Hazelnut Pancakes

As a little girl, Sunday morning was a special time to cook waffles or pancakes with my dad before my older sister and mom would wake up and come into the kitchen for breakfast. I was the designated pancake flipper. As an adult, I didn’t often indulge in making pancakes for myself and since choosing to be grain-free with Brent, we have only attempted “paleo” pancakes a few times.

I don’t remember why we bought hazelnut flour; but lately it’s been calling to me. Sweet breads and baked goods have floated through my imagination. I settled on hazelnut pancakes because making pancakes takes me back to a simpler time, a time when it seemed like my sole purpose in life was to explore the world and smile. I hope these little hazelnut pancakes give you something to smile about, too. 

Bacon Egg Salad

Egg salad is another one of those dishes that I grew up uncertain about. I liked the idea of egg salad, but the ingredients–specifically, the mayo–always made me shiver. Store-bought mayo just grosses me out. Always has. Probably always will. This egg salad skips mayo (homemade or otherwise) all together and add bacon. Bacon makes everything better. We hope you enjoy it!

Mom’s Watermelon-Mint Salad

It’s that time of year for those of us here in the mid-Atlantic area where the weather is starting to warm, the flowers and trees are in bloom, and summer is on its way. During our holiday time together over Easter weekend, my mom was at it again with another tried and true recipe. If you haven’t noticed, she’s often providing, or giving the inspiration for, new recipes on our blog: here are a few examples (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Growing up, I loved having a slice of watermelon here and there, but was never a fiend for it. That being said, this salad has me coming back for seconds and thirds every time. I’m a big fan of refreshing, healthy, and simple; and this hits all three right on the head.

Huí Guō Ròu 回鍋肉 (Twice Cooked Pork)

Lately we have been on a little bit of a Chinese food kick, and this week’s post is in homage to that hankering we’ve had. My go to has always been General Tso’s Chicken, but if you haven’t heard, our friends Bill and Hayley have already cracked that nut in their cookbook, Gather.

Twice cooked pork, sometimes called double cooked pork, is traditionally known as Huí Guō Ròu, translating to “return pot pork.” We love all pork products (hello, bacon), and thought this was an interesting opportunity. Plus, it gave us an opportunity to return to our paleo hoisin sauce (which we made a long, long time ago, back when our camera was an iPhone 4s).

Western Meatloaf

I did not like meatloaf as a kid. It was bland. It was dry. It was grayish brown and completely unappetizing. I needed a lot of ketchup to get it down; and I liked ketchup, but the experience wasn’t ever truly satisfying.

Then, a few weeks ago, Brent suggested we make a meatloaf. Thankfully, at this point in my life, I know there are a lot of foods that I didn’t like as a kid, that I love now. Plus, he didn’t want to make regular meatloaf. He wanted to make a meatloaf that reflected one of my favorite kinds of burgers: the western burger. Bacon, barbecue sauce, onion rings, yum.

This western meatloaf is savory, tangy, and super moist. I love it and I know you will, too!