How to Prepare the Mixture For Homemade Pancakes

Pancake mixture is usually made of very simple ingredients such as flour, eggs, butter and milk. To prepare delicious pancakes, use organic eggs when making pancake mixture. Organic eggs have deeper-yellow yolks, so a pancakes made with them will have a better color. The flour should be plain. Milk can be skimmed or full cream, it doesn't make a big difference. Instead of milk, you can use buttermilk. It tastes really delicious. And salt of course, even the tiniest pinch makes a difference. And you can put it even if you are making sweet pancakes.

Some people like to let the pancake mixture stand for 30 minutes because it can give a lighter consistency. To cook pancakes use vegetable or sunflower oil. Don't use olive oil as it can give a savoury taste to sweet pancakes. Don't put too much oil on the frying pan, because the pancake mixture can turn gooey. Always make sure that the pan is non-stick. And remember that the pan will retain heat, so the more pancakes you make, the quicker the oil will heat and the less time it will take.

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Pancake mixture ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. salt

How to make pancakes:

1. First, place all ingredients in blender and blend until no lumps remain. Let batter rest 30 minutes to 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Then, coat large non-stick skillet with cooking spray or oil and warm over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, whisk pancake mixture several times until consistency of heavy cream. If necessary, thin with some water.
3. Pour ¼ cup of the batter into hot skillet. Then lift the skillet, and swirl batter around to coat bottom.
4. Cook for about 3 minutes or until you notice that edges begin to brown and air bubbles form under the pancake.
5. Take spatula and slide the edge of it under and round side of pancake. Flip over and cook for about 2 minutes more. Put pancake on the plate and in the warm place. For example in oven.
6. Repeat with remaining batter.
7. Serve pancakes filled with fresh berries and chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Tip:
You can store your pancakes. Stack pancakes alternating each with two layers of waxed paper and place entire stack in a good freezer bag. You can store them for up to 4 months. When you want to use frozen pancakes, thaw them at room temperature for about an hour. Before using them, make sure they come up to room temperature. Heat a skillet and brush it with a little butter then heat the pancake gently on both sides.

How to Prepare the Mixture For Homemade Pancakes

How to Prepare the Mixture For Homemade Pancakes

More recipes and tips on how to make delicious homemade pancakes for you and your family can be found in the extensive guide to homemade pancakes.

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe?

There is nothing like a great sugar cookie recipe. Don't buy the roll of Pillsbury Dough, you can make a superb cookie that will remind you of the days when Grandma made them.

Grandma used to sit by the fire and drink her tea and Grandpa used to sip his coffee made from his French Press, before it was trendy. I loved seeing them sit there enjoying the day. When we walked in the house there were smells coming from the kitchen you just couldn't imagine. The sweet smell of warm sugar cookies invaded your senses. You knew today was going to be a treat.

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It was a tradition that we enjoyed every year. The kitchen was filled with flour storms and the counters were sticky from Buttercream frosting. We had tin cookie cutters spread all over the table. I liked the boot best, my sister liked the angel.

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe?

Grandma had a special way with those cookies and she handed down the recipe to me. I was to teach my kids how to make these wonderful holiday sweets. It wouldn't be Christmas time without this recipe of Yummy cookies.
I am publishing it because I want you to enjoy the best sugar cookie recipe ever.

Grandma's Favorite Sugar Cookie

1 cup white sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups flour

½ cup corn oil

Cream the sugars and butter together. Mix the beaten eggs, vanilla and corn oil, in. Add the dry ingredients .Mix all the ingredients well and chill overnight.
Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes....DO NOT OVERCOOK.

We used to make the funniest colors to decorate the cookies, most of them looked inedible. They tasted heavenly, though. We figured if we made them look gross enough, the adults would leave them alone. We were wrong. Everyone knew they were Grandma's famous sugar cookies from her handed down recipe book. This page was splattered with all sorts of colors. I have that book now. I love making these cookies with my kids.

Grandma's Favorite Frosting (don't forget the food coloring)

2 cups of powdered sugar

½ cup butter melted

1 ½ T Milk

1 tsp vanilla

Cream sugar, butter and vanilla. Add a small amount of milk (1 to 2 tablespoons). Beat until fluffy. If frosting is too sweet add a little more milk.

Try it this season. Enjoy your family and brew some wonderful tea or coffee and relax. Take the time to make memories with your family or neighbors or friends.

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe?

Linda Cramer is the Owner of Oregon Gourmet Foods and Gifts. She is also the co-owner of The Baby Gift Basket Company. http://www.oregongourmetfoods.com http://www.babygiftbasketco.com

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas for Small Families

It seems easier to find all the right Thanksgiving recipes when you are planning a big meal for a large group, but what do you do when you have a small family or you're planning a meal for just you and your husband this Thanksgiving?  Check this list of Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas for small families, and discover how you can have an intimate day that is fun and memorable too!

First, don't think of this as a day that you have to do something traditional.  Instead, think of this time as a way to do something "special".  When many moms are spending Thanksgiving morning basting some big turkey, you can spend time frying up some sweet smelling gingerbread pancakes topped with whipped cream topping and hot syrup and served with freshly cut pineapple which you have beautifully placed on an antique platter, dreamy new serving dish from the new department store in your neighborhood, or pretty little dinner plate you purchased from the dollar store the day before.  If gingerbread pancakes don't do the trick for your family, how about serving up some kind of Paula Deen, Julie Child, or Rachael Ray breakfast dish, or you can bake a Mexican breakfast casserole you assembled the night before and placed in the oven Thanksgiving morning.  Monkey bread, those glorious sugar and cinnamon covered biscuit balls baked in a Bundt cake pan, smothered with brown sugar and butter can also be a nice start to a Thanksgiving day dinner for a small family, and if you keep left-overs of these scrumptious delights in baggies, you'll be enjoying this special treat for breakfast for a few additional days too.  Any special recipe you have never made before or have only made on a few special occasions would be something you might want to consider for Thanksgiving morning.

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Additionally, you can find a completely different special activity or event to do Thanksgiving morning.  Since you don't have a large crowd to prepare for, take the opportunity to get your family up to run or walk a 5K race in your town (make sure you tell them about this beforehand though, and complete any registrations necessary for a formal walk or run unless your just watching), or take some breakfast sandwiches to a nearby city park, enjoying a simple family walk in the morning air before or after you picnic in the cold weather.  Another idea might include planning a prayer and thanksgiving walk around your yard, neighborhood, or at some special indoor or outdoor place close to you.  Cut some paper into pieces, and then, on each piece of paper, write something your family is, or should be, thankful for, or write a prayer request for a blessing you would like to ask God's assistance with in the following year (like asking for grace to deal with a little baby and little sleep, sharing a problem or concern, asking for a new little baby in your lives someday, or requesting the knowledge of peace among the turmoil in your daily lives).  Use this, or something like this activity, as a tool for a special Thanksgiving morning activity.  Whether you make Thanksgiving morning special by enjoying a new, creative breakfast recipe or creating a memorable family moment, start your Thanksgiving Day with something special that you can do as a small family or couple that is not burdened with the weight of traditional cooking for a crowd.

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas for Small Families

Another idea to remember when you have a small family and family holidays coming up is that you do not have to be "in the norm" to enjoy your Thanksgiving Day.   You don't have to serve the typical Thanksgiving dinner menu.  Consider what recipes might be fun to try from Grandma's old cookbooks you have in storage, or from a book or magazine you have looked at while sitting in the coffee shop in Borders, or from recipes you found online.  If you want a traditional Thanksgiving meal but don't need the big turkey, find a recipe for turkey breast or turkey cutlets.  Try baked or deep fried, breaded turkey cutlets which remind your little ones of chicken nuggets, and serve with honey mustard sauce and sweet potato fries.  There are even many great turkey breast recipes you can make in the slow cooker.  If you feel you can stretch your comfort zone, consider something completely different or something you have always wanted to do but have never done before.  New recipes, old fashioned recipes, southern recipes, New England recipes, French recipes, easy Thanksgiving recipes, and even funny looking recipes Thanksgiving recipes for kids are all acceptable for family holidays eating!  Another idea might be to plan a family work day to start or complete special lawn and garden projects around the home or to build something fun like a bench or pavilion, following that by barbecuing cranberry turkey burgers on the grill.  The idea here would be to simply do something different, something fun, or something special to enjoy your dinner with your family, no matter how big or how small.  While tradition is nice, don't let it dictate your loved ones or your time with them.  Find what makes sense to your family and what you all would enjoy for a special time together, and you'll find the perfect Thanksgiving dinner menu for you!

As an additional note, short Thanksgiving vacations or a family outing can be a great, small family alternative to traditional family holidays at home.  An overnight stay at a nearby bed and breakfast or nice hotel can be a nice way to have some Thanksgiving fun, and most larger hotels have nearby restaurants that will be open for Thanksgiving dinner.  You might consider checking in on Thanksgiving Day, having dinner at a local restaurant, topping the night off with a movie you've wanted to see but could never find the time to go, and then checking out the next day to do some serious nearby Christmas shopping or attend a community Christmas event.  Having a small family to cook for can provide a great opportunity to have another kind of Thanksgiving fun if you aren't afraid of new, contemporary ideas for your family.

Finally, keep remembering family members above family holidays, both before and on this special day.  There may be some rewards from slaving over a stove to master some big holiday feast for 25 people or a crowd of six kids or so, but no big turkey or fantastic sweet potato recipe is ever going to be as important as that loved one that is sleeping next to you or in the bedroom down the hall.  If you have someone special enough that you have taken the time to research and think about what you can do to make their holiday a special time, then you already know the best part of family holidays is the FAMILY.  Your family members are the most important ingredient, besides the All Mighty God Himself, that you could put into any Thanksgiving Day celebration, traditional, contemporary, small, large, or otherwise, so whatever you do, make sure your Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas focus on the ones sitting across from you at your kitchen table.

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas for Small Families

Chris Stevens writes for smart moms and dads who want to make their homes happy and their family time fun. Click the link to see how to use a pop up trundle bed for holiday visitors or this link to see how a heated mattress pad could keep your family members warm all winter long.

One Simple Recipe for Making Healthy Muffins From Scratch You Can Modify Lots of Ways

Easy Healthy Muffin Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

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Bake Time: 20 to 30 minutes

One Simple Recipe for Making Healthy Muffins From Scratch You Can Modify Lots of Ways

Yield: 8-12 muffins

This basic easy healthy muffin recipe can be varied in lots of ways. You can leave them plain, add in a cup or so of your favorite fruit and adjust the amount of sugar to suit your tastes. If you prefer larger muffins, distribute the batter among 8 of the muffin cups and pour 1/4 cup water into the empty cups to prevent them from buckling.

These muffins call for a minimal amount of fat - just 3 tablespoons for the entire batch. You can replace all the fat with a fruit puree such as applesauce, if you prefer, but that makes them too rubbery for my tastes.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole grain pastry flour

1/4 cup sugar, or to taste

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

1 cup milk, plus more if needed

optional additions below

Recipe Instructions

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a standard 12-cup (2-1/2-inch) muffin pan or line the cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk tougher the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, vegetable oil, milk and any optional ingredients (such as 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries).

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined and moistened. (The batter should still be lumpy and thick, but moist. If the batter seems too dry add a little more milk.)

Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes (30 minutes for larger muffins).

Remove from the oven and let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them out of the pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely. Or enjoy warm.

9 Easy Healthy Muffin Variations

Apple Muffins: Stir in one medium peeled and chopped apple with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with the flour. Substitute packed brown sugar for the granulated sugar.

Banana-Nut Muffins: Decrease milk to 1/4 cup, stir in 1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3 medium) and 1/3 cup chopped nuts with the milk. Substitute packed brown sugar for the sugar.

Blueberry Muffins: Stir in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries.

Chocolate Chip Muffins: Stir in 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips.

Cranberry Muffins: Stir in 1 cup chopped cranberries and 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel with the milk. Sprinkle the tops with sugar before baking.

Oatmeal Muffins: Decrease flour to 1 cup and stir in 1 cup quick-cooking oats, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with the flour.

Raspberry Muffins: Stir in 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest.

Spice Muffins: Stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and a pinch of ground cloves and ground nutmeg with the flour.

Zucchini Muffins: Stir in 1 cup grated zucchini (squeezed dry to remove excess moisture) and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts with the milk.

One Simple Recipe for Making Healthy Muffins From Scratch You Can Modify Lots of Ways

Martha is a healthy weight loss coach, cooking coach and cookie lover, who loves to share ways to make cooking and eating simple, easy and delicious and help you stop dieting and instead discover the pleasure of happy healthy balanced eating, cooking and living. Her websites include http://www.simple-nourished-living.com and http://www.greateasyhealthyrecipes.com.

Healthy Snacks - 4 Quick and Easy Sweet Low-Calorie Recipes That Can Be Done in Almost No Time

Snacks are the meals where it happens easiest that we make unhealthy choices. We might give our main meals a thought, and then we think we eat healthy. But snacks somehow don't seem to count. They are the little things we quickly eat in between, and often we are not even aware of them. Just write down every single bit you eat for one day, and you will be surprised how much you really eat and how much unhealthy things you eat. If you really want to eat healthy, you need to think about what you snack too.

Of course, it's easy and quick to grab that chocolate bar or packet of cookies. But they are packed with calories and calories only. Did you know that many healthy snacks don't really take time and effort to prepare? And that they taste just as great? Here are some quick and easy sweet snack recipes that can transform your diet into a complete healthy one:

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Mashed Banana with Chocolate and Cinnamon

Healthy Snacks - 4 Quick and Easy Sweet Low-Calorie Recipes That Can Be Done in Almost No Time

Mash one large banana, add a teaspoon pure cocoa powder and a teaspoon ground cinnamon and mix well. Bananas are a fruit rather high in calories so it will give you just as much energy as your chocolate bar. And it will provide you with important vitamins too.

Mint Strawberry Yoghurt

Wash and quarter a handful of strawberries and mix them into 125 g plain low-fat yoghurt. Add some fresh or dried mint. This snack is low in fat and does not need sugar as strawberries are naturally sweet. Yoghurt blends you buy often are sweetened and contain colorants and flavors instead of real fruit, so making it yourself is a much healthier option and will only take a few moments of your time. If you like it smooth, you can put the strawberries and yoghurt into your blender for a minute or two.

Vanilla Ice-cream with Raspberry Puree

Mix 250 g fresh raspberries, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in your blender until smooth. This will be enough to make a small snack for four. Pour the puree over 2 small scoops low-fat vanilla ice-cream per person. Your kids will love it and you don't have to worry about calories.

Fruit with chocolate sauce

Another recipe your kids will love: Heat up 250 ml low-fat milk until it boils. Mix 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder and 7 g cornflour with a bit of cold milk until smooth. Add to the hot milk, bring to boil and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. Pour the sauce over any fruit you like. You can prepare the chocolate sauce in advance and keep it in the fridge until you need it. If you wish to sweeten it, add 1 tablespoon of honey whilst it's still hot.

By now, you should have grasped the idea that even sweet snacking can be healthy. The easiest way to create sweet healthy snacks is to use fruit which is naturally sweet and does not need any added sugar. Fruit gives excellent quick and easy to make snacks when combined with low-fat dairy products like milk or yoghurt. With this kind of snacks, you can enjoy the benefits of healthy snacks providing you not only with energy but also valuable vitamins and other nutrients like calcium. And all this without overloading your system with calories.

Healthy Snacks - 4 Quick and Easy Sweet Low-Calorie Recipes That Can Be Done in Almost No Time

Bettina Berlin is a health professional specializing in healthy nutrition and quick cooking. Eating healthy and thus maintaining a healthy weight can significantly improve your health and help prevent many diseases. Is your life so hectic that preparing healthy food often seems impossible? Then visit http://www.elishas-quick-recipes.blogspot.com TODAY and get your FREE fast cooking tips and much delicious quick easy recipes!