Did someone say.... Pancakes?!

Two confessions here:

1.)I could live off of pancakes FOREVER.

2.) I used to ONLY use the pre-mixed just add water kind and not because I didn't know how to make pancakes from scratch but I was just one of those "too danged lazy and I need my carb fix NOW" kinda person.

Pancakes are forever attracted to my hips. They are best friends for life. It will be the one food I will never cut out of my life, ever.

I started to think about my food spending and how I could be a little more "thrifty." And at nearly three dollars a box and needing about two boxes a week to feed my troop and my cravings, I had to find something cheaper. It would be a cold day in hell before I gave up my beloved carbs and the cheap mixes are just that, cheap. I knew how to make them from scratch. Those who know me, know I am not an "up and at em" kind of gal in the morn. I could sleep in until noon if allowed, too bad I can't reprogram the kids and there's this darn thing called school that gets in the way. But this is now just as quick and even tastier than the pre-mixed kind!

Really basic but yummy recipe. I am sure you can find it just about any where on the interwebs.

Here's what you will need:

1 egg lightly beaten
1 to 1/4 cups of milk (Have extra on hand for thinning)
3 tablespoons of melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 and 1/2 cup of flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 and 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Here's what you do:
1.) Combine all dry ingredients. Set aside.
2.) Pour in butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Mix until most but not all lumps are gone.
3.) Add milk until runny enough to pour on to a hot griddle/pan. You want it pour-able, a little thicker than syrup but not too thick.
4.) Pour your desired size pancake on the pan, when you have bubbles on the sides and in the middle of the pancake batter, flip.
5.) Remove when other side of pancake is a dark golden brown, you may have to poke the center of the pancake to ensure it's cooked thoroughly.
6.) Repeat until all batter is used.

I get about 6-8 pancakes with this and it makes about 2 to 2.5 cups of batter. Also you may have to use cooking spray but I never do but that will depend on your cooking skill and the quality of the pans you are using.

Also now that I am exclusively only making them homemade, I don't even need to look at the recipe, I just start making them. That's how easy and quick they are!

Enjoy with your favorite butter and syrup!

Mamma's Chili Spice mix. *gift idea*

This is pretty much a generic recipe/mix you can find it any where on the internet BUT that's because it's so good! I remember when I first used this, it had no instructions on how MUCH to add to your meat/meat sub when cooking. Let's just say I can still remember the heat on the back of my tongue years afterwards. But if you add and taste as you go, you will be fine. Remember when it comes to heat, less is more.

Really simple to throw together and you will say bye-bye to the packaged stuff you were buying!

Here's what you will need:

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tablespoon of crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon of dried minced onion

1 tablespoon of dried minced garlic

4 teaspoon of chili powder

2 teaspoon of white sugar

2 teaspoon of ground cumin

2 teaspoon of dried parsley

2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of dried crushed basil

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Directions:

1.- Add to either a container you can seal or ziploc baggie and mix.

2.- When cooking add a little at a time until you get desired spice and flavor. Remember less is more when it comes to heat, unless you love heat!

Final note if you want to give as a gift:

If you want to make this as gift:

Multiply the above ingredients by 4 to get three Mason 8 oz jelly jars.

Multiply by 8 to get six mason 8oz jelly jars.

Multiply by 12 to get nine masons 80z jelly jars.

Multiply by 16 to get twelve mason 8oz jelly jars.

Enjoy!