National Pancake Day!

The day I don't have to feel guilty for feeding my family pancakes for dinner! Yay! Last year I think I made America's Test Kitchen pancakes which are pretty good, but I had forgotten about my pancake recipe (its even better!). I can't even remember where I got this recipe, but they are awesome! Kara is the one who reminded me how good they were. So, in honor of National Pancake Day, I thought I'd post the recipe on the ole blog for posterity (and the rest of you!).

Blueberry (or not) Buttermilk Pancakes

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup blueberries (optional)

So, the original recipe calls for mixing wet and dry separately and then combining them. The problem with that, two bowls to clean! So, this is my cheat and it works for all kinds of things.

Melt butter in your big bowl in the microwave. Add in sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, and eggs. Wisk that up real good. Then slowly pour in buttermilk, wisking as you pour. Now, put your wisk in the sink and get out a rubber spatula. Put in your two cups of flour and fold/stir until combined (don't stir too much though!). Now, just cook like you do pancakes, putting in blueberries/chocolate chips/whatever you like right after your pour the batter on the griddle.

You can thank me later!

Hard Things

I don’t know why it is so hard for me to get the right words out of my mouth lately.  I start out and intend to say something and they get slightly off and never get back to the original point.  Take Sunday for instance, in Relief Society we were talking about Joseph Smith mostly, but there was a question in the back of the manual about how Heavenly Father does not call the qualified he qualifies the called.  Well, I totally feel that a lot.  I think my comment got off cause I mentioned there are some days I don’t want to be the Relief Society President.  Well, some days that may be because I am being lazy but I have had some days lately that it is because I don’t know if I can do what I have to do that day.  Its much easier being the chaplains wife and letting my husband help people through hard times than doing it myself.

Sometimes things also feel overwhelming.  One reason we took the week off from school last week.  And, I really didn’t get to declutter the whole house.  I did a good bit though.  I’m hoping to squeeze in more here and there.  My bedroom is mostly whats left and its probably the worst cause I leave it for last in everything because I know I don’t let anyone back there but us!  Soon, though, gotta make sure Luke is around for it though, at least half the clutter is his!  Hmmm, see already off topic.  I’m sure this is a learning experience of how to juggle lots.  My brain feels so forgetful though.  This too shall pass.  I know we have been blessed in that when I need to be able to visit someone or do something, Luke is available to watch the kids and then when he is super busy things are a little calmer on my front. 

Sweet and Sour Pork

This recipe I got from the Our Best Bites cookbook. 
http://mysisterskitchen2009.blogspot.com/2011/05/roasted-pork-tenderloin-with-sweet-and.html
We really liked it and I made it as written with a pork tenderloin and apple jelly.  Well, tonight when wondering what was for dinner I realized we had a package of pork chops in the freezer and thought I would throw them in the oven with the sweet and sour sauce, success!
So, what I did, mix together the sauce in a bowl (I used apple butter, so sue me, all I had in the house on a Sunday afternoon).  Then I spread about half the sauce in a glass pan, put 6 pork chops on top of the sauce, then topped the chops with more sauce.  I covered it with foil and baked it for half an hour at 350.  Then I flipped the chops over and moved them around to mix back up the sauce.  I put them uncovered in the oven for another half an hour.  Perfection!  We had them with baked potatoes, but that sauce would be lovely over some rice (probably what we will do when we eat the leftovers Tuesday).

Taking the week off...

from school only. Things have been hectic here and I feel the need to go through the house and pare down and organize and clean (once I can see more surfaces). Maybe once I get rid of half the contents I can keep to less clutter? Ha ha. Goodness, I'm making myself seem like a hoarder (I promise I'm not!).

Hope to let the kids do some art projects, play outside (though not with the neighbors, they are grounded from that this week), and read some books, oh, and help me get rid of stuff! Maybe we will shop for John some new glasses? Get done a few projects I have been wanting to get around too?

Normally when we take a week off from school its to go somewhere, like Mimi & Poppa's house (not Grandma & Grandpa's this time of year, Grandma's too busy with taxes). I'd really like to run away, but running away won't help. Hoping more peace and comfort to many friends having a rough go of it right now.

Squash Casserole

Cause I almost couldn't find this when I needed it. Yummy stuff. I don't do the butter on top, just pancko breadcrumbs.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Southern-Baked-Yellow-Squash/Detail.aspx

Yummy Dinner! Beef Curry!

Luke and I always forget how good this is until I make it again!  We had broccoli alongside the curry and rice, super!  Can’t wait to eat the leftovers tonight!  From here:  http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/cocount-beef-crockpot-recipe.html

My version below:

--1-2 lbs stew meat (I used 2)
--1/2 onion diced
--1 can coconut milk
--1 juice from one lime (3 tbsp from bottle)
--2 cloves chopped garlic
--2 tsp brown sugar
--1 tsp RED curry powder
--1/2 tsp ground coriander
--1 tsp cumin
--1 1/2 T curry paste
--1/4 tsp ginger

I put all the above in the crockpot on low and let it cook all day.  I then skimmed off a good bit of fat and put it a bit more coconut milk.  Serve over rice, and with broccoli, YUM!

I have made this before where I basically cooked the beef with a little water in the crockpot for a while, then drained the juice and added the rest of the ingredients.  Definitely creamier this way.  Yummy either way!

A picnic and adventure

Today was so nice we spontaneously packed up a picnic and headed down to the trails after finished our schoolwork.  I took along the “good camera” and took a bunch of pictures.  Here are a few!

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