breakfast recipes - The Kitchen Buzzz

Tortilla & Nutella

One of the best things in every culture is the food, right? I’ll start with my own – we Italians can’t live without Nutella®, a chocolate-hazelnut spread that is served with bread and caffè latte at breakfast time. In Mexico (also in Mexican restaurants in California and yonder), warm, flour tortillas are used as bread alongside breakfast, lunch or dinner. Filled with savory ingredients, tortillas can turn into a satisfying pick-me-upper whenever one has the munchies.

Years ago, I gave tortillas and Nutella® a green card (or permanent residence) in my kitchen. Now, can you guess what happened one day when I was craving a chocolate-filled crêpe, but only found tortillas and Nutella®? You got it.

Get ready to enter chocolate bliss the moment you taste this anytime-treat.

Prep time: 3 to 4 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 minutes

Ingredients:
Two 8-inch* flour tortillas
4 heaping tablespoons Nutella®

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet set on medium heat, warm the tortillas through (turn them over once in a while to prevent blackening) – about 2 minutes.

2. Transfer the tortillas to a flat surface such as a dinner plate or a cutting board.

3. While still warm, quickly drop 2 heaping tablespoons of Nutella® on one-half of each tortilla and fold the plain tortilla half over the Nutella®.

Serve immediately.

*Note: Larger flour tortillas can be substituted – just be sure to double the Nutella®!

Chocolate Valentine Pancakes

I think a Valentine’s Day celebration with a lover definitely starts in the morning. The question is this – should these luscious chocolate pancakes be served before or after?

No matter when you decide to serve the pancakes, be sure to complement the rich chocolate tones with red raspberries, a dusting of powdered sugar and candy. Whatever pleases the eye is sure to please the palate and the heart. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 to 8 minutes
Makes: Six 5-inch pancakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk (whole, 2% or 1% milk fat – nonfat milk will result in a thin batter)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
One 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
Five-Minute Raspberry Coulis (found in our Recipes, under “Desserts, Creams & Sauces)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
2 to 6 Valentine chocolates, for garnish (optional)

1. In a 2-cup mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. In a 3 or 4-cup mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil and milk to combine. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, mixing until batter it is smooth.

3. Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet on stove burner set on medium heat. Lightly butter the skillet and pour a scant 1/4 cup batter three times onto the skillet to form three pancakes set 1 inch apart from each other.

4. Cook pancakes on medium heat, 2 to 4 minutes per side. To avoid blackening, check underside of one pancake after 1 minute with a nonstick spatula.

5. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook other side 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Transfer the pancakes to a covered container to keep warm; set aside.

7. Pour remaining batter in skillet to form three more pancakes. Repeat cooking instructions.

8. Lay the six pancakes, side by side, on a flat surface.

9. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 6 hearts (remaining pancake shreds can be enjoyed later as a snack).

10. Divide the heart-shaped pancakes evenly among two dinner plates (set three pancakes per plate in a horizontal row).

11. Garnish pancakes with the raspberry coulis and dust with powdered sugar. Set a chocolate over center pancake in each plate. Decorate with remaining chocolates.

These chocolate pancakes can be served with maple syrup, if desired.