Apple~Cranberry Puff Pancake

Sunday morning breakfast is always special.  When we were little, we'd have a quick glass of juice and maybe a piece of toast before rushing off to church, but when we got home...pancakes or waffles, biscuits and eggs, scrapple or bacon would be started by mom to reward us for being patient (and good) at church!  I love making breakfast and even though most of our Sundays there are only two of us, that tradition remains.

Sundays are also a little hard right now.  I would look forward to a call from Kelly, telling me what they had done on Saturday, what new words or funny thing Ari had done, and what project she would try to do while Ari napped.  (The last photo of Kelly and I together in March 2010).

It's quiet...but busying myself in the kitchen helps.  I thought back to a puff pancake my mother had made and decided to pull out some apples and see what would develop.  I remember the batter was similar to a popover batter and the apples were sauteed with butter and spices.  Like usual, I've added a few things my mother didn't and instead of pure maple syrup, I've switched to Agave Nectar, which Kelly turned me onto because of its low glycemic index.  My finished dish also as vegetarian bacon beside it, but I'm sure Kelly would have loved to have chosen scrapple, especially the homemade version my mother made. 

Apple~Cranberry Puff Pancake
3T dark or light brown sugar, packed
3T unsalted butter
3-4 apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup dried cranberries (use fresh in the Fall)
2 T Boiled Apple Cider
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. cardamon, 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg (my trilogy!)

Melt butter in a large sauce pan or frying pan.  Add brown sugar, cider, and spices.  Stir together, then, add the apples.  Add the extract and cook 7-8 minutes on med/low heat until tender.

Preheat oven to 400F-degrees.  I poured the apple mixture into a baking dish, but if you used an iron skillet to saute the apples, that could go directly into the oven.
I used my blender to mix the batter and have the ingredients listed in the order they should be added to that appliance.  You can also whisk the ingredients in a bowl.

4 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. apple flavoring
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 T melted butter

Blend all ingredients on high until well incorported.

Make sure you scrape down the sides to incorporate all the dry ingredients.  Pour the batter over the apple~cranberry mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and "puffy".  Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve warm with your favorite syrup!  Enjoy!