Whole Wheat Pancakes

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Now that I have recorded the Master Mix, it is necessary to know how to use it.

Master Mix Pancakes

1 cup Master Mix

1 Tbsp oil

1 egg slightly beaten

3/4 cup water

Mix just until ingredients are combined, adding water to desired consistency.  Cook on a 375* nonstick griddle  turning once.

Pancake Master Mix

Growing up we had pancakes every Saturday.  It was a lovely tradition to which we always looked forward.  Finding the right recipe, though has proved quite difficult.

Earlier this Spring we had a mini family reunion at Yellowstone.  While there, my father made his famous Whole Wheat pancakes again.  It was heaven!

I begged for the recipe and was given a master mix.  I now always have pancake powder on hand, and make it quite often for my family, now.

Pancake Master Mix

10 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups unbleached white flour (use all whole wheat flour if desired)

1/2 cup baking powder, rounded 

4 teaspoons salt

1 cup sugar

4 cups dry milk

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Store in a covered container in cool dry place.

French Spring Soup

Looking for something new for dinner, I found an intriguing recipe.  French Spring Soup.  For some reason I have the thought that French food is the most healthy and delicious.  I was excited to try this recipe.

Yum!

Can I say it again?

Yum!

I am so glad I made this.  It made a ton.  Seriously, a ton.  We have been eating it for three days now.  It made so much.  But I am glad, because it is absolutely scrumptious, and next time I make it, I will freeze half for another meal.

What you need:

¼ cup butter
1 lb leeks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 quart water
1 quart chicken broth
3 large potatoes, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
 4 tsp salt ½ lb fresh spinach
1 cup half and half cream

What you do:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-heat. Stir in the leeks and onion, and cook until tender.

Pour water into the pot. Mix in potatoes, carrots, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus and rice. Season with salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, until vegetables and rice are tender.

Stir spinach and heavy cream into the soup mixture, and continue cooking about 5 minutes before serving. 

Servings: 10
 Nutritional Information Per Serving
 Calories 205
 Calories from Fat 88
Total Fat 9.95g
Saturated Fat 5.89g
Cholesterol 29mg
Sodium 1289g
Potassium 767mg
Carbohydrates 25g
 Dietary Fiber 3.67g
Sugar 4.11g
Net Carbs 21g
Protein 6.4g

Enjoy now, and a little later, and a little later after that!
 

Mississippi Sin

What You Need: 

 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/3 cup chopped green chilies 8 oz cream cheese (softened) 1/3 cup chopped green onions 1 1/2 coup sour cream 1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 lb large round loaf french bread 

What To Do:

 Combine all but bread in bowl, stirring well. cut thin slice from top of bread. Pick out inside of bread making a bowl (save inside of bread for dipping). fill hollowed b read loaf with dip; cover with top slice of bread. Wrap filled loaf with foil. Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Dip with crackers, chips or bread. Yields about 4 cups

Grandma's Zucchini Casserole

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When I was a child, I ate like a child.

Meaning, I avoided anything green, and stuffed myself with sugar, carbs, and ice cream.  It was an awesome existence.

I remember fighting my mother on eating my vegetables.  Many a night, I would be left at the table, alone but for a plate of grown cold vegetables.  Steadily refusing to eat, likewise my parents refusing to let me down until I ate them.  To this day, I can't handle winter squash because that is the one I remember the most.  Cold slimy winter squash on my plate, trying to force it down with my little fingers pinching my nose, gagging the whole time.

There was one veggie, I loved to eat, though.  It was zucchini.  I loved it when my mom fried it.  I loved it breaded.  I especially loved it in my grandmother's casserole.  Which is saying something, because I am not normally a fan of casserole!

In my mind, it wasn't summer until I had a steaming hot plate full of her casserole, grinning as I waited for the family to sit around the table.  I remember sticking my tongue out, thinking I was sneaky, and trying to lick it. I burned my tongue and couldn't figure out how everyone knew I was licking my food before the prayer.

And now, since Summer is on its way out, I thought I would celebrate by sharing this dish, with a big thanks to my sister for posting the recipe on her blog so I could easily find it.

6 c. cooked and drained zucchini (or crook necked/summer squash)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1 package stove top stuffing
1 c. chopped onions
1/2-1 c. dried bread crumbs (or crushed croutons)
Butter
Grated cheddar cheese

Saute onions in butter, then add to zucchini, sour cream and soup. Set aside. In the same pan used for the onions, melt 1/2 c. butter. Add stuffing, seasoning, & dried bread crumbs.

In a casserole dish, layer zucchini, bread crumbs, cheese, zucchini, bread crumbs, cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350* until bubbly.

Kale Chips

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It is that time of year again, or very nearly so. The time of year when candy gets all up in yo grill, and there is no escaping it.  The time of year for football barbecues and parties.  The beginning of the time when food gets the centerpiece in all of our celebrations.

Never fear, fond friends.  I have found a delectable delight that will send your mouth all a quiver with joy.  Ignore those pesky bags of chips.  Put away the Doritos that seem to be mocking you with that haunting beckon.  Push it all aside and make room for kale chips!

A few years ago I bought some kale.  I put it in my pasta.  It was bitter.  I hated it.  A little while after that, I decided to try it in salad.  Again, it was bitter and it ruined my salad.  I didn't want to eat any more of it.  So, when I stumbled upon the recipe for kale chips, I was skeptical at best.  How on earth could kale be made in a way that didn't make you cringe?  That didn't send your taste buds running for cover?

I decided to suck it up and try it anyway.

Goodbye forever potato chips.  Sayonara corn chips and dip.  And you, the ever beckoning giant of temptation; fritos, to you I bid adieu.

The best part of all is the simplicity of these chips.

What you need:

a bunch or two or five of kale.

olive oil

kosher salt 

foil

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350*  Line baking sheet(s) with tinfoil or parchment paper.  Wash the kale thoroughly.  Place in salad spinner and spin, or pat dry with towels.  Make sure it is completely dry.  Next, put olive oil on your hands.  Gently rub the kale to coat with olive oil and place it on foiled baking sheet.  When baking sheet is full, sprinkle on some salt.  Put in oven and bake 10-12 minutes.  It is ready to come out when the leaves are slightly brown on the edges.  Be careful not to burn.  Repeat.  

Over and over again, repeat.  Your body will thank you for feeding it such delicious and healthy vegetables.  Your mouth will thank you for indulging in something it thinks is equivalent to fat filled chips.  You will be thrilled with the fact that you have once again fooled your body into loving something oh so good for it.  It is a win win for all involved.

For more info on the health benefits of kale, go here.

Overnight Oatmeal

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I remember being a kid and waking up to the house full of breakfast smells.  When I moved out and went to college, I had two guy friends who came over to the house we were renting, while we were asleep.  They cooked us up a fabulous breakfast!  I remember waking up to the smells and thinking that it was heaven.  I nestled down in my covers for a few minutes, breathing in heavily the delicious scents of pancakes, maple syrup, biscuits and gravy, ham and eggs, hash browns, and orange juice.  It was a breakfast fit for royalty.  And that is exactly how they made us feel.  Like royalty.

Since getting married, that hasn't happened so much.  I am looked to for breakfast.  Which is as it should be. The only problem is, my kids always wake up before I am.  They are not greeted by the magical scents of a wonderful new day complete with hot breakfast.  More often then not, they suffer with cold cereal.  And in my mind, cold cereal is just that.  Cold.  No sign of love in that bowl.  No promise of a wonderful day, just quick and cold.

I decided that needed to change.  And quick!

Which is where the genius of overnight oatmeal comes in.

You put it in the crock pot, and when you wake up in the morning, your house smells delicious, and your breakfast is ready.  Slide your feet into some slippers, pull that bathrobe around you, and indulge in sweet cinnamony oatmeal.  Perfect, right?

And it is easy, too!

What you need:

1 cup steel cut or regular oats (NOT Quick Oats!) 

4 cups water

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1  TBS butter

1/2  tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

What to do:

Combine all in crockpot and cook on low for 8hrs.  Serve with milk & cinnamon sugar.

Variations:

Add up to 1 C raisins/dried fruit before cooking.Add 1 chopped fresh apple before cooking.Top with fresh fruit (in season) or canned fruit (drained).Add a pat of butter or a dollop of jam/preserves.

Drizzle with honey.

***If wanted, you can probably substitute the steel cut oats for some hard red wheat kernels.  I haven't tried this yet, but I am absolutely going to.   I love wheat mush!  I will let you know how it goes when I do try it.***

You and your kids will love it.  You can thank me later.

Buen Provecho!