Ava D's Cookbook

Let’s do brunch

Blueberry Muffins

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

½ cup softened butter

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup milk

2 cups blueberries, drained

3 teaspoons sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cream the butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar until light.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla, then stir thoroughly.

4. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.

5. Crush ½ blueberries with a fork, and mix into the batter. Fold in the remaining whole berries.

6. Line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, and fill with batter. Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of sugar over the tops of the muffins, and bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

7. Remove muffins from tin and cool at least 30 minutes.

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

¼ cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. Then, add the eggs, buttermilk, and oil into the bowl. Stir thoroughly into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

3. Pour the batter by ¼ cups onto a hot, greased pan.

4. Sprinkle each pancake with 2 teaspoon chocolate chips. Turn when bubbles form on top of the pancake; then cook until second side is golden brown.

French Toast

From the kitchen of: Ava

Dankenbrink

Ingredients

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

2 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Unsalted butter

8 slices white bread

Cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, additional yolks, milk, vanilla, and sal t until foamy and smooth.

3. Place a small lump of butter (enough to coat bottom of the skillet when melted) in a nonstick skillet over low heat.

4. When butter is melted, raise heat and bring to a sizzle. Then, place 2 slices of bread in the bowl with the egg mixture. Turn them a few times in the mixture until evenly saturated.

5. Place a slice of bread into the pan and repeat until the skillet is full. Let slices cook at a sizzle for about 2 minutes, until just turning golden brown on the bottom.

6. Flip slices over and continue cooking the second side begins to brown.

7. Dust both sides with cinnamon sugar and top with maple syrup and berries before serving.

Fluffy Belgian Waffles

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 large eggs

½ cup vegetable oil

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat your waffle iron, spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, sal t, and cinnamon.

3. In a medium bowl beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

4. In a separate medium bowl mix together the egg yolks, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract.

5. Add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.

6. Fold in the egg whites.

7. Pour the batter onto your hot waffle iron and cook accordingly.

8. Serve immediately with butter, syrup, powdered sugar or any other favorite toppings.

Nutella Banana Crepe

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

1 cup flour

2 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups whole milk

½ cup mashed banana

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Nutella, for spreading

2 bananas, sliced

Confectioners sugar, for topping

Directions

1. Place flour, sugar, salt, milk, mashed banana, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a blender and process until smooth. If possible, let the mixture rest for at least 30 minutes.

2. Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat with a little bit of butter. Pour about ¼ cup batter in the pan and swirl until batter evenly coats the bottom.

3. Let cook for about a minute until the crepe is golden brown on the bottom, then flip. Cook for another minute before removing the crepe from pan to plate.

4. Spread nutella on one side of the crepe and top with sliced bananas. Fold crepe over .

5. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and top with additional sliced bananas.

Avocado Toast

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

2 large slices sourdough bread

1 ripe avocado, halved, pit removed

Olive oil

Flaky salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Half a lemon

Directions

1. Toast the bread to your liking. Meanwhile, use a wide spoon to remove avocado halves from peel, keeping in large pieces.

2. Drizzle the hot toast lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sal t. Let cool slightly, then place one avocado half on each slice of toast. Use the back of a fork to roughly mash the avocado into the bread, keeping it as chunky as possible.

3. Sprinkle with a little more salt, and pepper if desired. Add any garnishes. Cut each piece of toast in half and serve immediately

English Cream Scones

From the kitchen of: Ellie Dunn

Ingredients

4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar plus additional for sprinkling on top

2 tablespoons baking powder

Kosher salt

¾ pound cold unsalted butter, ½ inch diced

4 large eggs

1 cup cold heavy cream

¾ cups dried currants

1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk (for egg wash)

Clotted cream and strawberry rhubarb jam (for serving)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the 4 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and 4 teaspoons salt. Add the butter and mix on the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low, quickly add them to the flourand-butter mixture, combining just until blended. Toss the currants with the 1 tablespoon flour, add them to the dough, and mix quickly to distribute the currants through the dough. The dough may be quite sticky.

3. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead quickly to be sure the ingredients are combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut with a 3-inch plain round cutter and place the circles on two sheet pans lined with parchment paper.

4. Brush the tops of the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. Serve warm with clotted cream and jam.

Homemade Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

4 slices of bread

3 tablespoons butter, divided

2 slices of American cheese

4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 slice onion

4 cloves garlic

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

Directions

1. Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

2. Generously butter one side of a slice of bread and place the bread butter-side down on the hot skillet. Then, add one slice of cheese.

3. Butter a second slice of bread on one side and place it butter-side up on top of cheese.

4. Cook until lightly browned on one side; flip over and continue cooking until the cheese is melted.

5. Repeat with remaining 2 slices of bread, butter, and slice of cheese.

6. In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors.

7. Remove from heat and run the mixture through a food mill into a large bowl.

8. In the now empty stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until medium brown. Whisk in the tomato mixture, then serve.

Caesar Salad

From the kitchen of:

Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 baguette, thinly sliced

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

4 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon anchovy paste, or 1 to 2 anchovies, minced

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

4 to 6 small heads romaine lettuce

Directions

1. Combine olive oil and garlic in a large bowl, let sit for at least a hal f hour

2. While garlic is sitting, make croutons by broiling baguette slices un til the tops are lightly browned.

3. To create the dressing, add minced anchovies (or anchovy paste) and eggs to the oil-garlic mixture. Whisk until creamy, then add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk half of the parmesan cheese into the mixture as well.

4. Tear off chunks of romaine and add to dressing. Toss until coated, then add remaining parmesan cheese before tossing again.

5. Chop the toasted bread into croutons and add to the salad. Toss and serve immediately.

Pasta Salad

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked pasta

3 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese balls, cut in half

1 pound salami, cut into cubes

3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced

3/4 cup pepperoncini

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1–2 tablespoons coarse sea salt

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons each dry oregano and dry basil

Directions

1. Cook your pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse. Allow it to cool slightly and toss a bit of olive oil in there.

2. Chop all your veggies, cheese, meat, and other fixings.

3. To make dressing, add olive oil, white vinegar, water, sea salt, garlic, sugar, oregano, and basil to a blender and blend until smooth.

4. Toss all ingredients together and serve.

Best BLT Sandwich

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

2 slices bread

4 teaspoons butter, soft

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 slices thin cut bacon

2-4 pieces green leaf lettuce

1 perfectly ripe tomato

½ perfectly ripe avocado

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Start by frying your bacon. When bacon is crispy, take it out and tear each slice of bacon in half so there are 8 strips. Keep warm until ready to assemble.

2. Spread both slices of bread with butter. Place in a skillet over medium heat and toast lightly. Set aside.

3. Wash and dry green leaf lettuce. Slice tomato into slices.

4. Cut your avocado in half, then slice one half into strips.

5. Assemble your sandwich: spread about 1 and ½ tablespoons mayonnaise on toasted bread. Top with lettuce and tomato slices. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper.

6. Add all the bacon and top with avocado strips.

7. Spread another piece of toasted bread with mayonnaise. Top the sandwich and gently press down. Cut sandwich in half and serve.

Spicy Penne Alla Vodka

From the kitchen of: Ava Dankenbrink

Ingredients

8 ounces of fresh rigatoni pasta

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove of garlic, diced

¼ yellow onion, diced

¼ cup tomato paste

1 tablespoon vodka

½ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Boil a large pot of water and add rigatoni pasta. Cook according to package directions. (Reserve one cup of the pasta water before draining)

2. In a large saucepan, add olive oil and heat at medium heat. When the oil is hot, add garlic and onion to the pan. Cook until soft.

3. Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook for a few minutes until it darkens in color.

4. Pour the vodka into the pan and cook until the alcohol has a chance to burn off.

5. add in heavy cream, red pepper flakes, and finally season with sal t and pepper to complete the sauce.

6. Add pasta, reserved pasta water, and butter into the sauce. Stir until all the pasta is nicely coated.

7. Add parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.