We're moving!

Blue tape, paint, brushes, rollers, drop clothes, blue tape, driving, driving, driving, busy Marston, packing, unpacking, up ladder, down ladder, blue tape, fussy child, out to eat again, Lowes, tile, crying child, driving, locked keys in car with it on, air mattress, driving, painting, running, driving, driving.

My Little Dragon

Daniel bought a dragon costume for Marston this year. I know... shouldn't I have made him one rather than buy one? No time this year with the move and all. Plus I am trying to train for the race, I don't think I can handle another project. Anyhow, Marston loves it. Every morning he'll bring me the costume and he'll wear it for hours. It is so cute seeing a little dragon playing in my house. I have always loved when I see parents let their children wear costumes in public well after Halloween just because the kid really loves it.

Oatmeal Pancakes

I am in love with these pancakes! I have been running in the morning around the neighborhood and I often can smell people's breakfasts. I get wonderful smells of pancakes, bacon, and coffee (I don't drink coffee but I love the smell). I come home tried and ready for my own delectable breakfast. I found this recipe on mykitchencafe.blogspot.com and I love love love it! I made the mix a couple of weeks ago and keep it in the fridge. When I must have hot tasty pancakes I mix 1 cup of the oat mix with 1 cup buttermilk and 1 egg and I grill them up. That's it. They are so good and you wouldn't even know they have whole wheat flour and oats in them. Okay maybe you would notice the oats but they are very fluffy and the texture is just like any other pancake you've had. You MUST try this recipe.




Oatmeal Pancakes

Makes 10 cups dry mixture.

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct (I've never had to add additional oil). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. As a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.