The world is in shambles and the planet is falling apart. Russia is going to “get” the Ukraine and they don’t care how many people they slaughter in the process. Yellow Jackets are trying to nest in our bird feeders, so the birds will have to go hungry until the swarming is finished — and it’s supposed to snow tomorrow, but I still need to see the cardiologist because it has been more than a year. I try not to be any stupider than necessary when dealing with what I humorously call “my health.”

What’s left to do with life in a world that’s falling apart? I cook. Around here, we can’t get a decent meal without long distance drive and a big wad of cash. I don’t want to cook, but I do want to eat. I also like good food, but you aren’t going to get good food if you don’t cook.

In the course of re-arranging the kitchen, we regained access to a cabinet that had been unused because it was above the refrigerator — and only Owen could reach it and it wasn’t even easy for him. So when we opened it, inside we found a set of popover baking cups. Big ones. In a rack.

I remember buying them, but never used them and they were, in fact, still in their original packaging. I hadn’t eaten popovers in years, but I used to bake them in the old days when I had a working oven. It happens we again have a working oven and now, I also have popover tins. The world can be a magical place if you keep your magical needs simple.

My popovers were big, hot, and puffy, just like the ones in expensive restaurants. They got done ahead of dinner because (oops) I forgot to press “start” on the countertop over. By the time I realized the roast wasn’t cooked, I had already heated the oven to 425 F (220 C) and I’d made the batter, so into the oven they went.

Don’t believe anything you read about baking popovers. They are the easiest bread you can bake, but they look amazing and are guaranteed to impress guests. I was impressed — and I baked them. There were six huge popovers and each of us got two. I couldn’t eat dinner at all, but my mouth was full of joy and butter and hot popover.

I looked up recipes online and in cookbooks and they were all complicated and I couldn’t understand it. Popovers are the easiest recipe in the world. Easier than pancakes.

So here it is. First, heat your oven to 425 F or 220 C. This is one of those times when you have to fully preheat the oven. No “almost” heated. Go all the way or don’t bother because heat is is what makes them “pop.” If the oven isn’t hot enough, they won’t come out right.

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt

Beat the eggs until they are light yellow (I use a hand mixer but a whisk is fine).

Add everything else and beat or whisk it. Don’t overbeat it. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth. Really. It doesn’t. You do not need an electric beater for this and probably shouldn’t use one.

Six big greased custard cups — OR a rack of six greased popover cups — OR as many well-greased custard cups as you need OR a deep muffin tin. Fill each cup half way — NOT all the way to the top.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. Mine took about 39 minutes, but I watched through the door and when they looked done, I took them out.

Perfect. Hot. Hollow inside. Insert butter and eat. Yum.

I love the rack of six big cups I bought because they are non-stick (grease them anyway!) and they are big enough so you get big puffy popovers. You can also cut them open and put ice-cream in them and some syrup (usually chocolate) on top. They are good with any meal as a hot bread, or as a dessert, and they are as easy to make as they sound.

Categories: #Food, #Recipes, Anecdote, baking, Cooking

Tags: baking, Cooking, Marilyn Armstrong, Popovers, recipes