Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Awesome Pancakes and homemade syrup


  • Awesome Pancakes

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups buttermilk (You can also sub just short of 2 cups milk and 1 1/2 T. vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup and 2 T. milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2-3 T. butter, melted

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.
  2. Heat a lightly buttered griddle or frying pan over medium heat. 
  3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until it's just blended together. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Quick syrup
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon maple flavored extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1. In a saucepan, combine the white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 4 minutes. Stir in the maple extract and vanilla, and remove form the heat. Let cool, and serve at room temperature. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Stores well for a few weeks.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

I conjured up this recipe while craving baked potatoes....usually I do not like potato soup, but this one blows that out of the water.


Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Preheat oven to 350.
Scrub and fork 6 large baking potatoes (I used the restaurant size ones). Bake for 45-60 minutes or until fork is easily inserted.
Meanwhile gather the following:
½ lb. bacon
1 medium white onion (chop)
1 T. Chicken or beef bouillon (I use the jarred Better Than Bouillon brand)
5T. flour (more or less to achieve roux)
2 C. milk
1 C half and half or heavy cream
4 oz. cream cheese softened
Water or milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Pepper to taste (the bacon grease usually makes it salty enough)
Shredded cheese for topping

Fry the bacon as you normally would and place on a paper towel, set aside and chop up bacon to be used later as a topping.
To the bacon grease on medium heat add the chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes softened and translucent. To that mix add enough flour to absorb the grease and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
Add bouillon, stir and then slowly add 2 C. milk it should look like gravy-ish.  (make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot, I used a 7 qt dutch oven.)
At this time  peel the baked potatoes and add in chunks (you can break down the potatoes to your size liking with cooking utensil as  you continue to stir.
Once all of the potatoes are added add the cream/half and half and the cream cheese….cook on low until the cream cheese melts. If too thick at this time you can add water or more milk. Taste and season.
Serve with Bacon, cheese, sour cream, green onions as toppings. (I just put bacon in microwave to reheat. I served this so it was quite thick, like a chowder, as opposed to a soup/stew.)

Thankful....day 14

Thankful for:

getting to wear a sock on my foot due to stubbed toe pain
spending the evening with Emma and going shopping for some Thanksgiving supplies
all of the people we get to spend Thanksgiving with
KFC/LJS

Thankful....day 13

Thankful for:

going grocery shopping quietly
Ben and Emma picking up the house a bit
getting all of the laundry done
the bleeding stopping on my stubbed toe.

Thankful....day 12

Thankful for:
watching the game at our neighbor's
meeting new neighbors (nice ones)
relaxing afternoon

Thankful for.....day 11

Thankful for:

a restful afternoon including a nap in which my sweet child tucked me in for.
smothered burritos
the day off

Thankful....day 10

Thankful for:
Emma's sick stomach for stopping
Nana and Papa Ray watching her and getting groceries, washing bedding, cooking, and dish
a tasty reveal cake.
being able to call my grandparents to tell them the gender of #2

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Thankful....Day 9

Thankful for:

a awesome P.A. who snuck me in to another ultrasounds room for a better gender check.
sushi with fresh orchids on the plate
holiday candied nuts
my child hyper of off sugar
spending the afternoon with mom and stepdad

Thankful....Day 8

Thankful for:

My co-worker picking up breakfast for me.
Husband bringing my medicine to work (I forgot)

Thankful: Day 7

Thankful for the day off to spend with my LuLu. We had a great day!
Also thankful that her daddy was home for dinner.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Thankful....Day 6

Yesterday I was thankful for:

hidden candy corn and popcorn at the movie theater.
Ben cleaning out our "new" fridge

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Thankful....Day 5

Thankful for:

another fridge, and the food to put in there.
the ability to make good homemade pancake syrup, and more loaded baked potato soup
secondhand store that has dresses for Emma who only likes dresses and skirts now.

Friday, November 4, 2011

What I'm Thankful For: Day 4

I'm thankful for:

a daddy/daughter steak dinner where Emma and I had our "fodder's" share their steak with us.
awesome students that out-perform and catch on quickly (and make good crepes and escargot)
my dad who cleaned my kitchen/dining room today

Thursday, November 3, 2011

What I'm Thankful For: Day 3

I'm thankful for:
being able to attend a Reba concert tonight.
being able to go to Sam's club and not have to lift anything heavy.
Emma singing and waving to strangers when we ate out for breakfast :)

What I'm Thankful For: Day 2

Thankful for: one of my students who went and got me a snack because he knew that I always seem to be hungry lately.
my dad arriving safely to visit for a few days.
having enough room in our freezer for my brother's 1/4 cow.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

What I'm Thankful For: Day 1

Today I am thankful for:

~low blood pressure
~homemade loaded baked potato soup
~my child talking/patting/giving a kiss to belly
~the day to stay home with my child