An Easy Dinner: Baked Potato Bar

Now that I am cooking for three, I have been on the lookout for easy, healthy (& inexpensive) dinners. I really like making more complicated recipes when I have lots of time, good music, and the kitchen to myself. But when I am in a hurry, I like simple dinners, especially ones I can make without referring to a recipe. Enter another Childers' classic, The Baked Potato Bar.

It doesn't get much easier: 

Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (this varies depending on the size of potato). Each person gets a plate and a potato, to fill up with their choice of toppings: 

*butter

*black beans 

*corn (I use canned beans & corn & just heat them on the stove)

*brocolli (I like Trader Joe's frozen vegetables...just follow the directions on the back to cook. Surprisingly delicious.)

*bacon, broken into small pieces

*shredded cheese

*sour cream 

*salt & pepper

This is a super fun meal to make for company. Just heat up and set out all the ingredients beforehand. Be sure to make plenty! Something about the combination of cheese, bacon & sour cream seems to make people want seconds (or thirds...). Enjoy!

Apple Pancakes

It is feeling like fall around here! Last week I pulled out my fall decorations (orange candles, pumpkins, fall leaf garlands) & put out the plaid blankets & pillows. I love this time of year.

My landlord showed up on our doorstep the other day with a bag full of apples from the tree in the back yard. Besides feeling a bit like Anne of Green Gables with apples in my kitchen from the tree outside, I am having fun going through my recipes & choosing what to make. I thought I would share one of our favourite apple recipes!

Apple Pancakes
1 lb. apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3 T. butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 cup flour
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Melt butter in a skillet.
Cook apple slices until light brown.
Pour into a pie plate.
Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar.
Mix the rest of the ingredients & pour over apples.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Serve with butter & sprinkle with powdered sugar.

You can also double this recipe & use a 9x13 pan. I have also adapted this to be gluten- and sugar- free (just replace the flour with gluten-free all purpose flour + 3/4 t. xanthan gum. Instead of sugar, I drizzled honey over the apples then sprinkled the cinnamon on top... you could also use agave. And obviously, don't sprinkle them with powdered sugar! :) I made one regular & one gluten/sugar-free version.

These are not really like pancakes at all, but they are so delicious! My mom used to make this for dinner when she & my dad were poor newlyweds. It was fun to carry on the Childers tradition & make it for Daniel this week. Happy fall!