Day 2 in the Mile: Dutch Babies

First off, I lost my credit card. I'm sure it's somewhere. It just might as well be snowhere for all I know. I should cancel it, but no one else is using it and I find its absence is making cost-saving remarkably easier.

Which means, I still have $177 left in my budget of $177.

However, I have the generousity of Alaskans to thank for that. Yesterday I was treated by a friend to a glass of pinot blanc and a plate of grilled shrimp, marinated grilled meats, crab spread on sourdough toast points and chicken wings.

I've also raided in the cabinents.

This morning I tried to make an apple, cranberry and blueberry dutch baby for breakfast. I only had 2 eggs left in the fridge and a dash of only whole wheat flour.

But it worked.

Dutch Babies

Heat the oven to 425.

Put a 6 inch cast iron skillet on a hot stove. Let it heat up.

Mix: 2 eggs. 1/3 cup flour. 1/3 (plus a small amount more as measured by instinct) cup milk. Salt. Sugar. Dash of vanilla. Hint of nutmeg or cinnamon.

When the skillet is really hot, toss in a dollop of butter. When that's melted, pour in the batter. Put immediately in the hot stove. Close the door. Set the timer for around 20 minutes. And don't open the door until the time is almost out.

Add dried fruits to the batter. Or bake apples in the skillet before you add the batter. Or set out frozen berries to thaw in a strainer over the sink and add those to the batter. Oh - and try to let the eggs come to room temperature before you start cooking. The whole point is to make it effortless....the kind of thing you can set out, hot and puffy, to start out your guests' days and ensure that they never forget your dream fishing lodge. Or the kind of thing I practice now so that I can effortlessly whip it up for J. when he's here next weekend.