I recently pulled Grandma’s recipe for Sour Cream Coffee Cake from my recipe file, and remembered what my daughter had said to me many years ago just as I was pulling the cake out of the oven:

“Why do they call it coffee cake?” asked 5-year-old Nicole. My reply was simply, “Because it is cake that is eaten with coffee.”

Ahh, the coffee cake.  For me, it is a deliciously moist and nut- and cinnamon-filled cake topped with sweetness. But coffee cake comes in all shapes and sizes. In fact, there is no official coffee cake recipe. They can be a pound cake, sponge or yeast. They can be filled with fruit, spices and nuts. And yes, every ethnic tradition has its own version.

Whether it’s the Butterkuchen, a yeasted German-style coffee cake with cinnamon sugar topping, the Swedish Flop Coffee Cake covered with a crunchy streusel that is split and filled with butter cream, or the delicious sweet Danish Pastry that is a specialty of Scandinavian countries, it is not only the cake itself, but the ceremony that accompanies enjoying it that is so compelling to so many of us. 

There is something truly enjoyable about the simplicity of stopping the day, sitting down together with friends or family, and enjoying a cup of coffee accompanied by a cake. The Germans have even given it a name – kaffeeklatsch: the tradition of enjoying Kaffee – coffee – and Klatsch – gossip

Back to that coffee cake discussion I had with my children 14 years ago:  

After Nicole thought about my answer for a few seconds, it was clear that she was going to make sure she had some of that cake, even if she didn’t drink coffee.

“I’m calling it water cake,” she declared, as she sat with a glass of water in front of her. 

Then her sister got into the coffeecake renaming game.  “I’m eating milk cake,” said Addie.

“Looks like Daddy is having wine cake,” added Grayson.

Our water-milk-wine-coffee cake session way back then, brought us gossip about the Halloween poem Addison and Keely learned at preschool, Nicole’s art project at school and Grayson’s adventures searching for arachnids during Science class.

A dozen years later, we are all still enjoying our coffee cake – with our favorite drink of the moment alongside – and chatting about each other’s day. We got a run-down of Nicole’s list of things to do before heading back to UCLA, Addie and Keely gave us updates on their Eagle Scout projects and college applications, and Grayson, already back in Miami, had to sit this kaffeeklatsch out.

Last evening it was water cake for me; this morning, as I write this, it is undoubtedly coffee.

Enjoy a bit of coffee cake, with your friends and your family. You never know what you may find out!

Grandma’s Special Coffee Cake

Filling

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Cake

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 ¼ cups sour cream

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. grease 9” tube pan.

2. Make Filling: mix sugar, cinnamon, cocoa and walnuts in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Cream butter, 1 cup of sugar, add eggs.

4. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder.

5. Blend in flour mixture alternating with sour cream.

6. Spoon half of batter into pan, sprinkle ½ filling over it, and spread remaining batter over it. Sprinkle top with remaining batter.

7. Bake 1 hour. Cool about 10 minutes in pan.

The post Coffee Cake (or is it water cake? wine cake?) appeared first on Family Eats.

I’m truly enjoying a bit of Sunday morning quiet. I slept in, and really have nothing scheduled for the day. It’s the first Sunday like this in quite some time. So today, I’ll be taking some time for a short hike, and then perusing my cookbooks to  planning for some ‘lighter’ meals.

By ‘lighter’ I mean, lighter on the meat protein. 

We’re sending Grayson back to Miami this weekend, so the ‘demand’ for meat-based meals will be lowered significantly.  And, because one of Addison’s goals for the new year is to have one meat-free week a month, the opportunity is here to find some new recipes to add to our rotation. Keely is all in for the change as well.

I have a few go-to cookbooks for seeking recipes including the Oldways Make Everyday Mediterranean cookbook, and of course my Blue Zones cookbook is great, as well as the classic, Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. And lately, I’ve been in search of a few new cookbooks to add to my collection — those that will give me even more inspiration for preparing delicious, meat-free (or less meat) meals.

Transitioning to a New Way of Cooking

I’ve been on this journey for some time, and through the years, and I’m finally ready to go a bit further. Making the transition to even more meat-free meals can feel daunting. After all, 90 percent of our list of favorite meals are recipes with meat. So, it will take an effort, and some finger-crossing, as I prepare new recipes (with greater frequency) that my family look forward to eating. 

(You can read about our eating more meat-less meals in this 2013 post, Channeling my Inner Vegetarian) 

On a Similar Note

I remember listening to The Food Chain podcast, “Sleep, eat, repeat?” which focused on  the link between sleep, food and our overall health. It is truly amazing how the lack of sleep affects our health in so many ways — our brains, our bodies, and of course, our moods. The lack of sleep triggers certain chemical reactions in the brain which affect our cravings — and oftentimes those cravings are for high fat, salty and sugary foods. There is so much research and great insight packed into this podcast, I recommend giving it a listen. 

As for tonight, I’m working with the food I have in my house, so we’ll be enjoying crispy sweet potatoes and Quinoa Cakes. I did indulge on the dessert side of things, making the Chocolate Pecan Pots de Creme, from La Tourangelle.

Afterwards, I’ll look forward to having a good night’s sleep.

Chocolate Pecan Pots de Creme

• 9 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons La Tourangelle Roasted Pecan Oil (can substitute olive oil)
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar (add an extra tablespoon if using bitter chocolate)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the chocolate and the pecan oil in a blender.

Whisk the milk, 1 cup cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula and almost boiling, 5 to 6 minutes.

Immediately pour the milk mixture over the chocolate in the blender. Cover and hold the lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend until combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.

Divide the chocolate mixture among ramekins or small cups and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Garnish with fresh berries and sea salt before serving. Enjoy!

The post Lighten Up: Vegetable-Based Recipes to Fill Us Up appeared first on Family Eats.

Last week was a rough week in my kitchen. My mind was on a million different things – and as a result, I found myself experiencing fail after fail in the kitchen.  

There were three burning-food incidents last week – crispy garbanzos (see they’re not blueberries), a bit too dark morning biscuits, and the burned-to-a-crisp bottoms of homemade burger buns. 

It’s a trio of wasted food, which rubs me wrong these days. The irony of all this burnt food is that my intent in making these foods was to save money and to use ingredients I had at home – instead of running to grocery to purchase them.

There was also a bit of trying to mix things up and to get out of the food rut, and get cooking, baking and creating. It was also a lesson for my girls . . . . See, there is food in the house, and with just a bit of time, you can make something delicious.

Regardless of my intent, I failed on all counts. 

Luckily, my family was there to support me in my cooking fails. 

I didn’t make them eat the burned garbanzo beans, they shunned my declaration that the biscuits were a bit overdone and promptly devoured them, and as for the charred buns, they sliced off the bottoms and enjoyed the buns with our black bean burgers, all declaring, “Mom its fine, they’re good.”

Sometimes I’m Out of My Rhythm

There is an ebb and flow when it comes to my time, and success, in the kitchen. I think this was an ‘ebb’ kind of week, where my mind kept me from being fully present in my cooking/baking adventures. Admittedly, I prefer the ‘flow’ kind of week, but whichever end of the spectrum I am on, I still find myself in the kitchen.

I’m happy to report that I’m back at it — with a good flow in the kitchen. This past weekend I made homemade pasta for the family — and a guest of one our girls, and then it was a pizza extravaganza on Sunday eve while watching the Academy Awards.

My cooking attempts to reconnect with the food we eat and the family I love may have resulted in a trio of imperfect foods that week, but even though they weren’t perfect (and maybe not even edible), it did give us a good laugh, and something to talk about at dinnertime.

The post These are Not Blueberries (and other kitchen calamities) appeared first on Family Eats.

My escape from work and transition to cooking dinner, often requires a rest for my mind, a bit of body movement, some ‘me time.’

The 4 o’clock hour is usually the time I take a quick 30-minute walk. Not a heart-rate inducing hike, just an easy walk to get my mind ready for the next ‘event’ as we transition into the evening.

Dinnertime in my Neighborhood

My watch is set to record my body movement, earbuds are in place, and I begin to get into the zone as I head down the hill for my walk – I call it the end-of-the-road-and-back walk —- a two-mile head-clearing, mood-changing walk.

It’s a sensory-filled walk. I’m surrounded by Redwoods, Cypress and Bay trees. I occasionally come across an owl sitting in a tree near the road searching the landscape for something tasty. Mountain bikers pass by headed to the trails of Mt. Tamalpais, in-season I pick wild blackberries, and on occasion, I hear the sound of bagpipes wafting through the fog in the valley. It truly is a walk that serves as my time to think, relax and get in touch with my senses.

Every evening on my walk, I’m also welcomed by the aroma of the neighborhood kitchens. As the smell of cooking tumbles out onto the road I try to figure out what everyone is having for dinner, and often find inspiration for our table.

My mind begins to wander when the smell of garlic wafts under my nose . . . what are they cooking? Are they sauteing veggies for a stir fry? Making Garlic Bread Soup? Other times it’s the smell of curry, and I’m immediately warmed up inside and my mind begins to run through some delicious meals I could prepare.

It is amazing how what I smell coming from my neighborhood kitchens brings back memories and gets my mind thinking . . .

• Oh, maybe I should make so and so for dinner this week
• I need to do some recipe research to find options for curry
• Time to call Mom and ask her about that one recipe my walk reminded me of . . .

This simple outing in the neighborhood, which began as a way to transition from work to family life, has turned into a creative outlet for me. 

Thank you to my Edgewood neighbors for the dinnertime inspiration.

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There was a time when I visited the farmer’s market weekly. The kids, young at the time, joined me on our weekly adventure, and always chimed in on what they wanted me to buy – including flavored honey sticks. Back at home, they helped me unpack the groceries, and even helped me to make something with what we purchased.

As our daily schedules changed, and I needed the morning hours to work before I needed to start the afternoon school pickup and activities driving, I transitioned to a delivered CSA box for convenience. But when the mid-night delivery time caused an uproar with the neighbors, I canceled the service and went back to purchasing all items at the grocery store.

I got in the grocery shopping groove, but honestly, every week as I shopped at the local grocery store, I was reminded why I liked the farmers market – seasonal, great tasting food, from local farmers. But I just didn’t carve out the time — and reorganize my day – to make it happen.

A few weeks ago I finally went back to the farmers market. And all the good feels returned. 

The aroma

The flavor

The textures

The variety

The freshness

I was once again hooked – and my family was, too.

Why had waited so long to return?

I kept telling myself that shopping at the farmers market was more expensive than the grocery. 

I kept telling myself that it took too much time to travel to the market, then head to the grocery for other items.

But, after a couple of weeks of farmers market shopping, I found that my ‘reasons’ for not shopping at the farmers market were not exactly true. 

What I realized was the effort was worth it.

My Old Way vs My New Way

My old way of shopping, once a week at the grocery store down the hill, where I purchase fruits and vegetables all at once during my weekly shopping excursion. Regardless of how hard I planned meals, and worked to get the produce out in front of the family,  some of that produce was left uneaten. 

With my farmers market purchases — I find that I buy less produce,  but what we have gets eaten. The family is more excited to eat the produce — because it taste better, they love the smell, and they have the connection to what we buy (on occasion they have joined me at the market to help me shop).

We all know that what you get at the farmers market helps you eat in-season produce — what it also reminds us is that the fruits and veggies are fresh – we don’t really need to wait until they become ripe — they are ready to eat – and we are willing to enjoy all that freshness!

Because of this, we eat more produce, waste less, and as a result eat in season, and save money, with less waste!

Another benefit is that while I’m in the kitchen, I feel more at ease — food is fresher, I worry less about waste, and that makes up for the added time it takes to go to the market — and the sometimes higher cost.

The kids like it too — because I buy honey sticks every time — just like I did when they were young and joined me on the farmers market excursions.

I’m also inspired. When at the market, we ponder what we could make — should be get tomatoes and make sauce, cucumbers for pickling, or berries for a beautiful tart that evening.

I find that when I visit the farmers market, my mind is more creative. I’m inspired to cook something with what I purchased. When shopping at the grocery store, I view shopping as a task. I follow my list, and rarely get inspired to make something different when I stand in the produce aisle at the grocery. Instead, I stick to following my list, and get the ingredients for the meals I already planned.

Making the change (or rather returning to my old, old ways), required me to step outside my daily habit and try something new. I’m still in the transition period, trying to fit in a Sunday morning farmers market visit alongside other activities on the weekend, but I’m slowly embracing the change. I missed the market last week, but will definitely attend this coming Sunday. 

Eventually, my new Sunday morning lifestyle will feature a not-to-be-missed trip to the farmers market. 

The post Rediscovering The Farmers Market appeared first on Family Eats.

In early March I returned to Chicago for The Inspired Home Show, the premier home + housewares trade show. It had been a few years since an in-person show, so I was ready to get back and connect with everyone face-to-face. While the show was smaller than in years before, it did give me the opportunity to slow down, and have conversations with long-time industry friends, and to meet many new ones. 

Of course, my focus was on all things kitchen related, so here are a few of my favorite products I came across at the show.

Speaking of slowing down, we’ve all been finding ways for a little self-care. I have many self-care rituals – evening meditation, reading, knitting, hiking, swimming – along with cooking and my tea time. And the new Cast Iron Tea Collection from Frieling, called Ja, makes it easy to create a beautiful ritual of slowing down and enjoying quite moments of great taste. Each teapot is handmade in the traditional sand-casting process, and features an enameled interior with a hand-painted exterior. Each teapot comes with a stainless-steel tea infuser. They’re so beautiful, I’m thinking of adding more than one to my teapot collection.

Beautiful aesthetics are exactly what you’ll experience with Georg Jensen. Designed with the idea that everyday object can be made prettier, the new additions to the Bernadotte collection, ensure form and function can easily be added to the home.  New items in the collection include the Carafe with Lid (and I love it’s slim design with the elegant ridges), Table Card Holders, with are classic, playful and beautifully elegant – both pairing perfectly with the Floor Candleholder. And, then there is the French Coffee Press. A first for Georg Jensen, this French coffee press features a double wall to help keep coffee (and tea) warm. The press is equipped with a stainless-steel filter for easy cleaning. 

Touch Screen Toasting is what you’ll get with Revolution Cooking’s Revolution InstaGLO Toaster. With its patented heating system, you’ll get fast heating so the unit sears the bread without drying it out. The result is toast that is crispy outside and soft inside. The intuitive touchscreen with smart sensors deliver 63 precise settings, along with the auto lift and lower, sleep screen with your choice of analog or digital clock, and a happy finishing chime when toasting is complete. You’ll even a clean the crumb tray reminder! 

I love to grind my own herbs and spices and found myself seeking our beautiful options to do so. I fell in love with Fina Mill, an innovative new way to easily grind (one-handed!) a variety of different peppercorns, species and seasonings. The mill is designed to make grinding spices approachable and easy. Using swap-able pods, you can grind every whole spice in your pantry from mustard seed to cinnamon sticks. One pod even grates hard cheese. Simply depress the mill on the counter to disengage one pod, then click the unit on top of another pod, and you’re ready to grind by pressing the button at the top with your thumb. Available in a battery powered unit, and soon the rechargeable version will hit the market. YES!!! 

Peugeot’s Bistrorama Collection takes the classic Bistro mill, created in 1874, to a new level. The Bistro mill was the company’s first table mill, which has come to symbolize the quintessential French way of life. This collection features a wide range of classic and trendy colors, that complement every style. In fact, you can create your own gift set and play with colors – pick the color of your pepper mill, and another for your salt mill. Have fun, and enjoy the flavor. Colors include Pistachio, Candy Pink Gloss, Slate Grey, Pacific Blue, Passion red, Terracotta Aubergine . . .

Take me to the beach, and let me bring along the retro-inspired Polarbox. The cooler offers maximum thermal insulation, in a lightweight design, 

comes in 2 sizes 13 and 21 qt and two styles – Classic with a leather handle (natural color) and Pop where you choose the color of the strap. The fun shape, coupled with the fun color combinations from lilac sky blue and cyan to yellow and nude – each with colored accents, make the day at the beach, skatepark or any adventure, more FUN.

For day-to-day transporting food, black + blum helps you do it in sustainable style. The stainless steel lunch box and stainless steel bento box are completely leak proof containers that are equipped with dividers and a concealed fork. The bamboo lid doubles as a cutting board. And the 34 oz. stainless steel version with a vacuum seal comes in three colors.

An organized kitchen is essential. You want to find things when you need them – be it food, pans, or cleaning supplies. The new StoreMore Expandable Pan and Lid Rack from You Copia is a simple design that works – and is a new addition to my kitchen. Everyone here at our house has mentioned how much better it is  than the old shove-in-the-cupboard method. Expandable from 12-22” wide with 10 adjustable dividers.

Cuckoo rice pressure technology gives you greater control over the results when cooking rice. This multi-functional cooker has fully customizable menu options that feature preparation all types of different rice and grains, a reheat option for leftovers, and a keep-warm function to ensure none of your foods are ever overcooked or burnt. Not only does it cook for you, but it initiate the auto-clean function to automatically steam the interior of the rice cooker for a deep, quick clean.  Choose between pressure cooking or non-pressure cooking for specific and customized desired results—high pressure will yield deliciously made sticky rice while non-pressure will result in unbelievably fluffy rice!

Enjoy carbonated water cup by cup with Carbon8. With its one-touch control, Carbon 8 dispenses sparkling water, effortlessly – directly into your glass. The patented Carbon8 Reactor mixes water and CO2 instantly, creating an infinite stream of sparkling water. No more PET bottles to be filled or attach to the carbonator (whoo hoo!). 

Cook, dine, serve and compost with the sustainable kitchenware from Bamboozle. The line includes colorful mixing bowls, composters, and dry storage to fit your style.

Bamboozle products are all plant-based and include the line made of bamboo fiber, as well as the newest introduction, Astrik (which biodegrades in 2 years, and is made of 85% PLA and 15% bamboo fiber). The new Astrik storage containers feature a locking lid that helps keep your stored dry goods fresh for longer periods of time. All pieces are dishwasher safe. Choose between three different sets, available in three colors: Ash, Slate, and Cobalt.

I’m a lover of kitchen gadgets, especially those that just do so much for me in the kitchen. And Dreamfarm’s Flisk does that. The whisk’s 10 wires are made of high-vibration spring steel for maximum aeration – and are hygienically sealed within the ergonomic handle. What makes this so great is that it is three whisks in one — It’s a balloon whisk that twists into a shallow sauce whisk, or completely flat for deglazing – of course, it’s design facilitates tangle-free storage —for a win! Oh, it’s dishwasher safe as well.

I love the sustainable Zip Top line of cups, bags, dishes and more all made of 100% food-grade silicone. Designed with the environment in mind, one Zip Top can replace 5,000+ disposable bags! Proudly made in the US, you can prep meals, reheat and serve later all from the same bag. The wide opening in the ‘dish’ version, coupled with the flat bottom, allows you to easily eat directly from container. Available in a variety of sizes and colors.

A beautiful table makes me feel all good inside, and who wouldn’t love sitting at this table? Thanks to Garnier-Thiebaut, I can pretend I’m in France every day of the year. This Citrons de Menton Romance tablecloth is 100% linen, and is soft and pleasant to the touch. Why not add a little bit of romance to your table?

The post New for the Kitchen appeared first on Family Eats.

The push and pull of our weather – springing forward to warmer temperatures, sunny skies, and blooming vegetation brings hope, and then the cloudy skies, cold breezes and dampness causes us to retreat inside and seek the warmth of the familiar and comforting. It is this back and forth that reminds me that while my teens may be expanding their reach for independence, they also retreat back to Mom and Dad and the comfort of family. It’s the flexibility, and unpredictability that can sometimes throw us off kilter, but with the right toolset, I know that they can learn to weather through things.

 From Pretzel Lessons . . .

Saturday’s bright blue skies transitioned into a Sunday filled with fog, dampness, and impending rainfall, so I pulled Addison into the kitchen, as she’s been asking me to make homemade pretzels. It’s been a long, long time since I made them, but they remember how delicious they are, so, I took the opportunity of a somewhat miserable day to take her under my wings, and to allow her to learn the process of making pretzels herself. She is well-versed in preparing meals, baking, and making dough for bread and pizza, so this recipe won’t require anything she can’t handle. 

She loved the entire experience, with the exception of the clean-up afterwards, and her twin waited quite impatiently for them to be completed. One bit of pain Addie experienced is the feeling of how everyone consumes all your hard work quickly!

to Life Lessons

But . . .  overall the experience of 

Learning life skills 

Nurturing the desire to feel comfortable in the kitchen

Building the confidence to exploring new recipes

The enjoyment of experimenting and creating their own recipes

Looking in the pantry and creating something from ingredients found

This make me happy

This gives me hope.

My ‘hope’ for my children, is that in the springtime of their lives, I will have taught them the essentials to help them through their lives; that these lessons will take root, and give them strength and structure throughout their lives.

Sure, knowing how to make pretzels is not an essential – but learning the process, creating, and enjoying is. Finding a passion for being in the kitchen, and knowing that creating in the kitchen is essential to their wellbeing, is what is important. 

I think we’re on the right track.

If you’re thinking about making pretzels, here are two recipes we often use:

Honest Pretzels

Pretzel Bites

The post Springtime and the Hope of Something New appeared first on Family Eats.

From the moment I step into the kitchen to begin preparing a meal, I focus on the little rituals that get me ready to start the process: Cleaning before cooking; Having a recipe on hand; Gathering ingredients and kitchen tools to prepare the meal; maybe even plopping ear buds in to listen to music or a podcast. Also, here in my kitchen . . . one of those rituals is donning a kitchen apron.

For me, it’s a security blanket. It covers me up and sets the tone for my culinary adventures all day long.

Whether it’s a half or full apron, flowered or plain, retro or holiday inspired, my aprons take me through my moods in the kitchen. Without an apron, I feel a bit out of sorts – and promptly head directly to the pantry to grab one. 

The problem is, once I get there, I must choose which apron I’ll wear. That’s because I have nearly 20 aprons in my collection. Obsessed? Maybe. But they’re practical, decorative and ritualistic.

They’re more than a piece of cloth to keep my clothes clean and more than a fashion statement. They represent memories – from my childhood and current life.

 Just as gatherings and the meals we eat evoke memories, so too does that apron. It was always there, worn by my mother or grandmothers, becoming part of that story; the fabric of that event. 

Grandma Marie donned her aprons for every holiday — and weekly for our Sunday afternoon family gathering . . . and her chicken soup. 

Grandma Gorman, who lived with us, always had her aprons on when in the kitchen — as well as during her post mealtime nap. 

I’m happy to say, that many of those same aprons, mostly hand-made, are now hanging in my pantry. It’s a collection that has grown through the years. 

When I busted out of Cleveland and headed to Miami for graduate school, setting up my own apartment, an apron came with me. Through the years, as the homes of my childhood were cleared out to be sold, I gathered the aprons and added them to my pile. In between It all, mom employed her sewing skills to create something distinctly my own. And this past Christmas I was gifted 2 new gems to add to my apron collection – the Gold Poppy Hedley and Bennett and the Red Poppy apron from Mu Kitchen. (I see a theme here!)

Just as my kitchen gadgets, cookware, stand mixer and coffee maker are necessities for the way I cook, so too are my aprons. While the hooks in my kitchen are overflowing with aprons, I don’t think I’ll ever stop collecting them. 

(I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have an obsession for collecting KitchenAid Stand Mixers in every color available!)

The post My Kitchen Apron Obsession appeared first on Family Eats.

A simple request from my daughter: “Mom, can we go watch the sunrise tomorrow morning.”

Sunday morning, my time to write, my time to enjoy the quiet around the house, my time to do my weekly work planning, and my time to ‘catch up’ on things I didn’t get done – so I said, “We’ll see.”

After a few minutes thought, I figured that it was time for us to do this again. Last time, we scrambled to catch the sunrise because the clouds at our usual sunrise spot obscured the Golden Gate Bridge and the sunrise, so we had to quickly regroup and head to a spot at the base of the bridge so we’d be under the clouds. 

This time around, we had pretty clear skies, and very little crowds. So, coffee and hot chocolate in hand, the wind blowing, we watched the pastel colored sky become brighter as the sun came up in the west, reflecting on the water and casting a shadow on the San Francisco skyline. We then drove down to Fort Baker for another beautiful view of the early morning sky, the bridge, and skyline of San Francisco. 

I never got the moment to do the writing and other work I had hoped to catch up on, which is what I felt that I had to do. But, after we returned home and Greg was readying a huge stack of buttermilk waffles for breakfast, I realized that time spent with Nicole was exactly what I needed to accomplish on Sunday morning. 

During breakfast, we described our morning adventure with the rest of the family, and then decided that we should cap off the day with an all-family sunset. Unfortunately, by that time of the day, everyone was running errands and finishing up Sunday projects, that we didn’t make it up to our favorite spot overlooking the beach. 

Instead, we settled into our Sunday evening dinner and readied ourselves for the week. I’m glad I took the time to share an early morning moment with Nicole.

Here is our favorite post-sunrise Sunday morning breakfast.

Buttermilk Waffles

Traditional buttermilk waffles can be transformed with different flavors. Fold 2 very ripe mashed bananas and 1/2 cup chopped nuts into the batter, or sprinkle the batter with cinnamon sugar before closing the waffle iron for a sweet and spicy crust.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted, plus more for waffle iron
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped

Preheat waffle iron. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, butter and vanilla bean scrapings. Pour into the dry mixture, and whisk just until combines.

In the clean medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold the whites into the batter.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Using a pastry brush, brush the waffle iron lightly with melted butter. Ladle about 1/3 cup of the batter into each section of the waffle grid; spread the batter almost to the edges. Close the lid, and bake 3 to 5 minutes, until no steam emerges from the waffle iron.

Repeat with the remaining batter, keeping the finished waffles on a heat-proof plate in the oven.

serve hot.

Serves 4-6

The post Coffee, Hot Chocolate & a Sunday Sunrise appeared first on Family Eats.

Yesterday was a bit emotional, as it was the anniversary of my father’s death. I took some time to shed some tears, and wish that he was here to be part of all our family celebrations, the joined a FaceTime call with my brother and sister in law. We have a new tradition, connecting on this day for a shot of Irish whiskey, and a toast to Dad. The call proved to be a great opportunity to check in with my brother, as we have not seen each other in person for quite some time.

Even though I love holiday time, I am ready to put it behind me, and move into 2022 with hopes, dreams and determination for a great year. With the holiday rush behind us, and the decorations packed away, we’re just not quite done yet. We have one more birthday to celebrate this season — Nicole’s. This has become the official end of the holidays season for us. An exhaustingly long season, but one that we find the energy to move through so that we can honor her day, celebrating the arrival of our wonderfully creative, artistic, scholarly, athletic, and compassionate oldest daughter. 

As we officially close the holiday season tomorrow evening when she blows out the candles on her birthday cake, I know I’ll be moving into a hectic period of wrapping up our time with all 6 of us under one roof. In between all the last minute items we need to get done before Grayson hops on the plane to Miami, you can find me in the kitchen preparing some of his favorite meals. 

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