Saturday Morning Chocolate Chip and Strawberry Pancakes with Almond Milk

This was my first time making pancakes without using a box mix, I was very worried about how they would turn out, but my critic and I agreed that they were quite yummy! I decided to use almond milk instead of regular milk, which didn't seem to change the taste or consistency. Pair these colorful flapjacks with a good Vermont Maple syrup. Enjoy!  Makes 12

Ingredients
2 tbsp good butter*
*1 tbsp extra for the pan
1/2 cup almond milk
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch salt
2 tsp baking powder
4 strawberries, quartered
3 tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

Heat a pan over medium and add 1 tbsp butter
Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl
-flour, sugar, salt, baking powder
In the microwave, melt butter (about 15 seconds if you cut it up)
Then add almond milk and heat for 10 more seconds
Stir
In a large bowl, whisk egg
Slowly add milk mixture
Then add flour mixture
When butter bubbles on the pan, add 3 tbsp worth of batter
Allow to cook until bubbling through
Flip and cook for another 30 seconds
Note: dont press down on the pancakes, I am told that it lets out the much needed air.
Enjoy with warm maple syrup!

Sunday Stew: Ribollita

C. and I went to a cooking class at Pippin Hill (part of my Christmas present). The theme was soups and stews and we came out learning how to cook 4 amazing dishes. One of these dishes was chicken Ribollita. Ribollita is a Tuscan word meaning reboiled rightfully given to this soup which sometimes is made from left over minestrone soup. It is a typical peasant stew made with bread and beans. 
We added a few veggies and a less peasant (more hippie) item: kale! We are on night two of eating this and it is still mouth wateringly good! Serves 6

lots of chopping!

Ingredients
3/4 bottle of dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
5 cups water
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig rosemary, whole
1 sprig thyme, whole
2 bay leaves
5 cloves garlic, diced
8 chicken thighs, skin removed, bone in
1/2 cup canned cannellini beans, drained
Italian Bread, sliced into 6 thin(.5 inch) slives
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped and cleaned*
1 celery stalk, chopped

Soaking the leeks

1 carrot (or 12 baby carrots), chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 lb kale, chopped and stems removed

*to clean leek, fill a bowl with water, sprinkle leeks on it and let dirt settle for 15 minutes. Scoop out leeks

In a large thick bottomed pot, heat 3 tbsp oil at medium-high heat
Make sure it's hot before placing chicken thighs in
Brown both sides and remove and reserve on a plate
Add 1 tbsp oil, the leek, carrots, zucchini, onions, celery, and bay leaves

Adding the wine

Saute for 8 minutes until starting to get soft-I like to use a wooden spoon
Add the dry white wine (called deglaze) and add the herbs, mushrooms and garlic
Stir for about 5 minutes
Add the water and beans
Bring to a boil and add chicken thighs
Allow to cook on simmer and for about 2 hours, covered

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F

Garlic rubbing the bread

Place sliced bread in the oven until toasted lightly
Remove and rub with a cut garlic clove (sounds crazy, but really works)
When soup has cooked, add kale and allow 15 minutes to wilt
Add bread and stir until well broken up
Serve with a kale chip on top (place a few pieces of kale in the oven for about 3 minutes while the bread is toasting)
or with parmesan cheese