Chicago Tribune Staff - Good Eatings Classic Home Recipes

Cranberry-Flavored Cream of Wheat Pudding (Roosamanna) This recipe comes from Kellie Lowery of Chicago.

It is based on a traditional Estonian dessert recipe. Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1 quart cranberry juice 2/3 cup cream of wheat 1/4-1/2 cup sugar Grated rind of 1/2 lemon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Milk, half-and-half, or whipped cream 1. Combine cranberry juice and cream of wheat in 2-quart saucepan. Heat to boil. Add sugar and lemon rind, stirring constantly. 2. 2.

Transfer to large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla. (It changes texture and color and becomes a lighter pink). Refrigerate until cold. Serve with milk, half-and-half or whipped cream.

Oatmeal Pancakes These pancakes are terrific, tasting the way whole wheat should but somehow never does. Still, theyre even better with the addition of wild rice or mixed dried fruit. Based on an idea from the Minnesota Nice Cafe in Bemidji, Minn., and a recipe in the 1943 Joy of Cooking. Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 7 minutes per batch Makes: 4 to 6 servings (16 to 18 pancakes) 1 1/3 cups rolled oats (4.25 ounces) 1 cup flour (4.25 ounces) 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups buttermilk Butter 1. Grind the oats in a blender until they are as fine as flour. Combine the oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together the lightly beaten eggs and buttermilk. 2. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture in a few quick strokes. All of the dry ingredients should be moistened, but dont worry if there are a few small lumps. (Dont over mix.) 3. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.

Brush lightly with butter; ladle out the pancakes in roughly 1/4-cup amounts. Cook until the bubbles stop rising from the bottom and the top surface looks slightly dried out, 3-4 minutes. 4. Flip pancakes; cook until center feels lightly set when you press top with your fingertips, about 2 minutes. Keep pancakes warm in the oven until all are cooked.

Place 1 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots, etc.) in a bowl; cover with orange juice. Place 1 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots, etc.) in a bowl; cover with orange juice.

Let stand until softened slightly, about 20 minutes; drain. Or warm the mixture in the microwave, 30 seconds; let stand, 5 minutes. Then drain. Gently fold the drained fruit into the batter in step 2. Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes This recipe comes from Valerie Lorimer of Evanston. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 4 to 5 minutes per batch Yield: 12 to 16 pancakes 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 3/4 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon honey-crunch wheat germ 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 carton (8 ounces) plain yogurt 1 cup milk 1 large egg 1/2 cup chopped pecans Vegetable oil for cooking 1.

Mix flour, oats, sugar, wheat germ and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix yogurt, milk and egg in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in pecans. 2. Heat a film of oil on a large griddle.

Spoon batter into rounds. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides. Pumpkin Flapjacks with Cider Walnut Syrup Hot flapjacks with pumpkin and cinnamon make a great breakfast fare for fall days. For a special treat, the pancakes are topped with brown sugar, apple cider, and walnut syrup. Six to eight servings Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Cider walnut syrup: 2 cups light brown sugar 1 cup apple cider 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups each: whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon each: salt, cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon each: ginger, nutmeg 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 4 eggs, separated 4 cups buttermilk 1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin Butter for cooking 1. For cider walnut syrup, mix all ingredients in medium saucepan.

Boil, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Keep warm. 2. For flapjacks, put flours, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in food processor. Process until blended.

Add butter; process with on-off turns until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 3. Beat egg whites in small mixer bowl until soft peaks. Beat egg yolks, buttermilk and pumpkin in large mixer bowl until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture just until mixed. 4. 4.

Heat large non-stick griddle or 2 skillets until hot. Melt a little butter on griddle. Spoon batter onto griddle in several places, making 3-inch round pancakes. Bake until golden on bottom; flip; bake second side until golden. Remove from griddle. Repeat, using more butter until batter is used.

Serve immediately with warm syrup. Blueberry French Toast This recipe comes from Fran Fredericks of North Aurora. Preparation time: 20 minutes Chilling time: Several hours or overnight Cooking time: 45 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1/2 loaf (8 ounces) French or Italian bread 2 cups fresh blueberries 8 large eggs 3 cups milk 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract Pinch salt 1 cup rolled oats 1 tablespoon butter, cut in small bits Maple, blueberry, or boysenberry syrup 1. Cut the bread into 3/4-inch thick slices. Arrange in a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking pan. 2. 2.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add milk, sugar, flavoring and salt and mix well. Stir in oats then pour over bread and berries, making sure all the bread is soaked. Distribute butter pieces evenly over, cover tightly and refrigerate several hours or overnight. 3. Fifteen minutes before baking, heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake, uncovered, until set in center, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with syrup. Blueberry-Topped French Toast Casserole with Fresh Berry Syrup With a breakfast dish so sweet and indulgent, youll hardly need syrup use pure maple if you must. Or, gild the lily and serve it with the easiest berry sauce ever. All you need is berries, lemon, sugar, and a microwave. Heres a secret: Leftover French toast casserole makes a terrific late-night snack.