague at The Visitor, is an inquisitive, innovative cook. She enjoys experimenting with flavor combinations, sampling dishes she hasn’t tried before and discovering new food-related products on the market. The social circle of  “foodies” that she and her husband, Bill, chum with continues to provide a convivial challenge of taking their small-group entertaining to the next culinary level.

Oriental Coleslaw

Whenever I make this Oriental coleslaw recipe I think of my brother Steve Prather and his wife, Chris. They made it many years ago for a family event and I still remember Steve raving about it that day, calling it his absolute favorite salad! The rest of us liked it, too, and I now count it among my favorites, as well. It’s a recipe that has been around for a while and, of course, there are several versions: A cousin of mine makes one that calls for sautéing the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds together and heating the dressing, which includes soy sauce, before mixing with napa cabbage and green onions.

It’s especially fun for me to share Steve’s recipe with you this morning as he turns another day older today. Happy Birthday, Stephen! CJK

Oriental Coleslaw

(Steve Prather)

Salad

1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds

3 tbsp. sesame seeds

14 oz. pkg. classic coleslaw mix

3 oz. pkg. chicken-flavored ramen noodle soup, divided

4 green onions, chopped

Dressing

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tbsp. cider vinegar

3 tbsp. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Flavor packet from soup mix

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread almonds and sesame seeds in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and toast in preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes until nuts and seeds are golden brown. (Watch carefully and stir every two to three minutes.)

Place coleslaw mix in large bowl. Break ramen noodles into pieces and add along with green onions, nuts and seeds to cabbage mixture.

Mix dressing and combine with salad ingredients immediately before serving.

Yield: 10 servings

A note from Steve: I never considered myself a coleslaw person until I met this salad. Now, I can’t get enough of it! It’s easy to make, which is a good thing since neither my wife nor I really like to cook. I love the smell of those roasted almonds coming out of the oven. Adding grilled chicken breast turns the salad into a delicious summertime main dish. 

A note from Carol: The almonds and sesame seeds can also be toasted in a skillet. (Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and add the nuts. Stir them frequently while toasting.)

When I make this recipe I go easy when adding the dressing — I normally don’t use the entire amount for one salad. Since I often make it for just my husband and myself I only dress the amount that we’ll eat in one meal. I’ve found that both the salad and dressing can be kept separately for several days.

Swiss Spinach Salad

Karrie Mollner is always on the lookout for healthy recipes to feed her active family. Both of her daughters, Alexis (16) and Madison (10), play hockey. Alexis is also on her school’s volleyball team and Madison is involved with soccer and track. This recipe has been one of her family’s favorites since they sampled it a couple of years ago at a potluck for Alexis’ volleyball team. CJK

Swiss Spinach Salad

(Karrie Mollner)

Salad

1 bunch romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 bunch spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces

6 oz. grated Swiss cheese

4 oz. cashews, roughly chopped

2 red apples, diced

Dressing

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar*

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tbsp. onion, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seeds

Mix salad ingredients together. Blend ingredients for dressing. Pour dressing over salad immediately before serving.

Yield: 12 servings

A note from Karrie: *The original recipe called for 3/4 cup sugar in the dressing. I’ve adjusted it to only 1/2 cup — one could use even less depending upon their taste. A sugar substitute might also work. I love making this salad in the summer. The recipe yields a large amount so I usually make it for potlucks or other family gatherings — the salad bowl is emptied every time!

A note from Carol: Karrie is a case instructor at the Tribunal for the Diocese of St. Cloud. She and her husband, Kent, and their daughters are members of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Sartell, Minnesota.

Salads — your hot weather go-to food

Some things just go together — sunshine and laughter, hugs and kisses, rainbows and a pot of gold. …  Summer days and salads seem to pair up in a special way, too. Salads have a way of enlivening our spirits, revitalizing our tastebuds and keeping us cool during the sultry days of this season.

In the next coming days, Food, Faith and Fellowship offers five simple tried-and-true salad recipes — each with a minimal number of ingredients, none of which take long to assemble. Perhaps one or more of these appetizing, refreshing combinations of vegetables and fruits will become your next favorite hot weather go-to food. CJK

P.S. Check out FFF’s “An end of summer salad sampler” postings from Sept. 1, 2 and 3, 2010, to see recipes for Up North French Potato Salad, Cajun Mashed Potato Salad and Black Bean and Corn Salad.