Easy on the cook, an all-in-the-oven brunch

Easy on the cook, an all-in-the-oven brunch

Tender Dutch BabyPhoto: Golden oven pancake puffs up around sauteed apples; dust with powdered sugarGarnish plates liberally with sprays ofwatercress: with its fresh, peppery bite, it adds flavor as well as color. You might also like to offer a sweet-hot mustard or a sweet-tart chutney.1 cup each all-purpose flour and milk Powdered sugar6 tablespoons butter or margarine6 tablespoons milkCrazy Ed's satisfied Frog, 6245 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek; 488-3317. Open 11 to 11 weekdays, 11 to 1 A.M. Saturdays, 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. Sundays. Mesquite-barbecued beef and pork ribs are popular choices, but don't dismiss south-of-the-border entr'ees such as fajitas, chimichangas, and taco salad. (Don't even try to order frog's legs.)Invert potato cake onto a small platter.Use a spoon to break cake into portions, or cut in wedges. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings.4 eggsIf it's been a while since you've had a meal like camp cookie used to make, consider a handful of cowboy eateries tucked into the foothills at the north end of the Phoenix Valley. Along with the food, you'll get a dose of old-time Arizona. We list Scottsdale choices first, followed by those in Cave Creek. Full dinners cost $7 to $20. Area code is 602.Bran Muffins Butter1/4 cup sugarHerb-Crusted HamBake on the bottom rack of a 425| ovenuntil potatoes on bottom are well browned (lift with a spatula to check), about 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Invert a rimmed pan that's larger than the frying pan (such as a 12- to 14-in. pizza pan) over the frying pan. Using potholders to protect your hands, quickly flip potatoes onto the rimmed pan; be careful not to drip hot fat on yourself. With spatula, push cake back in shape, if necessary. (If made ahead, cover potatoes and let stand up to 4 hours.)In a blender or food processor, whirl eggswith flour, granulated sugar, and milk until smoothly mixed, scraping down sides of container several times. If made ahead, mixture can be covered and chilled overnight; stir before baking.The enticing aromas of warm ham andfreshly baked apples linger in the air, soon joined by the fragrance of sizzling potatoes and the tantalizing smell of an egg-rich Dutch baby turning golden brown. These scents all come from the oven, and they're a calculated part of the welcome, as friends arrive for brunch.From grass-fattened yearlings came tender steak, which was dipped in flour and fried in a Dutch oven. Add subtly seasoned pinto beans cooked with chunks of salt pork, Spanish rice spiced with tomatoes and chilies, sourdough biscuits, and apple or peach cobbler covered with a flaky pie crust--and you have all the elements of old-fashioned cowboy fare.Peel potatoes and carefully cut into slicesabout 1/8 inch thick (use a manual slicer or food processor slicing blade, applying even pressure to get desired thickness). Coat the inside of a 10- to 12-inch oven-proof nonstick frying pan with some of the butter. Neatly overlap potato slices in an even layer in the pan. Evenly drizzle remaining butter over potatoes; brush lightly with your fingertips to coat slices without disturbing them.In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan with ovenproof handle, melt butter over medium-high heat; stir in cinnamon and sugar. Thinly slice apples into pan. Cook, stirring, until apples are translucent, about 5 minutes. Place pan, uncovered, in a 425| oven while you mix the batter, about 5 minutes.Milk PunchMary Lou and Robert Block have a large,well-equippel kitchen that's often the center of activity in their Seattle house; the couple's philanthropical projects frequently focus on parties at home. Their popular party menu can expand to serve a large group: they just order a larger ham and use more than one oven. But you only need one oven to adapt their brunch for an intimate party of six.In a blender or food processor, whirl eggs and flour until smooth. Blend in milk. (Or whisk eggs with flour, then add milk.) Pour batter evenly over apples in pan. Bake, uncovered, until pancake is puffy and golden, about 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and let stand about 5 minutes. Cut into wedges. Makes 6 servings.Recipes for the milk punch, ham, bakedapples, and the clarified butter option for the potato cake are on page 195.Put butter into a 10- to 12-inch frying panthat can go into the oven. Set pan in a 425| oven on a rack placed slightly above center. Let butter melt; it takes about 4 minutes. Tilt pan to coat bottom with butter, then quickly pour in the batter. Bake until pancake puffs at edges (it may also puff irregularly in the center) and is golden brown, about 15 minutes.Photo: Brunch host Bob Blocktakes "Dutch baby' pancake from oven as guests wait to serve themselves. Full spread includes, clockwise from top, bran muffins and butter, sugar-dusted dutch baby, baked ham, crisp potato cake, and baked appleReturn potatoes to oven and bake untilthe cake is browned on the bottom, about 20 minutes (potatoes partially cooked ahead take the same amount of time).Pinnacle Peak Patio, 10426 Jomax Road, Scottsdale; 563-5133. Open 4 to 10 Mondays through Thursdays, 4 to 11 Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 10 Sundays. The patio is open April through October; in other months, you dine indoors under some 750,000 ties hanging from the rafters--they belonged to gentlemen who refused to take 'em off. Choices include several selections of beef and chicken, served with salad, beans, and bread.3 tablespoons butter or margarinePowdered sugar3 large eggsHorny Toad, 6738 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek; 488-9542. Open 11 to 11 Mondays through Saturdays, 11 to 10 Sundays. Heavy beams high-backed booths, and hardwood floors create a genial atmosphere. Specialties include lobster, chicken, and barbecued beef and pork. On weekends, you can dance to live western blues music.The base for this family-size pancake is similar to popover batter. In the hot oven, the batter puffs up around apple slices and develops a tender, egg-rich texture; serve at once.1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Photo: Icy froth of whizzed milk punchgets a dash of nutmeg; flavor with sugar and vanilla--or more potent liquid