Coconut Pancakes

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Coconut Pancakes

Coconut Pancakes

Sunday brunch is my favorite meal of the week. It's not much of a secret to many of you either. If you head over to the recipe index, you'll find that breakfast is one of the few meals where I'll gladly stray from the land of sweet treats into the world of savory cuisine (well, if you count it as "savory" before drizzling it with a cup of maple syrup).

Sunday brunch has always meant a big, sit-down dinner with my family. No one is rushing off to the gym or heading out to meet up with friends, like it happens so often on weeknights. Sunday is family day. No one is allowed to leave the house until the plates have been scraped clean and the dishes put away—mother's orders. And trust me, no one would want to miss this meal in my house.

Coconut Pancakes

During the summer months, my mother and I like to cook up a healthy batch of something we can drown in syrup. My dad is the king of the eggs, making the best scrambled eggs I have ever eaten (or will probably ever eat). I've tried to replicate them, but never with as much success. Even though I've watched him make them hundreds of times, I don't seem to have the scrambled egg magic like he does (perhaps the scrambled egg gene skips a generation?).

But brunch does not stop here. Oh no, it's not my favorite meal of the week for anything. There are hash browns and fresh fruit. A batch of sausage hot from the grill. And then, if you haven't managed to get your fill, dessert. It's sinful, really, but I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

Coconut Pancakes

If I could invite you all over for a Sunday meal, you know I would. Instead, sharing my love for brunch and these Coconut Pancakes will have to do. Share these pancakes with people you love; make Sunday brunch a family tradition, if you haven't already.

Coconut Pancakes

These Coconut Pancakes are hearty and softly sweet. The whole wheat pancakes are infused with coconut milk and have flaked coconut in the batter for stronger flavor. These pancakes are a healthy and successful spin on the traditional buttermilk hot cake. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with coconut flakes or fresh fruit for a unique touch.

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Dried Blueberry Granola

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Dried Blueberry Granola

Dried Blueberry Granola

After much poking and prodding from friends and followers alike, I've finally decided to take the plunge and get myself a Twitter account. Follow me @pastryaffair! It's a place to keep up with my musings, questions, interesting finds from other places, and, of course, updates from The Pastry Affair.

I feel like an old, technologically challenged woman saying this but, up until a few days ago, I'd never even visited Twitter. I know, gasp. After sharing this unsightly (and, let's face it, embarrassing) confession, the very least you could do is be nice to me. Pretty please? I'm the new kid on the block.

And, if Twitter isn't your cup of tea, remember that you can always follow The Pastry Affair on Facebook for updates and random thoughts!

Now, back to food.

Dried Blueberry Granola

I'm not one who normally gets excited about granola. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good granola. I would never say no to a delicious granola parfait. The real truth is that I just don't find granola as exciting as, say, a decadent dessert or 3-tiered cake. I mean, it's granola, right? Just a few toasted oats mixed with nuts and dried fruit.

Wrong.

After making this Dried Blueberry Granola, I want to eat my words. Granola can be exciting. This granola certainly attests to that. It reminds me of a really good raisin bran, never mind the fact that it features neither raisins nor bran. I believe the delicious simplicity lies in the texture. This granola isn't as clumped as you'd find it in stores, so it does have a texture closer to a cereal (which is perfect for munching with milk and yogurt).

Lately, whenever I find myself hunting around the kitchen for a snack, my hand somehow finds its way into this granola before I can stop it.

And, I find, I don't even want to stop it.

Dried Blueberry Granola

This Dried Blueberry Granola is hearty and filling. The granola is sweetened with brown sugar and honey. Add a handful of sliced almonds and coconut flakes, toast it in the oven, stir in a few dried blueberries, and now we're talking. This reminds me of the crunchy, breakfast version of this blueberry coffee cake. I love to eat my granola like a bowl of cereal. The milk softens a few of the oats turning the granola into a texture wonderland. Crunchy, chewy, sweet, fruity, this granola has a little bit for everyone. This recipe is easily doubled for those with a larger appetite or more mouths to feed.

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Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast

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Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast

Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast

Every Sunday I like to fix up something special for a morning brunch. Since my family doesn't have enough time on weekday mornings to make something extravagant (and, really, who does?), we save up all our cheesy, buttery, maple syrup drenched breakfast dishes for our lazy Sunday mornings.

Last night, I set out to make a baked French toast dish. Though French toast is a regular on our brunch menu, I'm usually too last minute to think far enough ahead to assemble the French toast dish the night before. It seems a bit silly to say, but baked French toast is something that has eluded me for years. By the time I realize I want to eat it, it's already Sunday morning. It's too late to make the baked French toast I've been craving.

This week I finally thought ahead. About time, self!

Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast

When looking for recipes online, I've noticed that so many recipes for Cinnamon Raisin French Toast require a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. I don't know about you, but this isn't something I normally keep in the house. When it's late Saturday night and I'm wondering what to make for Sunday brunch, the very last thing I want to do is head to the grocery store. So, in order to fix this little problem, I decided to come up with my own recipe to suit the ingredients I already had in my home. Chances are you'll already have these ingredients in your pantry too (and isn't that a wonderful, wonderful thing?).

After eating well over 1/4 of this dish on my own, I can assure you this Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast is the perfect brunch dish. This French toast dish does have to set in the refrigerator overnight, so you will have to think ahead. The time it spends in the refrigerator really melds together the flavors of the dish and brings out a fantastic custard-like texture.

Or, in other words, this is definitely worth the wait.

Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast

This Cinnamon Raisin Baked French toast is absolutely saturated with cinnamon and raisins—there is no skimping on flavor here. The French toast itself rests on a layer of butter and brown sugar. When it bakes up, the butter and sugar caramelize. This caramel sauce is then absorbed by the bread, giving an added (and delicious) dimension to the French toast. The raisins also absorb some of the liquid in the French toast, making them plump and bursting with raisin-y goodness. If I didn't know any better, I would imagine this was a decadent bread pudding. Now tell me, who wouldn't want to eat that for brunch?

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