AP Food Editor

As pancake toppings go, maple syrup is swell and certainly traditional, if not particularly inspired.

But if you’re going to go to the trouble of griddling up a stack of hot pancakes for Mom on Mother’s Day — or for anyone on any day, for that matter — consider going the extra step and whipping up a more creatively delicious topping.

We asked chefs, cookbook authors and food bloggers around the nation to come up with easy suggestions for topping a stack of hotcakes. The only rule — no maple syrup allowed.

Perhaps you’d like cookbook author Dorie Greenspan’s bananas sauteed in brown sugar? Or maybe Alex Guarnaschelli’s molasses and honey simmer spiked with lemon juice and crisped bacon is more your style. Or keep is sweet and creamy with Melissa D’Arabian’s cream cheese whipped with lemon juice and powdered sugar, then topped with fresh raspberries.

Here are 20 of the best suggestions:

PANCAKE TOPPER IDEAS

n In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm one part molasses to two parts honey, a splash of water, a pinch each of salt and black pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped crisp bacon. Simmer until the flavors meld together. (From Food Network’s Alex Guarnaschelli of “Chopped All-Stars”)

n Toss huckleberries with cane sugar, vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, allowing for a light sauce to extract from the berries. Spread the berries over pancakes (lemon-ricotta pancakes are particularly good) and drizzle with some of the sauce. (From Gabriel Caliendo, executive chef for the Lazy Dog Cafe chain in California)

— Heat lemon curd, then drizzle it over pancakes and sprinkle with fresh blueberries. (From Karen DeMasco, pastry chef at Locanda Verde restaurant in New York)

n Make banana syrup by slicing and microwaving an overripe (black) banana until very soft and syrupy. Spoon over pancakes with a dollop of Greek-style yogurt, toasted pecans and a dash of cinnamon. (From Lourdes Castro, author of “Simply Mexican”)

• Saute fresh pineapple cubes in brown sugar, then deglaze the pan with a bit of coconut milk and reduce till it has a syrup-like consistency. Pour over the pancakes and top with whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. (From Roger Stettler, executive chef for the Four Seasons Resort Maui)
• Mix ricotta cheese with a dash of honey and spoon over pancakes topped with blueberry jam. (From Jill Donenfeld and Josie Gordon, authors of “Party Like a Culinista”)
• Saute apple slices with butter and sugar, then spoon them over the pancakes. Sprinkle with toasted pecans, then drizzle with dulce de leche. (From Daisy Martinez, author of “Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night”)
• Saute sliced pears and pineapple chunks until soft. Add a squeeze or two of lemon juice, some sugar and vanilla extract. (From Sarabeth Levine of Sarabeth’s Kitchen restaurants in New York)
• As soon as you pour the pancake batter into the pan, top it with granola and fresh blueberries, then continue cooking as normal. (From Barb Stuckey, author of “Taste What You’re Missing”)
• Saute sliced bananas in butter with a sprinkle of brown sugar. Cook until the bananas are lightly caramelized. (From Dorie Greenspan, author of “Around my French Table”)
• Make a simple syrup using a 2-to-1 ratio of brown sugar to water. Simmer, then add grated fresh ginger and diced fresh mango. (From Rafael Gonzalez, executive chef at Fountain Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia)
• Simmer 2 tablespoons of water, then whisk in 3 tablespoons of butter, then 3 tablespoons of honey and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Use warm. (From Andrew Carmellini, author of “American Flavor”)
• Top chocolate chip pancakes with warmed Nutella and chopped toasted hazelnuts. (From Kathleen King, owner of Tate’s Bake Shop in Southampton, N.Y.)
• Simmer chunks of peeled apple in brandy until very tender, then spoon over the pancakes. Top with sour cream or creme fraiche spiked with ground cardamom, nutmeg or cinnamon. (From Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, founding editor of the website Apartment Therapy: The Kitchn)
• Top pancakes with chopped fresh figs, crumbled blue cheese and a drizzle of agave syrup. (From Matt Christianson at Urban Farmer restaurant in Portland, Ore.)
• Macerate raspberries with fresh mint, brown sugar, maraschino liqueur and toasted almonds. Fold all of the ingredients together and let stand for 30 minutes before serving. (From Fabio Trabocchi, executive chef at Fiola restaurant in Washington, D.C.)
• Warm fresh blueberries or blackberries in several tablespoons of fruit syrup (such as passion fruit). Season with pinches of ground cardamom, then mix in a small handful of fresh mint leaves. (From Lisa Yockelson, author of “Baking Style: Art, Craft, Recipes”)
• Combine sorghum syrup, lemon zest, orange juice and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then drizzle over the pancakes. (From Hugh Acheson, author of “A New Turn in the South”)
• Make a quick drizzle by whisking together lemon juice, cream cheese and powdered sugar. Top with fresh raspberries. (From Melissa D’Arabian, author of the forthcoming “Ten Dollar Dinners”)
• A pancake version of croque madam — stack dollar-size pancakes, layering fried egg and ham between them. (From Michael Uhnak at Besaw’s restaurant in Portland, Ore.)

Mom deserves a freshly baked breakfast in bed on her special day.

But indulging her desire for a lazy morning doesn’t mean you can’t also respect her efforts to eat healthy. So we crafted a Mother’s Day breakfast muffin that is virtuous, richly satisfying, moist and delicious. Because no mom should have to suffer through tasteless “healthy” muffins.

Muffins often rely on large amounts of butter or oil to stay moist. Our golden muffins rely instead on a combination of applesauce, low-fat sour cream and a touch of honey and oil. To further lower the fat, we used egg whites instead of whole eggs.

Because these muffins are not low in sugar (there has to be at least a little indulgence), be sure to select unsweetened applesauce. Plus, the sugar is balanced by all the fiber from the whole-wheat flour, bran and raisins.

If you have any left after breakfast, these muffins make a great afternoon snack served with hot tea. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

If your raisins are a bit on the dry, chewy side, plump them back up by microwaving them in a bowl of water for 2 minutes. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then drain. If Mom doesn’t care for raisins, substitute another dried fruit, such as chopped apricots or cranberries.

APPLESAUCE BRAN MUFFINS

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 16

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup low-fat sour cream

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups white whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup wheat bran

1 1/4 cups applesauce

1/2 cup raisins

Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a muffin pan with muffin papers, then lightly spray the papers with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, sour cream, brown sugar, vanilla and egg whites.

In another bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour and wheat bran. Stir half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Add the applesauce and stir together. Add the rest of the flour mixture, then the raisins.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the muffins comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 190 calories; 35 calories from fat (18 percent of total calories); 4 g fat (0.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 190 mg sodium.

Ingredients

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Jif Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 12 1-inch-thick slices French bread
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Whipped cream or whipped butter

Preparation

1. Coat 13 x 9-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Stir brown sugar, butter, peanut butter and corn syrup in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Pour peanut butter mixture into baking dish. Place bread slices over mixture, trimming to fit.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
3. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove cover. Bake 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Invert onto large serving platter. Cut into servings. Serve with whipped cream or whipped butter.

Serves
Servings 8

Preparation Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
45 minutes

Create Your Own Classics – and Win

Now through January 18, 2012, creative cooks can share original recipes using at least two tablespoons of Jif Peanut Butter in Sweet and Savory categories for the chance to win one of two $10,000 kitchen makeovers in the Jif New Classics Recipe Contest.

Complete Official Rules are available at www.jif.com. Contest open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years or older. Void where prohibited.

SOURCE:
Jif

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide
Serves 4
2 cups frozen Wild Blueberries, thawed
½ cup Wild Blueberry jam
8 eggs
2 tablespoons light cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 ounce chopped pistachio
Powdered sugar
Mint leaves
In small bowl, mix Wild Blueberries with Wild Blueberry jam to bind.
In a second bowl, beat eggs with cream, sugar and flour.
Place a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add half of the egg mixture and turn down heat in order to slowly cook eggs. Flip over the omelet. Place omelet on a plate, scatter half the Wild Blueberries on it and roll it up.
Prepare a second omelet from remaining butter, egg cream and Wild Blueberries. Cut omelets into pieces and sprinkle with pistachio and powdered sugar. Garnish with mint leaves as desire.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide

3 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
6 T butter
¾ C granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
8 slices French bread, sliced 3/4 inch thick
7 eggs
½ tsp vanilla
¼  tsp nutmeg — freshly grated if possible
1 cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
Melt butter in large sauté’ pan and add sliced apples.  Top apples with sugar and cinnamon and stir to incorporate.  Sauté’ over medium heat until apples are limp and translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently so they don’t scorch.  Pour apples into a 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish. Top with sliced French bread, filling in any spaces with small pieces of bread so that entire surface is covered.  Whisk eggs with vanilla, nutmeg, mail and cream.  Pour mixture evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until morning.  The next morning, preheat the oven to 400°.  Bake the French toast for 25 minutes or until bread is golden and custard is set.  Invert carefully into a sheet pan, apple side up, and cut into squares.  The syrup of your choice can be used, as well as fresh cream.
(www.cooking.com)

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide

 1½  C flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt & cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter
½  C sugar
½  C brown sugar
2 lg eggs
½  C buttermilk
1 pint fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 375°, Bytter 7×11” pan, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Using a mixer beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat for 1 minute. Mix on low speed half of flour mixture, butter, then rest of flour mixture. Gently fold in berries. Pour into baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, unmold then cool right site up.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide

12 eggs
32 oz hashbrowns
16 oz cooked ham, sausage or bacon
1 small onion
½  C green pepper
Cheddar cheese
1 C 2% milk
Layer hashbrowns, meat, onion, and green pepper several time in crock pot. Sprinkle over hashbrowns cheddar cheese, eggs, mil, salt and pepper, to taste over layers. Cook low overnight in crock pot.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide

 1 loaf sliced bread, trim crusts off. Butter one side, and place butter side up in a greased 9×13
pan (use half of slices). Layer a half cup shredded cheese on the bread; then layer 2 cans drained asparagus. Next, layer 2 cups cubed ham over asparagus. Cover with remaining bread slices – buttered side up.
Combine the following and pour over above.
6 eggs, beaten
3 C milk
2 T minced, dried onion
½  tsp salt
¼ tsp mustard
Refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 325° for 50 min. Sprinkle with half cup shredded cheese, return to oven for another 10 minutes. 10-12 servings.