Pita Pizza

picture from google images

I got this idea from the some of the girls at the pool this summer. It is really simple and very quick to put together. You can specialize these pizza's for the individuals in your family. It is a great lunch idea too.

Pita Pizza

Pita (white or whole wheat)
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Take pita out of package and layer with pizza sauce, cheese and pizza toppings. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Topping ideas: For my two year old I made plain cheese, for my husband cheese and peperoni and for me I made a veggie (tomatoes, onions, & zucchini).

Salt and Pepper Red Potatoes

I thought I cooked an all-around delicious meal for Father's Day but these were so good that this is all people commented on. In other words--make these! You won't regret it!

Salt & Pepper Red Potatoes
Your Homebased Mom

small red potatoes
butter
olive oil
coarse salt
coarse pepper (I just used whole peppercorns and smashed them up a bit!)

Bake at 350 degrees. I used a 8 x 8 pan and placed about 2 Tbsp melted butter in the pan. After washing potatoes, dry them. Place potatoes in pan and turn to coat with the butter. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt (don’t be afraid to use a lot!) Sprinkle with pepper and bake in oven for 2 hours. Back uncovered. I promise they will be o.k.
After removing from the oven place in bowl and pour the sauce left on the bottom of the pan over the potatoes.

Strawberry Sauce

Strawberries are so cheap these days that I had several "getting older" pints in the fridge. This was the perfect remedy to use a lot of older strawberries quickly. I topped crepes with them and then stored the rest for later use!

Strawberry Sauce

Our Best Bites

1 pint strawberries

1/3 c. white sugar

1 tsp. almond extract (my favorite) or vanilla extract

Wash strawberries and remove stems.

Combine berries, sugar, and extract in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for five minutes, stirring/breaking strawberries up with a wooden spoon constantly.

After five minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (if you have a glass blender jar) and a lot (if you have a plastic blender jar). When cool enough, transfer mixture to blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached.

Wanna know what to do with it?
--Make banana splits with this and Sara's hot fudge sauce
--Drizzle over plain ol' cheesecake
--Spoon some over this ice cream, with or without the cinnamon (depending on how brave you're feeling)
--I'm envisioning this sauce atop a pizzookie with sugar cookie dough and lemon ice cream
--My proudest use of strawberry sauce: mix
a couple of tablespoons (depending on the size of the glass and your own personal taste) with this fresh-squeezed lemonade for strawberry lemonade. So so so so good...
--Chocolate waffles, anyone? If that's not your thing, you could put them on your favorite French toast, waffles, or pancakes. Speaking of French Toast- try this one!
--Drizzle over angel food cake and add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Basic Crepes

I made these for Father's Day dessert. They were light and delicious, especially with the strawberry sauce! It took a few rounds to get the right shape--but well worth the trial and error!

Basic Crepes
Our Best Bites

2 eggs
2 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar (omit if making savory crepes)
1 C flour
1 1/3 C milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until combined, or whisk by hand until there are no lumps.

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Hold pan with one hand while you pour the batter with the other hand. Twirl the pan in a circular motion pouring just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. Place on cooking surface and cook until edges are set and you can easily run a rubber spatula around the edge of the pan, 30 seconds. Flip crepe and cook an additional 15-20 seconds. Remove crepe from pan and either keep warm in the oven or cool to room temperature.

Fill with your choice of savory (meat, cheese, vegetable) or sweet (pudding, mousse, pastry cream, fruit) filling. Top sweet crepes with with Strawberry Sauce, Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, Hot Fudge,(recipes can be found on Our Best Bites blog) or just a dusting of powdered sugar and sweetened whipped cream.

Cheesy Parmesan Italian Biscuits

Don't let this recipe scare you! When I saw that I was rubbing mayonnaise on these I thought it sounded so nasty! However, these were so DELICIOUS! I halved the recipe and spread a lot less on the biscuits and they were still really tasty!

Cheesy Parmesan Italian Biscuits
Mom Spark

1 c. grated Parmesan (I used the kind in the green bottle, the way my mom did, but feel free to fancy it up and use freshly grated Parmesan)
2/3 c. mayo
2-3 Tbsp. fresh chopped green onion
Garlic powder to taste
Italian seasoning to taste
1 can Hungry Jack flaky biscuits

Mix all ingredients except biscuits. Flatten biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet. Spread an equal amount of filling over all biscuits. Bake 13-15 minutes, eat hot! Makes about 10 biscuits.

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion-Bleu Cheese Sauce

This was the dinner that I made Brian for Father's Day and it was soooo good. The sauce was divine and very rich. If you have a special occasion coming up, then put this on your menu. I got my steaks at Costco- they come in a 4-pack so I used the first two for this recipe and the next two on the 4th of July. But, you could really use any type of steak with this. Enjoy!

Picture courtesy Pioneer Woman Cooks

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion-Bleu Cheese Sauce
Pioneer Woman Cooks

2 whole Ribeye Steaks
2 Tablespoons Butter
Salt
Pepper
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Very Large Yellow Onion, Sliced
1 cup Heavy Cream
½ cups Crumbled Blue Cheese

Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks and grill in 2 Tbs. butter to desired done-ness. Saute onions in 4 tablespoons butter over high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until dark and caramelized. Reduce heat to simmer and pour in cream. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in blue cheese until melted. Serve steaks on generous portion of sauce.

**On the Fourth, we generously salted and peppered both sides of the steak. Then, we drizzled extra virgin olive oil on both sides and grilled to medium...amazing.

Easy Cooked Carrots (That Your Kids Will Eat!)

These carrots are so easy, obviously healthy, and de.lic.ious. You could make them whenever you need yummy veggies in a pinch.

Easy Cooked Carrots

Carrots- you can use baby carrots or regular ones
Butter
Pepper
Honey

If using regular carrots, I peel them and cut them on the diagonal- because it looks more fancy. :) Steam the carrots to desired tenderness- I usually leave a little crunch in them. Then, I melt butter in a saucepan (about 1/2 Tbs. per 3 large carrots). Toss them in the butter for just a bit and then add about 1 tsp. honey (again, per large 3 carrots) and sprinkle with desired amount of pepper. These measurements are estimates, so you have to figure out what works for you- you might want more butter or honey- its all about your own preference. You are going to love these!!

Creamy Taco Mac

Pic courtesy of Annie's Eats

Move over Hamburger Helper! (Just kidding- I really just wanted to say that.) Anyway, I made this last week and it was a big hit with the kiddos and I totally found myself craving more after dinner was over. The combo of garlic, onion, and taco seasoning really made this a memorable dish. For next time, I actually would make this with chicken. The ground turkey was good, but I just think chicken would be even better. You could also make this a yummy vegetarian dish by substituting some black beans. Also, I just noticed in the pic that it looks like she added cilantro before serving and I was actually thinking that it would be a nice finishing touch, though I didn't have any on hand that night.

Creamy Taco Mac
adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

1¼ lbs. ground turkey or diced chicken
8 oz. dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp. taco seasoning
3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey or diced chicken over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the chicken/turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the chicken/turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese and/or cilantro, if desired.

Chicken Puffs

Photo courtesy of allrecipes.com

This recipe is a family favorite. I first got introduced to at my husband's family's place years ago. There are a million different ways for this recipe to be made. Some people make it with onions but I think the flavor of onions is WAY too overpowering.

Chicken Puffs
1 package of frozen rolls
4 chicken breasts
8 oz. cream cheese
salt and pepper
Ritz crackers
butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
milk
sour cream

I cook my frozen breasts of chicken in the crock pot with S&P and Ms.Dash. My mother-in-law boils it. I like it done in the crock pot b/c it's so tender when it comes apart that it just falls apart.
Shred it or if its too tough to shred use a food chopper and chop it up. Then you mix it with the cream cheese and S&P. Make a little mash. Then thaw the Rhodes rolls (some people use crescent rolls and that is much easier but I have tried both ways and Rhodes is the best-promise). I usually put them in the microwave for 30 seconds on regular microwave heat, turn them over and then do another 30 seconds. DO NOT OVER HEAT. Mold one roll at a time in to disc shape. Put a T. of mash onto the roll then fold and pinch dough around mash. I then dip it in melted butter (about a stick is what you'll need for the recipe) then roll it smashed Ritz crackers. Then I put it on a greased cookie sheet upside down so it doesn't come undone. Cook at 350 degrees for about 23 minutes.

Top with sauce. To make sauce combine one can of cream of chicken soup and one soup can of milk in sauce pan over med. heat. Keep a close eye on it, you don't want the sauce to burn. Once those two ingredients are combined mix in 1 c. of sour cream with whisk. Bring to a gentle boil then remove from heat.

Pesto Pasta Salad With Peas and Parmesan

The greener it is the better it is for you, right?  Maybe not in this case but it certainly tasted delicious!


Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas and Parmesan


from My Kitchen Cafe Blog

*Serves 6-8
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto (jarred or from your own favorite recipe)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise (I used light mayo with great results)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pine nuts
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is cooked to your liking. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature, tossing every once in a while to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other as they cool.
In a food processor or blender, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Crock Pot Italian Herb Chicken and Potatoes

One thing that I love more than a crowd pleaser is a crowd pleaser that is a cinch to make! Seriously...this has about 4 ingredients, cooks on it's own, and is two things (potatoes and chicken) in one dish. That means less dishes. I got this recipe from my wonderful cousin Katie. Every time I have made it it has been a hit. Oh and one more positive- you almost always have what it takes to make it in your cupboards. I DO realize this picture does not look very appetizing. Sorry. It tastes better than it looks. Promise.

Crock Pot Italian Herb Chicken and Potatoes
4 Chix breasts (frozen is fine)
1 packet of dry Italian dressing seasoning
5-6 medium potatoes
1/2 c. powdered parmesan cheese
1/2 c. water
salt and pepper to taste

Place chix at the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle with half packet of seasoning and 1/4c. parm. cheese. Season with S&P. Then, put cut up raw potatoes on top. Put on remaining seasoning packet, cheese, and more S&P if desired. Pour water on top. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken can be broken up easily with fork (it will fall apart). You can even add carrots to make a complete meal.

Black Bean Quesadillas

Anything with black bean in the title, I'm pretty much going to love. Throw in a cheesy quesadilla and I'm completely sold. This was absolutely delicious and super easy. Kate's words after taking one bite: "Mom, this is totally fabulous". And, I must agree- Fabulous is right.

Picture Courtesy BlogChef.net

Black Bean Quesadillas
Adapted from BlogChef.net

Measurements are not precise so if you want more of something, just throw it in there.
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons onion (finely chopped)
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (get the huge bag of organic frozen corn at Costco)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup salsa
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Flour tortillas (I used the uncooked tortillas from Costco)
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey jack cheese (or more)

In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened (about 2 minutes). Stir in beans and corn. Add sugar, salsa, and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Cook until heated through. Heat large skillet to medium heat. Place a cooked tortilla flat into the skillet. Spread cheese all over the top. Place some of the bean mixture over the cheese. Place another tortilla on top of the bean mixture. Cook until the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown.
Repeat until all tortillas and bean mixture are gone.

* This will probably fill about 3 of the Costco tortillas. So, if you're serving a big crowd, just double the recipe. It is just as delicious for leftovers, trust me...I just ate it for lunch! Enjoy.

Shredded Sweet Pork

I love bar-b-que and I'm not talking hamburgers and hot dogs. I mean shredded pork and sweet, southern-style barbeque sauce. For someone who doesn't eat a lot of meat, I make room in my diet for this because its totally and completely worth it. I've been trying for years to find a recipe that is half as good as the one at Cafe Pig in Peachtree City, GA. And, this is as close as it gets- although there is no barbeque sauce with this recipe, the meat is so tender and flavored so well that you don't need the sauce. I served this on Sunday on top of a baked potato with a little sour cream and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. You can also serve it on top of a Mexican salad, like the Shredded Sweet Pork Salad at Cafe Rio.

picture courtesy Google Images (mine didn't look quite like this)

Shredded Sweet Pork
The Sisters Cafe

3 lb pork roast

1 c brown sugar

1 c Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp powdered ginger

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tb dried minced onions

Cook all ingredients on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8 hours. Remove roast and shred it. Put pork back in juices. Serve.

The Perfect Baked Potato

This came from the Sister's recipe book- and we love it at our house. It really does make the perfect baked potato every time...seriously delicious. I made them tonight and topped them with some shredded pork, which I'll be posting later this week. Enjoy!

Picture courtesy Google Images

The Perfect Baked Potato
Becky Jewkes

Scrub 4 baking potatoes and pat dry. Pierce each potato 3-4 times with a fork and then rub with olive oil for a crispier skin. Roll in salt. Do not wrap in foil as this holds in moisture, causing a texture similar to a boiled potato. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Add 5 minutes to the bake time for every additional potato above four.

Springy Shells

This casserole was easy, full of yummy veggies, and delicious. I'm a nut for pasta lately, but I love it and so do my girls! You can put in whichever vegetables you prefer- make it your own and use your favorites.

Picture Courtesy Tasty Kitchen

Springy Shells
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 Box Pasta- Penne or Rotini preferably
1 pound Asparagus (cut Into 1 1/2 Inch Pieces)
1/2 to 1 pound Broccoli, Cut Into Small Florets
½ pounds Zucchini (about 1 Medium Zucchini) Diced
3 whole Green Onions Sliced (white & Light Green Parts)
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
20 ounces, weight Cottage Cheese (20 - 22 Ozs.)
1 teaspoon Salt
2 whole Eggs
1-½ cup Parmesan Cheese
Black Pepper, Freshly Ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta until extremely al dente—with still quite a bit of bite. Melt butter with the olive oil over medium-low to medium heat, then add in the garlic. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for five minutes. Sprinkle in a little salt. Add the broccoli and cook for one minute, then add the zucchini and cook for one or two more minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Assembly: Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add half the pasta, then spread 1/3 cup of the cottage cheese mixture over the surface. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Parmesan over the cottage cheese, then ½ of the vegetables. Repeat with the rest of the pasta, the rest of the cottage cheese, and another 1/3 of the Parmesan. End with the rest of the vegetables and the rest of the Parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes on 350 degrees or until nice and hot.

Cajun Pasta

This is a recipe from the Pioneer Woman....you can't go wrong with her, trust me. I love me a cream sauce and this one really delivered. I left the chicken out of my dish and it was delicious. Next time, I would DOUBLE the amount of vegetables though- it definitely needed more. So very yummy.

Picture Courtesy Pioneer Woman Cooks

Cajun Style Pasta
Pioneer Woman Cooks
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound Fettuccine (I used Barilla Plus Spaghetti)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 1/2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup Heavy Cream (or milk)
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

(I skipped this step!) Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.
Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.
Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.
With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!
Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Leek and Potato Soup

Before you go running in the opposite direction, please just hear me out. I wanted to try some vegetables that I'd never eaten before and so I came across this recipe and thought it looked innocent enough (after all, leeks are just a mild form of onion). So, I tried it and thought it was delicious- very classic flavors. And to top it all off, Kate asked a few days ago when I was going to make the "green soup" again because she liked it so much. Very healthy and very good.

picture courtesy JamieOliver.com

Potato and Leek Soup
From JamieOliver.com

2 carrots
2 celery stalks
2 medium onions
1 pound leeks
2 cloves of garlic
1 ¾ quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound potatoes
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and roughly slice the carrots. Slice the celery. Peel and roughly chop the onions. Cut the ends off the leeks, quarter them lengthways, wash them under running water, and cut them into ¼-inch slices. Peel and slice the garlic. Put the broth in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Place a large saucepan on a high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add all your chopped and sliced ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon. Cook for around 10 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened, but are still holding their shape, and the onion and leeks are lightly golden. Peel the potatoes and cut them into ¼-inch dice. Add the boiling broth to the vegetables . Add your potatoes. Give the soup a good stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad

This was so delicious. The family was a little skeptical when I first put it on the table, but after one bite, we could not get enough. Oh, and don't even get me started about how delicious it was the next day....mmm. You could serve this as a side (although it was our main dish) or as a great dish at a shower or party. OR...its amazing stuffed in a burrito or quesadilla. Love it.

Picture courtesy My Kitchen Cafe

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad
From My Kitchen Cafe

5 cups cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
2 teaspoons salt
1 (16-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 (12-oz.) can corn, drained
4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
4 pickled jalepeno pepper rounds (found in the Mexican section)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Combine all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in blender until peppers are finely minced. Toss with salad. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Jamie Oliver's Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry

I don't know if any of you watched Food Revolution, but I did and I loved it. His signature dish on the show is a stir-fry, both with chicken and beef. I've tried both, and this one is going up first. It was absolutely delicious and light and healthy and EASY. You can use whatever veggies you like, just make sure that you take into account the varying cooking times of each. You'll love this too- and bonus, its seriously ten times better the next day and the flavors really pop.

picture courtesy jamieoliver.com

Jamie Oliver's Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Adapted from JamieOliver.com

1 box spaghetti noodles (I used Barilla plus)
1-2 Tbs. vegetable oil
.5-1 lb. steak, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 package beansprouts
soy sauce to taste
sesame oil to taste
juice of ½ a lime
1 large red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
1 head of broccoli
a handful of baby corn, quartered lengthways
6 green onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled and diced

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until just tender. I added my broccoli in for the last 3 minutes of cooking and then drain, place in a bowl and set aside.

Heat a large wok or a heavy-based frying pan until very hot. Add a splash of vegetable oil then stir fry the beef slices with the sliced garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes until just cooked. Add the beansprouts, a good splash of soy sauce and sesame oil and the lime juice for the last 30 seconds of cooking.

Tip the contents of the wok into a large bowl, including all the juices. Put the wok back on the heat, add a splash more vegetable oil and all the vegetables. Stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and toss well over the heat. Toss everything together in a large bowl and serve.

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, and Banana Pancakes

These pancakes are money- there's no other way to put it. They are fluffy, have a perfect texture, and the oatmeal gives it an unreal flavor. And, they're healthy? Yes. You could even switch out the vegetable oil for some applesauce if your diet won't permit that sort of thing. Or, you could do like we did this morning and put a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top- even more money- just ask Taylor...she ate about a full cup of it with her one pancake. Next time you're wondering what to make for breakfast, look no further than these.
Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, and Banana Pancakes
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or 2 Tbs. applesauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 banana, mashed

Place the rolled oats into the jar of a blender and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, dry milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes- this is a crucial step, so don't skip it!

Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.