Christmas is coming up fast, so I thought I would post a couple of quick ideas to get you motivated. The Hazelnut and Cherry Puff Pancake recipe is a time saver in preparation but with big reward in the flavor department. The Partridge Christmas Bird Craft Project makes a dazzling package decoration, Christmas card, tree ornament, nametag or small gift depending on the size you choose. Use up those paper scraps of all kinds and decorate a small tree with birds or place them inside a decorative bird cage. This project is guaranteed to keep the kids busy during school vacation, which always seems to coincide with the last minute holiday crunch. Let them paper the walls of their rooms with birds using the new removable tape. That should keep them busy for 10 or 15 minutes.
Hazelnut Puff Pancake with Cherry Topping
This recipe has two of my Northwest favorites, cherries and hazelnuts. The puff pancake can be served at breakfast, brunch or for a simple and quick dessert. Have all the ingredients ready and place the skillet filled with batter into the oven before sitting down to dinner. Serve a piping hot dessert.
Pancake:
2 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup butter
½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Sauce:
1 jar Trader Joe’s Morel Cherries, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, you can substitute unsweetened canned dark cherries.
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup sour cream or whipped cream for topping (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Prepare sauce ahead of time, it can be refrigerated a day or two ahead and reheated on a simmer while the pancake is baking. Combine the sugar and cornstarch together, whisk the dry ingredients into the cherries. Heat in a small heavy bottom saucepan until sauce thickens and is glossy. Reheat after pancake has baked.
Beat eggs lightly in mixing bowl. Add milk, flour and cinnamon and beat together until blended. Batter may be a little lumpy. Melt butter into a 10 inch skillet over medium heat until the butter begins to foam. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into the hot skillet over the nuts. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until pancake is puffed and golden brown. Remove pancake from oven. Pour warm cherry sauce on top of pancake. Cut pancake into wedges and top with a tablespoon of sour or whipped cream. Garnish with whole cherries. Serve immediately.
Instructions for Christmas Collage Bird Project
Supply List
½ Sheet watercolor paper or other sturdy craft paper
Glue
Scissors
Single whole punch
12 inches of velvet ribbon
Light Box or Tracing paper
Daniel Smith Luminescent Acrylics Gold or any gold craft paint
½ inch flat paintbrush
Two sheets contrasting holiday papers
Directions
Using the pattern provided, reduce or increase to the desired size. Trace the pattern on to the watercolor paper using a light box or tracing paper. Cut out the bird. Trace the bird and cut the bird from one paper and the wing from the contrasting one. Cut out bird and wing. At this point you can have decorative paper on both sides, or paint one side. (see below) These paper pieces will be glued to the watercolor bird.
Paint one side of the bird with the gold paint. Let dry. Apply a light coating of glue to the bird; apply the decorative paper bird body to watercolor bird. Smooth out any wrinkles. Apply glue to wing and place wing on top of the body.
Punch hole into bird body as indicate on pattern. Thread ribbon through hole and tie two ends of ribbon together, forming a loop.
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