A new "baby", as I call them, at La Petite Beauxo.  The concept is created, but after a day or so, alterations have been noted and will be made.  Here is a peek at the first of the creation of the Maja. I will post the newest soon!

la petite beauxo is my little business that I started early this fall. I have dreamed for years of owning my own restaurant and, so it seems, in a round about way, my dream is becoming a reality! I have had a wonderful support system of awesome family and incredible friends cheering me on and raving about the food I make them. You can follow me on facebook at la petite beauxo | the kitchen of chama bovee :)

Eggplant Parmesan - Easy to make GLUTEN FREE :)

This (non-casserole) version of Eggplant Parmesan is lighter and fresher tasting than the classic - we ditched the breading and added spicy sauce and fresh herbs.

1/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 C. dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. each kosher salt and sugar
1/2 tsp. each black pepper and red chile flakes
1 large eggplant (about 1.5 lbs.), cut lengthwise into 8 slices (1/2 in. thick)
8 oz. water packed fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 slices
1/2 C. each fresh oregano and torn basil leaves
1/2 C. crushed croutons (optional)

1. Set an oven rack in the highest position and preheat oven to 350 F.  Heat 2 TBL oil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add wine and let reduce by half, 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar, pepper, and chile flakes and simmer, stirring often, until very thick, 20 minutes.

2.  Lay eggplant slices meanwhile on a greased broiler pan (they can overlap).  Cover with foil.  Bake until steamy and softened, 20 minutes.  Uncover; brush with 1 TBL oil.  Broil until starting to brown, then turn over and brush with remaining oil.  Broil until lightly browned, 8 minutes total.

3.  Put an eggplant slice on an oven-safe plate (leave broiler on).  Top with 1/4 C. tomato sauce.  Lay another slice of eggplant across first and spoon more sauce on top.  Top with 2 slices cheese. Repeat layering on 3 more plates.

4.  Broil 2 plates at a time just to melt cheese, about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle each plate with about 2 TBL each mixed herbs and croutons.  Serve with remaining sauce.

Cashew Cream from Super Natural Cooking

Awesome replacement for heavy cream!

1.5 C. raw cashews
1.5 C. water, plus more as needed
2.5 tsp. nutritional yeast
1.5 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
Squeeze of lemon juice

Soak the cashews in a small bowl of warm water for 20-30 minutes to soften them up, which makes for a smoother, silkier cream. Drain and add the 1.5 cups water, the nutritional yeast, and salt. Puree with a blender or food processor until smooth, pourable, and of a creamlike consistency; this may take 2-3 minutes of steady blending, so be patient. You may need to add additional water, a few tablespoons at time, to achieve the right consistency. This cream tends to thicken over time, and is absorbed into pasta quickly, so err on the thin side. Season the cream with a squeeze of lemon juice, then stir, taste, and add a bit of additional salt if needed.

Makes about 2 cups

Potage Parmentier - Leek & Potato Soup adapted from Julia Child

I have adapted this recipe a bit, made it vegan and is gluten free as well!

As the wonderful and infamous Julia Child says, "... it smells good, tastes good, and is simplicity itself to make." You can add anything else you like to it to make it the way you would like to have it, but it is warm and wonderful with a side of oven baked bread and a crisp salad :)

4 lbs peeled potatoes, sliced or diced
2 lbs Leeks, thinly sliced
6 quarts water
2 TBL Sea Salt

8 C. Water
1/2 C. Cashew Cream
1 TBL Granulated garlic
Sea Salt and Fresh ground pepper to taste
6 TBL minced Flat Leaf Parsley

1) Bring potatoes to a boil in the 6 quarts of water. While you are waiting, start the cashew cream and slice the leeks.

2) Potatoes will be done when a fork or knife can easily slide into the center of the thickest part. Once done, drain into a colander and set aside.

3) Add the 8 Cups of water to your pot along with the sliced leeks. Allow to simmer. While you are waiting for the leeks to simmer, finish making the cashew cream.

4) Mash the potatoes until they are to the consistency that you like. I use my Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment like I would be making mashed potatoes - I like this soup chunky.

5) Once the leeks are tender, add the mashed potatoes to the water and leeks. Slowly and gently stir until well blended. Add the cashew cream, sea salt, and pepper.  Serve with the parsley sprinkled on top.

Serves 10-12 happy people :)

BEETS - Candy From the Vegetable Gods

Beets (however many you'd like)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh Ground Pepper and Kosher Salt

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and peel beets and then place them on a sheet of tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold foil over beets making a little pouch for them to roast in. Roast for 45-60 minutes - until they are tender in the center.

Pancakes from The Joy Of Cooking

This was the first and only pancake recipe I have ever used. I remember being about 8 or 9 when I started helping my Pop make pancakes every Saturday morning. This became our little thing and as I got older I adapted my own version of this recipe. This is where it all started...

SIFT BEFORE MEASURING:
1 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

RESIFT WITH:
1 tsp. Salt
3 TBL Sugar
1 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

BEAT LIGHTLY:
1 or 2 Eggs

When using 2 eggs, you may separate them. Add the yolks to the milk mixture. Beat the whites until stiff, but not dry and fold them lightly into the blended batter, after adding the milk and butter. Add:
3 TBL Melted Butter
1-1 1/4 Cups Milk

Fondant au Chocolate | Chef Raul Azpeitia & Chama Bovee

This is the Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe from Chef Raul Azpeitia when I worked at Sahalie's Wine Cellar - Hot or cold, it rocks no matter how you slice it. Truly.

BEGIN ONE DAY AHEAD OR EARLY IN THE MORNING

2 C. Chocolate (SPLURGE PLEASE! Scharfenberger or Green & Blacks 70-85% or Maya Gold. You will reap the rewards, trust me!)
2 C. Sugar
5 Eggs
7 oz. Unsalted Butter (again... splurging in this area is not a bad idea whatsoever)
2 TBL Corn Starch

Butter then line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper so that the paper comes to the top of the pan, but not over the edges and set aside. In my opinion, the Magic Line cake pan is the best pan for the job.

1. In a medium bowl sift the sugar and cornstarch together, set aside.

2. In a mixer, lightly blend the eggs. Add the sugar/cornstarch mixture until well blended.

3. In a heavy sauce pan, melt butter and chocolate together, whisking to prevent sticking/burning and to keep the two from separating. When done, remove from heat and pour into a separate bowl and let cool for a few minutes.

4. Blending 1/4 C. at a time, SLOWLY add the egg mixture to the melted chocolate. Do this slowly and in small amounts. You don't want to cook the eggs :)

5. When completely blended together, pour into cake pan and smooth it out evenly with an off-set knife. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil under the pan so that the edge will come past the top of the pan. Place another sheet of foil over the top and then seal the bottom and top pieces together. You want this to be a very tight seal. Set in a 2" deep pan and fill 1/2 way with warm water then put into a COLD oven. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 2 hours.

6. When done baking, remove cake pan from water and let the foil become cool to the touch then remove it and replace with a fresh piece. Place on a towel in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 5 hours.

7. When fully chilled, hold the sides of the parchment paper to lift the cake from the pan slowly. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve with ... oh... my favorite is raspberry freezer jam :) You can nuke it for about 35 seconds to heat it back up or serve cold. Worth the wait!

http://cooksdream.com/

http://www.scharffenberger.com/

http://www.greenandblacks.com/us

RATATOUILLE | Confit Byaldi by Chef Thomas Keller

In 2007 the movie Ratatouille was released and I was in love. I can watch it over and over and over. I was also determined to find the recipe for Ratatouille; made exactly the way it was made in the movie. Made me so hungry! And you know what? I found it! It is AMAZING and I have made it several times. Thank you, Chef Thomas Keller & New York Times for posting this!

FOR PIPERADE
1/2 Red Pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 Yellow Pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 Orange Pepper, seeds and ribs removed
2 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 C. finely diced Yellow Onion
3 Tomatoes (about 12 ounces total weight), peeled, seeded, and finely diced, juices reserved
1 Sprig Thyme
1 Sprig Flat-leaf Parsley
1/2 a Bay Leaf
Kosher Salt

FOR VEGETABLES
1 Zucchini (4-5 ounces) sliced in 1/16 rounds
1 Japanese Eggplant (4-5 ounces) sliced in 1/16 rounds
1 Yellow Squash (4-5 ounces) sliced in 1/16 rounds
4 Roma Tomatoes, sliced in 1/16 rounds
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/8 tsp Thyme Leaves
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

FOR VINAIGRETTE
1 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Assorted fresh herbs (thyme flowers, chervil, thyme)
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. FOR PIPERADE heat oven to 450-degrees F. Place pepper halves on a foil-lined sheet, cut side down. Roast until skin loosens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop finely.

2. Combine oil, garlic, and onion in medium skillet over low heat until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, their juices, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Simmer over low heat until very soft and very little liquid remains, about 10 minutes, do not brown; add peppers and simmer to soften them. Season to taste with salt, and discard herbs. Reserve tablespoon of mixture and spread remainder in bottom of an 8-inch skillet.

3. For vegetables, heat oven to 275-degrees F. Down center of pan, arrange a strip of 8 alternating slices of vegetables over piperade, overlapping so that 1/4 inch of each slice is exposed. Around the center strip, overlap vegetables in a close spiral that lets slices mound slightly toward center. Repeat until pan is filled; all vegetables may not be needed.

4. Mix garlic, oil, and thyme leaves in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over vegetables. Cover pan with foil and crimp edges to seal well. Bake until vegetables are tender when tested with a paring knife, about 2 hours. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more. (Lightly cover with foil if it starts to brown.) If there is excess liquid in pan, place over medium heat on stove until reduced. (At this point it may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Serve cold or reheat in 350-degree F. oven until warm.)

5. For vinaigrette, combine reserved piperade, oil, vinegar, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.

6. To serve, heat broiler and place byaldi underneath until lightly browned. Slice in quarters and very carefully lift onto plate with offset spatula. Turn spatula 90 degrees, guiding byaldi into fan shape. Drizzle vinaigrette around plate. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/dining/13rata.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&adxnnlx=1269577197-PX48ovRT7m7zRDJGpj0xPg

Recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/dining/131rrex.html

To read about Chef Thomas Keller and his staff and restaurants: http://tkrg.org/index.php

Simple Grits by The Lee Brothers

So, I'm sure you can tell, I've altered the recipe. My scribbles are on the page but, as always, I will give you the original. I had been looking for a good grits recipe... one that really showed how to properly make them, and I stumbled upon The Lee Brother's (South Carolina-bred brothers)Southern Cookbook called "Our First Cookbook", about two years ago at the library. There is a world of knowledge on grits in there and loads of recipes for them too like Summer Herbed Grits, SLAB BACON GRITS (hello, bacon, I love you even more now), Clemson Blue Cheese Grits, Lemon Grits, Grits Cakes... and then there is this WHOLE guide to grits. What a fantastic world we live in!

Simple Grits

2 C. Whole Milk
2 C. Water
1 C. Stone-Ground Grits
3/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 TBL Unsalted Butter

1. Pour the milk and water into a 2 quart saucepan, cover, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the milk mixture boils (about 5 minutes), uncover the pot, add the grits and salt, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the grits are the consistency of this soup and release a fragrant sweet-corn perfume, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, about about 20 minutes, until the grits thicken and fall lazily from the end of the spoon. Cook about 15 minutes more, stirring constantly to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

2. When the grits are creamy and fluffy and soft,, turn off the heat, add the pepper and butter, and stir to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

Brussel Sprouts - You know you love them!

So... the trick here is to pick out the smallest ones when you shop for them. And oddly enough, I have found that fresh lemon juice takes the bitterness down a few notches. It's good stuff, Maynard!

1 lb Baby Brussel Sprouts

1 Med. Lemon (Zest about 1/4 of the lemon and then cut into four wedges, but you'll only need one wedge)

1 TBL Olive Oil

1 TBL Unsalted Butter

Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

1. Wash brussel sprouts in a colander. Cut the bottoms off of the brussel sprouts and let the few leaves fall off. Place the brussel sprouts in a shallow pot and fill with water until just barely covered. Bring to a boil and let simmer until they turn a brilliant green. NOT ARMY GREEN. Just a nice brilliant green. You want them to be al dente, like pasta, so when you poke a sharp into the bottom, it slides in easily but is firm enough that there is still some bite to it. When they are done cooking, drain in a colander.

2. Melt butter with olive oil in sauce pan. Add brussel sprouts, lemon zest, squeeze juice of one lemon wedge over sprouts and then toss all together until well coated. Add a pinch of sea salt and ground pepper. Serve with shaved Parmesan.

Macaroni & Cheese from Williams-Sonoma "The Kid's Cookbook"

I get asked time and time over for this recipe and, although, I ... of course ... in typical Chama fashion have changed it to my own liking, this is the actual recipe that mine is adapted from. You make your own changes... and just an FYI, it only gets better with Niman Ranch Ham! (Seriously the best ham out there... so go easy when adding salt to the recipe if you add ham).


2 TBL Butter
2 TBL All Purpose Flour
1 2/3 C. Milk
1 C. Shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 TBL grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Quarts Water
1 lb. Fusilli

1. Put the butter in a large sauce pan and set the pan over medium heat until melted. Add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add milk and whisk constantly. Cook and continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and gently boiling, 5-7 minutes.

2. Remove pot from heat and add cheeses. Whisk until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and set aside.

3. In a large pot bring the 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 TBL salt and pasta and stir. Cook pasta until it is al dente, about 8 minutes, or according to package directions. Stir occasionally to prevent from sticking.

4. Drain pasta completely in a colander then transfer back into pot. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir until well blended. Serve immediately... with these... Orange, Purple and Yellow carrots!

For information on Niman Ranch: http://www.nimanranch.com/index.aspx

Pigs In The Blanket

This recipe was passed on to me from my British Grammy Jacques - Jacqueline Bradbury Kusior Maertens. I remember her making it for my sister and I when we were little and lived in California. I finally asked her for the recipe when I was in high school. Thanks, Gramma

1 Lg. Head Green Cabbage
1 lb. Ground Beef
1/4 C. Rice (any kind)
1 Med. Onion chopped finely
1 Egg
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste

1. Mix all ingredients until well blended

2. In a large pot put in whole head of cabbage. Bring the water to a boil and then turn to a simmer. Let cabbage leaves simmer until tender.

3. Gently pull cabbage leaves off and place a dollop of the beef mixture in center and roll up, closing the ends off half way through then finish rolling. Set all of the "Pigs" in a pot of hot water and let simmer for about 45 minutes or until rice is cooked through.

My Pops' Coffee Cake Recipe

Pre-Heat oven to 375 F.
Grease a 9x9 pan
SIFT TOGETHER:
1.5 C. All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Powder
... set aside ...
CREAM UNTIL SOFT:
1/4 C. Unsalted Butter
1/4-1/2 C. Sugar

Add to butter/sugar mixture:
1 egg
2/3 C. Milk
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Add butter/sugar mixture to dry ingredients until smooth and well blended. Pour into greased pan and set aside.

TOPPING:
2 TBL All Purpose Flour
2 TBL Unsalted Butter
1/3 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Blend into crumbly mixture and spread evenly on top of cake. Bake for 45 minutes. :)

VOLCANO CAKE 100% Created by Chama Bovee - It will have them screaming, "YOU ARE THE COOLEST MOM E-VER!"

So for the moment I am going to tease you with just the photo of the cake... and when I get a moment I will post how I made this and how you, too, can be... THE COOLEST MOM E-VER. HA-HA!

VOLCANO: CONSTRUCTION FINISHED

VOLCANO: GLOWING

VOLCANO: SMOKING

PS... Sorry for the boasting in the title, but DANG I was rather darn proud of myself for conjuring this one up!

Green & Blacks

FOOD OF THE GODS

My FAVORITE Chocolate to eat and cook or bake with is Green and Blacks Organic Chocolates (and Scharffen Berger but we'll talk about that later). Amazing flavor and texture; it is far by the best. Their white chocolate is to die for and the fact that it is filled with little specks of vanilla beans makes it even better! There is something lovely, majical and Willy Wonka-ish about unwrapping a delicately foiled bar of chocolate. I always wait to find the Golden Ticket. My favorites are the White, Maya Gold, Ginger, Hazelnut and Current, and Dark 70%. Granted... I haven't had one that I don't absolutely love. Oh... They have many other amazing products, too, like Ice Cream and Hot Chocolate... the list goes on!

http://greenandblacks.com/us/

Icebox Raspberry Cheesecake adapted from Cook's Country

I used the same filling (sort-of) recipe as Icebox Oreo Cheesecake

COOKIE CRUST

1 Package of Newman's Own Chocolate ABC cookies

8 TBL Unsalted Butter, melted

CHEESECAKE FILLING

1 C. Half-n-Half (Divided 3/4 C. and 1/4 C.)

4 Large Egg Yolks

1/4 C. Cake Flour

8 Oz. White Chocolate, Chopped (I use Green & Blacks Organic White Chocolate)
2 lbs. Cream Cheese, cut into 1-inch chucks and softened

1/2 C. Confectioners' sugar

2 tsp.Vanilla Extract

1/8 tsp Salt

1 1/2 Pints Fresh Raspberries

1. For the chocolate cookie crust:

Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter together. Line the 9x13 pan with waxed paper.

Press cookie mixture evenly into bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan (using and offset knife or a cake spatula is very handy for this). Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. For the Cheesecake filling: Heat 3/4 C. milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, flour, and remaining milk in large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and glossy, 1-2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in white chocolate until melted. Transfer pudding to bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in chilled pudding until just combined, about 30 seconds. Gently turn in raspberries until evenly disbursed.

Pour Cheesecake filling over cookie crust and use a cake spatula (offset knife) to smooth the filling out evenly.

Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan and serve! Cheesecake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Icebox Oreo Cheese Cake from Cook's Country

Serves 12 ... Depending on how you slice it :)



Oreo Cookie Crust
30 Oreo cookies, broken into rough pieces
7 TBL Unsalted Butter

Cheesecake Filling
1 C. Whole Milk (Divided 3/4 C. and 1/4 C.)
4 Large Egg Yolks
1/4 C. All Purpose Flour
8 Oz. White Chocolate, Chopped
2 lbs. Cream Cheese, cut into 1-inch chucks and softened
1/2 C. Confectioners' sugar
2 tsp.Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp Salt
12 Oreo Cookies, broken into rough pieces

1. For the Oreo cookie crust: Process cookies and butter in food processor until finely ground. Press cookie mixture evenly into bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. For the Cheesecake filling: Heat 3/4 C. milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, flour, and remaining milk in large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and glossy, 1-2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in white chocolate until melted. Transfer pudding to bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in chilled pudding until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour one-quarter of cream-cheese mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle one-third of the cookies over surface. Repeat process twice, then top with remaining filling. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan and serve!

Cheesecake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Zucchini Fritters By Chama Bovee

2 1/2 C. Shredded Zucchini
2 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
4 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Granulated Garlic
Pinch of Cumin
1 C. Panko Crumbs
Cooking Oil

1. In two separate bowls shred Zucchini and Cheddar Cheese

2. In a large bowl whisk eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, and cumin until well blended. Add Panko and mix well then add Zucchini and Cheddar Cheese.

3. Heat oil in pan and when hot place a 1/4 C. of batter in center of pan and use the back of a metal spoon to spread batter until it is about 1/2 inch thick all around. Cook on one side until golden brown and then flip and cook. Press on the fritter when almost done to make sure the juice has cooked out thoroughly.

Dutch Baby Pancakes from My Gramma Cate

2-3 Quart Size Pan

1/8 C. Butter

3 Large Eggs

3/4 C. Milk

3/4 C. Flour

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3-4 Quart Size Pan

1/4 C. Butter

3/4 C. Flour

3/4 C. Milk

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

4-6 Quart Size Pan

4 Large Eggs

1 C. Milk

1 C. Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Pre-heat oven with the pan inside to 425 F. Beat eggs in mixer on medium until blended. Add milk and mix for about 1 minute. Add lemon extract and flour and let stir. When oven has reached temperature, put butter in pan and let it melt (do not burn). Once the butter has melted, pour in mixture. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with cream cheese, freezer jam, confectioner's sugar, whipped cream, or maple syrup .

FUN OPTIONS:

CINNAMON SUGAR sprinkled on top of the batter right after you pour it into the hot pan... lots of it :). It leaves a yummy cinnamony caramelized crunchiness on top (It looks like the top got over cooked, but it's not).

LEMON EXTRACT AND ZEST - Skip the vanilla extract and add 1/2 - 1 tsp of lemon extract to the batter after you add the milk. Zest half a lemon and muddle or use a mortar and pestle to press the two together with 1 tsp sugar and then sprinkle on top of the batter right after you pour into the hot pan.