Family Favorite Pancake Recipe

A Family Favorite Pancake Recipe - Easy and Delicious

Here I go again. Another weekly review post about a recipe.

If you've seen my last few Sunday posts you've already heard me express how I'm shocking myself with all these recipe shares. Like I already said, it's not because I can't cook, it's just not my favorite thing to do.

I may be possessed by a Chef or something? Yah, like I'm a chef; not.

Today I'm sharing our family recipe for Pancakes. It's another easy recipe.

But wait, one of my fellow writers, Lou16, just wrote about her best pancake recipes! Oh no. I don't want to step on toes so be sure to check out her article. She provides several fantastic and unique recipe ideas. I'll have to try them.

How Many Ingredients Are in This Family Pancake Recipe?

There are 8 ingredients. This recipe, like most pancake recipes, is made by mixing everything together in one bowl.

What Makes this Pancake Recipe the Best One in the Entire World According to My Family - Tongue in Cheek :)

It's not just my family who love these pancakes; it's friends and visitors as well.

My mother passed this recipe along to me decades ago, and I can pretty much make it with my eyes closed. However, I did tweak the recipe and added one more ingredient.

That one ingredient addition is "Vanilla Extract".

For this basic pancake recipe, this small addition gives it that extra punch. Top your pancakes with strawberries and whip cream and it pretty much tastes like 'pancake cake'.

How to Make This Simple Recipe

• 1 Cup of Flour
• 3 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
• 2 Tablespoons of Sugar (Optional)
• 3/4 Teaspoon of Salt (Optional)
• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup of Milk
• 2 Tablespoons of Melted Butter
• 1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

You can double or triple this recipe as well.

Mix everything together in one bowl. Don't over mix. Once all the ingredients are blended together, let the batter sit for 10 minutes. 

Cook it on a greased grill. I use butter, but normally only need the butter for the first batch.

Most of you who make pancakes already know this basic tip: When you put a pancake on the grill, you only flip it once and flip it over when you see the batter bubbling through the top.

Additional Family Recipes Previously Shared:

•  White Cake with Coconut Topping
•  A Man's Birthday Cake
•  One Bowl Chocolate Cake
•  Homemade Chocolate Icing
•  Easy Banana Loaf

So there it is again, another peek into our kitchen.

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Reviewing Pancake Recipes

Pancake Day isn't very far away and I can remember as a child being very excited when this date came around.   As an adult I don't get quite as excited, want to know why?

Protein pancakes - photo by Lou16

I grew up in the UK and the only time I remember ever eating pancakes was on Shrove Tuesday - everyone seemed to eat pancakes then!  Mum would make what I now think of as crepes and we would squirt on lemon juice (definitely not fresh in those days but in a little plastic bottle!) and sprinkle on sugar.   We would then proceed to roll them up and eat them - quicker than my poor mum could make them!

I should mention that this was for our dinner, it was unthinkable for us to have pancakes for breakfast!

Fast forward a few decades and with the take over of the world by McDonalds and their hotcakes along with the internet where recipes for American style pancakes were easy to find and I do enjoy pancakes throughout the year and for breakfast!

The drawback to pancakes whenever I want is that I no longer feel that excitement for Pancake Day when it comes around!

The Best Hotcakes My Husband Ever Made

Not long after we brought our first home in New Zealand the fast food giant, McDonalds opened up just down the road.   My husband popped down to get me hotcakes for breakfast one Sunday and then for the next couple of years that was my Sunday breakfast!

We moved to Australia over twenty years ago and he has cooked hotcakes a few times using a couple of different pancake mixes from the supermarket (similar to the Stonewall one Cynthia reviewed).   About five years ago I brought him the cookbook Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone and in this book my mum and I were about to feast on some delicious hotcakes.

If you don't have time to grab the book then I've found the link to the recipe and a video (you will not regret making these!) on the foodnetwork for you - https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/hotcakes-with-delicious-blueberry-compote-recipe-2041480

The Best Hotcakes I Make Are Healthy Ones!

I have in the last couple of years discovered a few different pancakes and my favorite are protein pancakes like the ones featured in the photo at the top of the page.   These pancakes are simply delicious, healthy and I get to eat them as one of my meals when I'd doing the 30 days to healthy living and beyond plan.

Chocolate Protein Pancakes You NEED To Make!

Ingredients

1 scoop Arbonne chocolate protein powder 

1/2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

125 ml unsweetened almond milk (I prefer to use either the Vitasoy or the So Good brand)

1 tbsp coconut flour

2 eggs

Directions

Simply mix all of the ingredients together well and then let stand for 10 minutes.   Letting it stand is very important, I can't remember why I was told that but I've also done this and my hotcakes have turned out really well so why risk it?

Make sure you have a hot pan, I usually use coconut oil to cook them in, but that's not essential I know some people use rice bran oil or a butter and oil mix.  I use a ladle to put my mixture into the pan and I do them the size of a Macca's hotcake, I also only cook one pancake at a time.
When there are quite a few bubbles showing on the top of the mixture it's time to turn the pancake over and cook the other side.

Serve with your usual toppings.   I usually take a scoop of Arbonne's vanilla protein powder and mix it with coconut yogurt to a thick cream consistency and layer them with that and whatever fresh berries I have.   It's like eating cake, but it's healthy for you!

Healthy Pancake Recipes for Children

I really don't think there was any nutritional value in the pancakes I had as a child, but the chocolate protein pancakes above would certainly fill a child up with some good quality protein without them realizing it.

Another idea for them is Hulk Pancakes!   You could call these Shrek Pancakes or Monster Pancakes depending on what they like.   These are basically protein pancakes with a serve of fruit and veg ....

1 scoop Arbonne vanilla protein powder
1/2 tbsp (which is about 1/2 a scoop) Arbonne's Super Greens 
1/2 tsp baking powder
125 ml milk of choice (I'd use almond milk personally)
1 tbsp coconut flour
2 eggs

Mix all of the ingredients together and then allow to sit for 10 minutes before cooking in a hot pan.

You could also try these Green Smoothie Pancakes which include spinach and bananas.

Banana Pancakes are often a hit when it comes to healthier pancake choices.

Here are two other healthy pancake recipes which I haven't tried yet, but are on my to-eat list.

White Bean Pancakes
Linseed & Walnut Pancakes

Will you be eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?

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The Perfect Lego Display Shelves Reviewed

You've just finished the next great Lego masterpiece!  Now what?

The biggest problem for any avid Lego builder is where to display their finished objet d'art.  After spending hours, often days, building a Lego design, you're pretty excited and wish to set it in a place of distinction.  Any open, flat surface is subject to being seized for Lego display.

Many Lego builders don't plan to play with their creations.  They have the heart of an artist, or an art collector.  For them, the completed project is a valued treasure that should not be tampered with or dismantled.  

I have often felt like the Lego masterpieces that our son has made deserve to be placed behind museum ropes, never to be touched again.  Perhaps an alarm should be set up to alert the household if anything, like a dog's tail, gets too close.  

While ropes and alarms would be extreme, the reality is that we really don't want the finished Legos to be thwacked.  I suspect all Lego builders have had the horrible experience of helplessly watching their masterpiece literally break to pieces.  That experience is neither fun, nor desired.

Therefore, Lego treasures need a safe place for display.  In my most recent search, I found a set of shelves that is perfect for Lego display!

Lego Display Shelves

 Ameriwood Home Hazel Kids'
4 Shelf Bookcase, WhiteAs you know, Lego projects come in all sizes.  Even mini-figures are extremely popular and collectable.  Finding a way to display everything together, in a way that each piece can been seen well, is very challenging.  

With standard shelves, the back of the sets tend to be blocked by the shelve just above them.  An observer must contort their bodies, or hunker down to be able to see the complete finished Lego.  Even then, you're not getting a really good look and are tempted to pick it up so you can really see it.

With the tiered shelves, it is no longer necessary to struggle to see the larger Lego completely without touching it.  Only the bottom shelf sitting on the floor seems to be tucked away & slightly hidden from view.  However, the front wood piece does keep feet from accidentally kicking whatever is displayed on that lowest shelf.

As you can see in the picture above, the shelves are deep enough for those Star Wars Kylo Ren's TIE Silencer, the Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator and tall enough for even the Imperial TIE Fighter.  My son used the next shelf for a collection of Lego Rebel Starfighters, including Luke Skywalker's X-Wing.  The very top shelf was reserved for the tallest in this group, his combined Jabba Palace & Rancor Pit set beside the Jabba Sail Barge.

It took us approximately one hour to assemble the shelves. The bookcase was very heavy broken down and in the box. Once they were assembled, the shelves were easy to slide across the carpet and into place.

Additional Ideas for These Bookcase Shelves

These shelves would be awesome for displaying anything.  As a matter of fact, I am considering replacing the shelves in my craft room with several sets of these bookcase shelves.  I love the tiered design that allows you to easily see the back of each shelf.  They would definitely allow for better organization.

They would also be awesome for actual books!  Like Legos, books come in many sizes.  It would be so nice to have my bookshelves organized with the smaller books on the top shelf of the tiers and the largest on the bottom.  Sure would make scanning the titles easier!

Last, but not least, the bookcase shelves would be great in a kids room for their toys.  I haven't actually tried to climb on the shelves myself, but the tiered design would certainly make these shelves less likely to turn over.

 Ameriwood Home Hazel Kids'
4 Shelf Bookcase, WhiteCheck Price

 

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Reviews on Lego Sets
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 The Perfect Lego Display Shelves Reviewed by:

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Snorkeling in Hawaii Requires the Right Tools

Snorkel Mask Review - Snorkeling is a fun thing to do in the warm places of the earth!  

Hubby and I just got back from a long overdue holiday to Hawaii.  We had been planning to do this trip for our 50th anniversary, but decided to do it a little earlier, as both he and I are having mobility issues.  So we celebrated 48 years together with this trip of a lifetime. 

Image my own!

This was our beach on the Island of Maui.  The hotel had a nice pool, but an even nicer beach.  You could go out just a few feet and see hundreds of schools of fish.  (Sheraton Hotel)   There were even sea turtles seen by some of the guests, but we did not see any for ourselves at this location. 

What made the snorkeling so much fun was the full face mask that my son had given to us to use.

So you are thinking to yourself, "Big Deal, a full face mask!"  What's that all about?

Let me tell you, this full face snorkel is so much better to use than the traditional two piece mask and snorkel! I had only used the two piece equipment in the past and always had difficulty with swimming under water with my gear. Water always, always got into the tube and I ended up choking more than once. Not so with the one piece full face mask.

What makes this so much better?

Let's just say that technology has gotten so much better with these new face masks in several areas.

1. The breathing tube is fitted with a one way valve that let's you go underwater without getting a mouthful of ocean water. 
2. The silicone around the face mask is comfortable and gives a really good seal, without pinching anywhere.
3. Anti-fog face lens lets you breathe normally and still maintain   clarity in the water.
4. There is a mount on the breathing tube for a camera.
5. There is no need to clench your teeth together in order to hold the breathing tube securely.
6. With the full face mask, you can breathe through your nose or mouth.

Due to the comfort of the fit, you will be able to snorkel longer.  Believe me clenching a breathing tube in your mouth is very tiring and can cause pain in the jaws.  This problem is totally gone with this one piece face mask.  

I just remembered another bonus with this one piece mask,

The full face mask wraps around your head differently than a traditional mask, thus giving you  a much better field of vision.  It really is comfortable and easy.

Many of these one piece face masks also come with an adapter on the tube to mount a GoPro (or similar) type of camera.  So now you can snorkel with the fish and you can also take their pictures too!

Are You Snorkeling With Family?  

Don't worry,  these masks are made in sizes for children and for adults. Size is determined by the length of the face from the bridge of the nose to the bottom of the chin.  Can you imagine your children being able to see the amazing creatures under the sea?  I'm sure that the first time would be so much fun to see their reaction to things that they probably have only seen in movies or educational shows.  It just isn't the same thing as seeing it with your own eyes.  Once you have outfitted your family with these masks, I bet you will be looking for places  where  snorkeling is one of the best activities listed.

Now, I must add just a little addendum, facial hair can sometimes be problematic, so if you have a beard, you might want to check out the seal you get before you pack this mask into your suitcase. 

Image from Pixabay

At the start of this article you will notice that I said both my husband and I were having issues with mobility.  That is true on land, but in the water, we are both like little fish!  I know there will be more snorkeling in our near future and hopefully I'll get better pictures to share with you too!

WildHorn Outfitters Seaview 180° GoPro Compatible Snorkel Mask- Panoramic Full Face Design on Amazon

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An Easter Egg Hunt For Jesus Book Review

More To The Holiday Than Eggs And Bunnies

I found a wonderful book to include in the little one's Easter Basket this year. An Easter Egg Hunt For Jesus will be a nice way to help her understand what we are really celebrating during this special holiday. Just like with Christmas, children need to know the real 'reason for the season.'

Egg Hunts are fun for kids
image courtesy of pixabay.com

I will admit that it is fun to color the eggs with the children and even more fun hiding those eggs for them to find. How often do we stop to let them know why we Christians celebrate the Easter Holiday? Depending on their age, it might be difficult to explain the Crucifixion and Resurrection in a way that doesn't disturb them . I remember my oldest coming out of her Sunday School class one Sunday near Easter being absolutely horrified over their lesson that morning. She was about 7 at the time but she had grasped all too well the story of Jesus on that cross. She kept saying, "They killed him, Mommy! Why would they do that?" I kept trying to explain that He had to die so that he could come back to life but I didn't do a very good job of it. I also remember thinking the teacher shouldn't have ended the lesson that day without telling the children at least something about what came next. Maybe she did, but my daughter couldn't get past the part of his death on that hill. I wish that I had been able to prepare her for that lesson with a book like An Easter Egg Hunt For Jesus. It hadn't been written, yet.

Forest of Faith Series 

A series of books have been written to help children understand better, in ways that they can relate to, the meaning of both Christmas and Easter. The stories take place in a forest with adorable little animals who learn more about their faith. The books are written for ages 4 through 6 and have been illustrated beautifully by Lee Holland with the stories being written by Susan Jones. I really think they would be a wonderful addition to the library of books we have to read to our little ones. 

Little Bunny is excited about the special egg hunt taking place in the forest as are all of the creatures who live there. In his enthusiasm to find the 'special egg' he makes a mistake that he believes has ruined the fun for his family and friends. They all come together to help him understand about the Resurrection of Jesus and the celebration over the new life that He offers to all of us. It is a sweet little story! 

I recommend this book to share with the small ones in your family!

An Easter Egg Hunt for Jesus

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