I love food. Preparing it, waiting for it, sharing it. But my favorite dishes are those that are steeped in memories. The cinnamon scent of Mom’s Deep Dish Apple pie, Dad’s frugality-inspired pennyrolls, Howard Johnson’s crispy mozzarella sticks dripping in the world’s best ranch. All of it makes me remember, makes my memories real.
I don’t know which of my dishes will be the ones my kids remember one day when they’re grown. But it’s fun to imagine as I prepare casseroles of bubbling eggplant parmesan and platters of rich Texas brownies, that one day they will close their eyes and be brought back.
Maybe it will be the rhythmic mashing of bananas for bread, or the leveling of flour from the red and white King Arthur paper bag for a triple batch of Saturday morning pancakes. Maybe it will be the whirring sound the salad spinner makes as we wash lettuce from our CSA.
Maybe it will be this:
Sunday Morning Dutch Baby Breakfast
Ingredients:
3/4 stick salted butter
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
powdered sugar
maple syrup
Step 1: Make lots of space in your oven! Dutch Babies rise! Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Find some little hands to help cut the butter into slices.
Arrange in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Place dish in oven to melt butter.
Step 2: While the butter is melting, blend the eggs with mixer or whisk for about a minute. (Keep an eye on the butter so it doesn’t burn!)
Add milk and vanilla, beat more and add flour and cinnamon for about 30 more seconds, or until well combined. (Don’t over mix!)
Step 3: Remove dish from oven and pour egg/flour mixture over the hot melted butter.
Bake until puffy and golden, about 15 – 20 minutes. Don’t stray too far from this rising beauty!
While it’s baking, rinse and slice some strawberries. (Blueberries and raspberries are also nice additions.)
Step 4: Remove from oven and enjoy the reactions!
You can get creative with how you serve your Dutch Baby, but here’s how we do it:
Serve teaming with berries, a generous dusting of powdered sugar and just a hint of maple syrup.
Now, watch it disappear.
