Goose Egg Oven Pancake

Last spring, to celebrate their 40th birthdays, Amy and her bestie Karen went on a girls' weekend to Bennington, Vermont. They stayed at a quaint and charming bed and breakfast called the Eddington House Inn. The proprietor, a very hospitable lady named Patti, made the most amazing breakfasts and afternoon treats that we were stuffed the whole weekend. Thank goodness there was plenty of shopping to be done in town, so we had a few chances to walk it off!

As we (sadly) packed up to leave, Patti very kindly offered to send us some of her breakfast recipes, and somehow, we have never gotten around to making any of them. Now Meatless Monday has approached, and with it, four fist-sized goose eggs from Amy's generous friend M. As we were running through our egg-dish repertoire, suddenly Amy thought about Patti's "oven pancake." A perfect Meatless Monday breakfast-for-dinner choice!

This simple yet delicious pancake can be made in about 15 minutes and is big enough for two to share. Topped with chopped fruit, maple syrup, yogurt, or some simple berry jam mixed with a little water (as we did), it is a delightfully different dish suitable for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Special thanks to Patti for sharing this fantastic recipe!

Note: The only change we made was to substitute one goose egg for Patti's 2 large eggs.

Goose Egg Oven Pancake

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1 goose egg

1/4 cup raspberry jam, thinned with water

confectionary sugar for sprinkling on top

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in an ovenproof (we used cast iron) pan. While the butter is melting, whisk together the flour and the milk. Add the goose egg and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into the melted butter and place pan in the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until fluffy. Carefully remove from pan and place on a platter. Drizzle with thinned jam and sprinkle with confectionary sugar (or other toppings of choice).

Pecan-Studded Waffles with Bourbon Vanilla Sorghum Syrup

It's true that we enjoy a bit of over-indulgence now and again. In fact, we're kind of known for it. But when the long weekend coincided with the arrival of cooler weather, and Amy had that autumnal craving for pecan pie, even the two of us knew that pecan pie for two wasn't going to be good for anybody. So we bring you our compromise. We took our recipe for Golden Goose Egg Waffles, added a cup of chopped pecans, served them with Bourbon Vanilla Sorghum Syrup, and indulged in some we-deserved-a-day-off brunchy-brunch. Go ahead and try to eat just one.

Golden Goose Egg Waffles

"I want a golden goose! Gooses. Geeses. I want my geese to lay gold eggs for Easter!" whines Veruca Salt in the 1971 cult classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Mr. Wonka steadily informs her, and her enabling father, that his golden geese are not for sale. We're not Veruca Salt, and it's not Easter yet. And it's not the goose or the egg that's golden in our "Golden Goose Egg Waffles." It's the waffles!

Here's the story: Amy was sitting at her desk at school when in walked her coworker, technology diva M, who has a small farm, which includes (apparently) a goose. She said, "I have a gift for you!" and held out her hand which was completely filled by this gorgeous goose egg. Oh, the possiblities! M suggested waffles, and since she has more experience with these things, and since this is our very first goose egg, we obeyed. By the way, thanks, M!

Ooooohhh they were delicious! Crisp and golden on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside - this recipe made for eight amazing waffles. We were tempted to add to the mix (chocolate? nuts? outlandish toppings?) but in the end went with the quintessential classic - warm Vermont maple syrup made by Amy's cousins at Maplehurst Farm in Greensboro. It was the perfect way to celebrate the soon-to-start sugaring season.  

Sift together the dry ingredients

Whisk together the milk, melted butter and goose egg yolk

Mix the wet and the dry

Beat the goose egg white

Fold in the beaten egg white to make the batter

Cook using a waffle iron

Golden Goose Egg Waffles

slightly adapted from The Good Home Cookbook by Richard J. Perry

Makes 8 square waffles

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 goose egg (or 3 large eggs), separated

1 1/2 cups whole milk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Your favorite waffle topping

Spray a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat it according to manufacturer's directions. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, briefly whisk together the egg yolk, milk and melted butter. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the egg mixture; mix together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Beat the egg whites until white, fluffy, and somewhat stiff, then gently fold the egg whites in with the rest of the ingredients. Once the waffle iron is hot, pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of batter onto each waffle cooking area (depending on the type of waffle iron you have). Close the lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Continue the process until all the batter is gone, then serve waffles with your favorite topping.

"Don't care how, I want it now!"