September is National Breakfast Month, and Krusteaz, makers of quality pancake, waffle and baking mixes, reminds us that breakfast food is not just for breakfast.

It’s also for dinner. According to a recent Krusteaz survey, having breakfast food for dinner, or “brinner,” is a growing trend.

A whopping 91% of Americans say they have eaten breakfast foods for dinner—and we count ourselves among them.

Brinner isn’t quite the same as brunch, a late morning or early afternoon meal that looks forward to dinner later in the day.

Krusteaz suggests pancakes as part of your brinner.

 
You don’t have to make them sweet, covered with maple syrup.

 
 
RECIPE #1: APPLE HAM PANCAKE STRATA

You can use a gluten-free mix; you can substitute chicken for ham; you can add your own special touches.

We added some dried cherries and cranberries, and next time will toss in a cup of grated Gruyère.

Prep time is 15 minutes, total time is 1 hour 10 minutes.

Ingredients For 8-9 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan.

2. PLACE the pancake pieces, apples and ham in the pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half and maple syrup; pour over the apple, ham and pancake mixture.

3. BAKE 40-45 minutes or longer if a firmer strata is preferred. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Brush with melted butter, if desired, and serve.

 
RECIPE #2: PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY PANCAKES

If you like PB&J sandwiches, this is a recipe for you! Prep time is 10 minutes, total time is 15 minutes. The PB adds protein to the dish. Enjoy it with a tall glass of milk.

Ingredients For 7-8 Pancakes

 
Preparation

1. PREPARE buttermilk pancakes as directed on package, adding 3 tablespoons peanut butter for each cup of mix used.

2. POUR pancake batter on griddle; add 1 tablespoon of jam per pancake and swirl with a spoon. Cook as directed. Immediately upon removing pancakes from griddle, swirl additional jam on top.

3. GARNISH as desired and serve.
 
 
PANCAKE MAKING TIPS

Krusteaz wants you to make perfect pancakes. Their tips:

1. Use cold tap water. Water at 55°F-60°F makes fluffier pancakes and more tender waffles.

2. Use an ice cream scoop. Get the perfect size pancake every time by using an ice cream scoop to measure the batter.

3. Keep the leftovers. Don’t toss leftover pancakes; store them in the fridge for 2-3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container. Microwave them or reheat them in a hot pan on the stove top.
 
There are more tips, recipes and a store locator on the Krusteaz website.
 
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PANCAKES
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF PANCAKES

[1] The “secret ingredient” in this strata: pancakes (photo © Krusteaz).

[2] Red or green: use your favorite apples (photo © U.S. Apple).

[3] Dice the ham into bite-size cubes or smaller (photo © Sorel 67 | Unsplash).

[4] We love PB&J just as much on pancakes as on bread (photo © Krusteaz).

[5] You can use your favorite peanut butter, plain or flavored (photo © Jif).

Then, we got an email from Food & The Menu, a magazine for chefs. The new issue features “10 Sauces Of The Moment”—options that span the world.

“Say ‘so long’ to complicated reductions and rich, butter-mounted glazes,” says Joan Lang, the article’s author. “Some of today’s most trending sauces are more like condiments, following the popularity of sriracha, harissa, wasabi and aïoli.”

So if you want to get ahead of your favorite chefs, consider these sauces, many of which are sold ready-made. Some will be familiar to you, others less so. Read the full article, which includes recipe ideas:

1. Adobo Sauce

Long a Mexican staple, this vinegar-based sauce is made with chiles and/or paprika, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, sugar and sometimes tomato or ketchup. It is perhaps the easiest of the group to find in your local supermarket (it’s also available online). There’s a Filipino version of adobo, a simmer sauce of vinegar, garlic and soy sauce. Try them both!

2. Colorado Sauce

Rich, smoky and spicy, Colorado sauce (also called red chile sauce or chile colorado) is another find from Mexico. To achieve its namesake red color, it incorporates multiple types of roasted or dried chiles (such as ancho and New Mexico) with onions and tomatoes. Make it or buy it.
3. Comeback Sauce

From Mississippi, this sauce is a cross between spicy rémoulade sauce and creamy Thousand Island dressing is a versatile dip, dressing or spread osandwiches and more—and you sure can’t argue with the fun name.

Soy sauce with a Hawaiian twist can be brush onto grilled food or added to dips, mayonnaise, and vinaigrettes. Photo courtesy Aloha Brand.

Popularized by television chef Guy Fieri, donkey sauce combines mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, sriracha and lots of roasted garlic to create a hot and spicy alternative to aïoli sauce, the classic French garlic mayonnaise. 
 
5. Fonduta

A rich, melted cheese sauce from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, fonduta is usually made with Fontina, Parmesan and cream—and if you’ve got the bucks, white truffles in season. It is served as a sauce over food or as a fondue-like dip.
 

6. Gochujang Sauce

Pronounced ko-choo-CHONG, this pungent Korean hot red chili paste is made from fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, red chile, garlic, honey and salt. Spice lovers will enjoy a jar. Look for it in Asian markets or online.

7. Hawaiian Sauces

These range from traditional salty-sweet Aloha Sauce (a brand of soy sauce blended with fruit juices, brown sugar, ginger and garlic) to more creative inventions like poi vinaigrette (mashed boiled taro root mixed into a vinaigrette). You can find Aloha Sauce on Amazon.com.

 
8. Kewpie Mayonnaise

This MSG-laden mayonnaise from Japan, first made in Japan in 1925, more recently came to prominence at sushi bars in the U.S. as “Dynamite Sauce” for the Dynamite Roll.* Made with rice vinegar instead of distilled vinegar, it is yellower, creamier and richer than western mayonnaise. It is now used to give a kick of sweet and vinegary creaminess to salads and vegetables. Look for it in Asian markets or online.

This spicy Malaysian sauce typically contains chile paste, curry, fish sauce, lemongrass and other spices. Lang predicts that “before long this flavor booster will go mainstream.” We found it available in packets on Amazon.com.
 

10. Ponzu Sauce

This Japanese soy-and-citrus-based dipping sauce is an easy mix of yuzu or lemon juice, kombu, mirin and rice wine vinegar. In Japanese cuisine it’s served with dumplings or shabu shabu, but its uses have evolved (we like it with seafood and rice). You can buy it in the Asian products section of your market. Our favorite, from Yakami Orchard, is available online.
 
 
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CONDIMENT AND A SAUCE?

A sauce is a condiment, which is defined as a food item added to the primary food to enhance its flavor.

While some condiments are used by the chef during cooking (barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, for example), others, such as ketchup and mustard, are applied by the individual diner.

The word derives from the Latin condimentum, meaning spice, seasoning or sauce. That word in turn derived from the Latin condere, meaning to preserve, pickle or season. The word originally described pickled or preserved foods, but evolved over time.
 
*The Dynamite Roll incorporates shrimp tempura, masago (capelin roe) and vegetables, such as radish sprouts, avocado and/or cucumber.
  

Once upon a time there was a magical restaurant in Wheeling, Illinois, Le Français, the creation of chef-owner Jean Banchet. There, among other glories, we were first introduced to the “trio” approach he brought from his classic French training:

Whatever protein you hungered for—beef, duck, seafood, veal—would be served in three different preparations on one plate. For example, the lobster trio might include truffled lobster, Lobster Thermidor and lobster sausage.

By varying cuts, preparations and sauces, Banchet created a symphony of flavors and visual appeal. It became our favorite way of eating.

The trio approach never took great hold in the U.S. In New York City, we find them mostly in seafood preparations:

 
Today’s homework: Start to sketch out some trios: protein, preparation, sauce, garnish. Keep on the refrigerator door and update it as inspiration strikes.
 
*Jean Banchet, a French chef, founded Le Français in 1973, and soon earned a rare five-star distinction from Mobil. In 1980, it was named the best restaurant in America by Bon Appetit magazine. Banchet retired from Le Français in 2001 and passed away last year.
  

Several weeks ago we published a recipe for panzanella, Tuscan bread salad. While perusing other recipes, we discovered this one on Pillsbury.com, submitted by Carrian Cheney of the blog, Oh Sweet Basil.

It’s what to do when you have leftover French or Italian bread, to convert into crusty croutons that absorb the dressing.

While markets are still filled with bountiful produce, make hay and make panzanella.

Prep time is 20 minutes. You can substitute any vegetables in the recipe for others, from fennel to eggplant and beyond.

Ingredients For 8 Servings

1. HEAT 4 tablespoons olive oil in 10- to 12-inch skillet, over medium heat. Arrange bread pieces in single layer in skillet (you will have to do a few batches). Cook until golden; turn and cook again. Repeat with remaining bread. Remove from skillet; cool.

2. HEAT the remaining olive oil in the same skillet, over medium heat. Add bell peppers, zucchini and onion; cook 3 to 6 minutes or until tender. Cool.

3. PLACE bread, cooked vegetables, tomatoes and dressing in a very large bowl; add salt and pepper to taste. Toss; serve immediately.
 
Find many more delicious recipes at OhSweetBasil.com.
 
 
MORE PANZANELLA RECIPES

Some 50 years ago, the debut of the first spray cooking oil, PAM, was a game changer for many cooks. But over the years, the joy of convenience and calorie savings gave way to wariness of the chemical propellants—petroleum, propane and isobutene—said to be 11% of the contents in the aerosol spray can. Today’s tip is to look at the ingredients in the can.

If you’ve never used it, here’s the 411: Cooking spray is applied to frying pans and other cookware to prevent food from sticking. The virtually calorie-free spray spare the calories and saturated fats of butter, oil or other fat because the sprayed layer is so thin.

PAM and the cooking spray brands that followed made other tasks a breeze, too—in the kitchen and beyond. We’ve listed some of the popular uses for cooking spray, below.

In recent years, consumers have become more aware and fussy about the quality of the ingredients they consume. Two companies have decided to lose the controversial chemicals: major brand Bertolli and artisan producer La Tourangelle.

Opting for compressed air to propel 100% oil (instead of 89% oil and 11% chemicals), these products deliver even better taste without the hint of chemicals.

The original sprays were a greasing agent; these new, all natural sprays are also salad spritzers, finishing oils* (especially the top-quality La Tourangelle line) and more—for example, a cholesterol-free, mess-free condiment for corn on the cob. In every case you use far less oil than in another type of application.
 
BERTOLLI 100% OLIVE OIL SPRAY

The new sprays launch in three varieties:

Spray away, without chemical propellants. Photo courtesy Bertolli.

 
You can purchase a six-pack on Amazon.com for $37.52 ($6.25 per five-ounce can), or a three-pack, one of each flavor, for $21.99 ($7.33 per can).
 
LA TOURANGELLE ARTISAN OIL SPRAYS

La Tourangelle, the California-based artisanal oil company and a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week, has launched the first-to-market line of gourmet spray oils that are also all-natural and propellant-free. The company’s top-selling bottled oils are now sprayable:

 
The products are now available online at LaTourangelle.com and will be hitting store shelves soon. The prices range from $6.99 to $9.99 SRP. Consider them as stocking stuffers for friends with good palates.

 
*A finishing oil is one that is added to cooked food as a condiment, to add flavor and mouthfeel. It is an oil with especially fine natural flavor and aroma that should be enjoyed as a surface accent, and not used for cooking or baking where the nuances will dissipate under heat. It can be used on carpaccio, legumes, porcini mushrooms, pasta, rice and other grains, roasted meats and fish, vegetables and other foods. Fine olive oil can be drizzled atop vanilla ice cream and garnished with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Cooking spray is godsend for anything that calls for greasing, from skillets to bundt pans. Popular kitchen uses include:

 
Adventurous people found uses beyond the kitchen: everything from unsticking doors to preventing fresh nail polish from smudging.

How about using cooking spray for removing dead bugs from your car, and other unconventional uses?

PAM, America’s first aerosol cooking spray, was launched in 1961 by entrepreneur Leon Rubin who, with Arthur Meyerhoff, started Gibraltar Industries to market the spray. The name is an acronym for Product of Arthur Meyerhoff. The brand is currently owned and distributed by ConAgra Foods.

With canola oil as its main ingredient, the appeal of PAM was immediate.

 
Not only did it spawn imitators (Baker’s Joy, Crisco, Emeril, Mazola and Smart Balance, for example), but PAM itself developed eight varieties: Original plus Baking, Butter, Canola Oil, Organic Canola Oil, Grilling, Olive Oil, Organic Olive Oil Professional.

And now, welcome to Cooking Spray 3.0: chemical free.