Thanks to Rachel over at La Fuji Mama, I’ve discovered that it’s pancake week.  And tomorrow is officially Pancake Day. Evidently it’s a holiday celebrated the week before Lent.  Since meat, fish, dairy products and eggs are forbidden during Lent, this is the last week you’re allowed to partake in cheese, milk and other dairy products.  Hence pancakes – the perfect combination of flour, milk and eggs.

I’ve never needed an excuse to make or eat pancakes. But now that I know there’s actually a whole week dedicated to the breakfast food, who am I to buck tradition?  I love me a good pancake whether it’s made from scratch or Aunt Jemima.  I usually make pancakes on the weekends since that’s when I have the time to mix up the batter, make the pancakes and take the time necessary to enjoy them.  As a matter of fact, I whipped up a batch of Kristina Vanni’s Swedish Pancakes just this weekend.  But instead of adding lingonberries, I wanted to use strawberries.

Strawberries have always been one of my favorite berries.  It doesn’t matter if I eat them straight out of the basket, put them in a cake or muffin, or add them to a salad.  They’re always delicious.  And I recently discovered they go really well with balsamic vinegar.  So I started thinking what if I made a strawberry balsamic syrup?  The sweetness of the strawberries coupled with the tartness of the vinegar make for a syrup that’s got a great sweet-tart quality and a nice alternative to the standard maple. 

So get in on the pancake fun this week.  Whip up a batch of your favorite pancakes and pour some of this yummy strawberry balsamic syrup on top.  Or if you want to be really daring and try a new pancake, head on over to Rachel’s website and check out her list of pancakes and syrups for pancake week.

Strawberry Balsamic Syrup

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups strawberries, chopped

1. In a small sauce pan whisk together sugar and white balsamic vinegar over medium heat until sugar is disolved.
2. Add cornstarch, stirring constantly until syrup has thickened, about 2 minutes
3. Add strawberries and continue stirring until syrup takes on a red hue and strawberries are heated through, 3-5 minutes.  Pour into a pitcher and serve with your favorite french toast or pancakes.

Not sure if you remember, but a few months ago I attended a cooking class at The Depot in Torrance.  Well, I had such a good time at that cooking class, I couldn’t wait to do another one.  And since I absolutely love breakfast, I decided the next class I had to attend was the Breakfast in Bed class.  I mean a class that was all about french toast, pancakes, and eggs? Who would pass that up?

Brown the sausage.

As with every class, Chef Shafer provides the students with a list of ingredients for a few different recipes and then proceeds to show them how to make each dish.  Then once he’s done cooking it, the students get to eat everything he’s made.  It’s like eating a full meal at the restaurant, with the added bonus of learning how to make what we’re eating.  As usual the food was so delicious, I knew I wanted to try and make each and every dish Chef Shafer showed us.  The first one I wanted to try was this Potato Sausage Hash.

Add carrots, onions and potatoes and cook.

I was slightly intimidate at first. I mean, I had all the ingredients and I had watched Chef Shafer make the hash step by step, but his was so rich and creamy and deliciously evil.  What if mine didn’t measure up?  The good news is, it did.  It was just as easy to make at home as he made it seem right in his own restaurant.  It came out rich and thick and absolutely amazing. 

Add cream and paprika.

While you could easily eat this hash all by itself, it’s even better with a nice crusty bread.  But the best way to have it is with two eggs over-easy.  So the next time you’re having guests for brunch, or if you just want to spice up your own breakfast, whip up this hash. You won’t be disappointed.

Breakfast Potato Sausage Hash

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb pork sausage (Jimmy Dean works great)
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 1 cup carrots
• 2 pounds cooked fingerling potatoes
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 2 cups cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar and jack cheese blend

1. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, 7-8 minutes
2. Add onions and carrots and cook until tender, about 2 minutes
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes and let cook 5-6 minutes or until potatoes are heated through.
4. Add cream and paprika and cook until thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve immediately with eggs or toast.

Last time my family and I visited my parents up in northern California, my mother made Kasha Varnishkes as a side to go with dinner.  I don’t remember what the main course was, but I remember the Kasha; mainly because my mother made it every so often when I was growing up and it brought back a flood of tasty memories.  I don’t know how to describe the dish, other than to say it’s a little salty, a little chewy and totally delicious.  So, of course I had to have the recipe. 

Add kasha to beaten egg.

My mother told me it was very easy to make.  All you needed was some chicken stock, some farfalle pasta (those little bow ties) and the all important kasha.  No problem I thought, especially when Mom told me I should be able to find the kasha at the grocery store.

Well, finding the ingredients was actually a lot harder than I expected.  I was right about the chicken stock and the farfalle.  Those were right where they should be, in the soup and pasta aisles.  But the kasha… couldn’t find it anywhere, and I searched 3 different supermarkets.  It wasn’t with the rice.  It wasn’t with the bulk items like granola or quinoa.  And when I asked for help from any of the store employees, half of them either didn’t know what it was or took me to the cereal aisle.  I could order it from Amazon but they only came in a 12 pack and I just didn’t need 12 boxes. 

Stir sauted onions into kasha.

So, I was just about to give up on ever making Kasha Varnishkes when I spotted not just one box, but several in the ethnic foods aisle.  That’s right, it was with the Jewish food.  Makes sense since it is a Jewish dish.  I don’t know why I never thought of that, but it didn’t matter.  I finally had my missing ingredient and could recreate the dish my mother had made so many times before.

Combine bow tie pasta with kasha.

Now that you know where to find the kasha, whip up a batch the next time you’re at a loss of what side dish to make.  You and your family will absolutely love it.

Kasha Varnishkes

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup kasha
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 12 oz farfalle (bow tie pasta)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and sauté the onions.  Remove the onions to a plate.
2. Beat the egg in a small bowl.  Stir in the kasha until all the grains are covered.  Place the egg covered kasha in the same pan over high heat and cook for 2-4 minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Stir in the onions and cover.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the kasha is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. 
4. While the kasha cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Add the farfalle and cook according to the directions on the package.  Drain and set aside.
5. When the kasha is ready, combine with the bow ties and serve.