Perfectly Sweet Chocolate Chip Muffins

Gracious...I've missed blogging lately.  Every once in a while, life just gets in the way and prevents me from blogging as much as I'd like.  I promise I'll do better...especially with all the holiday deliciousness coming up VERY soon!  (Oh my goodness, is it really almost Thanksgiving!?!)

Hopefully, I can make up for it a little bit with these mouth-watering muffins that will make a perfectly sweet treat for your out-of-town guests over the Thanksgiving holiday.  They are great for a sinful treat at breakfast, yet they are an equally perfect mid-afternoon snack.

I made these as a post-birthday surprise for my 9 year old niece over the weekend.  She was one happy camper when she woke up to the smell of these babies wafting through the air.  I used semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate, just so they wouldn't cross the line of being TOO sweet first thing in the morning.  You could also add your favorite nuts to the batter, if you feel like it.

Now, I'm just wondering  what these would taste like with a little banana added to the batter.  Hmm...I just might try that next time. 

Bon Appetit and Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

Perfectly Sweet Chocolate Chip Muffins
Adapted from:  food.com

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (11 1/2 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Grease twelve muffin cups with no-stick cooking spray, or line with baking cups.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together flour, both sugars, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just to combine.
 

Stir in chocolate chips and spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. 

Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.  Remove muffin tin to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes.  Enjoy!

Note:  These muffins can be frozen.

Classic Buttermilk Biscuits

After the 2013 Southern Baking Retreat, I couldn't help but come home and bake biscuits.  This resulted in a delicious explosion of flour in my kitchen, but it's so worth the mess.  Homemade biscuits have always been a favorite thing of mine to make.  Mostly in part because it brings back all those wonderful memories of being in the kitchen with my grandmother, cutting biscuits with an upside-down sweet tea glass.  Plus, I'm a self-proclaimed "bread girl," so no meal is complete without some sort of biscuit, toast or roll on the side.

When it comes right down to it, is there any food more quintessentially southern and delicious than a well-made buttermilk biscuit?  

It's an art form in itself.  Even though there's really only 3 ingredients involved - flour, butter & buttermilk - so much can go right, or so much can go wrong on any given biscuit-making day.

It's all about the technique and ingredients that you use: 

• Southern flours, like White Lily, are made from soft winter wheat, and therefore have much lower levels of protein.  This results in lighter, fluffier and more tender biscuits.  

• In addition, always use COLD butter and buttermilk.  

• Work quickly while making the biscuits, so that the ingredients stay cold.  Once that cold butter hits the hot oven, it will create steam, which helps the biscuits rise higher. 

•  And most importantly - Use a gentle hand and do not over-mix.

This recipe is a delicious, yet basic one that I've always used.  Biscuits only get better with lots of practice, so don't be afraid to make a flour-y mess of your own.  :)

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Classic Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups Southern, self-rising flour (such as White Lily brand)
1/4 cup COLD, salted butter, cut into cubes
2/3 to 3/4 cup cold buttermilk 
2 Tbsp melted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or coat with no-stick cooking spray.

Pour flour into a large bowl.  Using a pastry blender, cut 1/4 cup cold butter into the flour until butter pieces are the size of peas.

Slowly blend in buttermilk using a fork, just until dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl.  Do not over-mix!

Place dough onto a lightly floured work surface and very gently knead the dough 2-3 times, just enough to bring it together.  Do not over-knead. 

Pat or roll the dough until it is 1/2 inch thick.  Cut biscuits using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, being careful NOT to twist as you cut.  (This will seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising as high.)

Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, so that they are almost touching.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

While still hot, brush additional melted butter on the top of each biscuit.

Amazingly Easy (& Delicious) Banana Muffins

When life gives you ripe bananas, make these incredible muffins!

With autumn finally here in all its crisp air, gorgeous-colored glory, I unsurprisingly have been bitten by the baking bug lately.  It happens every year without fail.  There's just something about the smell of a something delicious baking in the oven that makes fall feel that much more like fall.

The other day, I had a craving for banana muffins, and I just so happened to have 4 ripe bananas hanging out on the kitchen table.  

Perfect!

I found this recipe over at Cat Can Cook, and I had a winner.  It's undoubtedly very easy and you've probably got all of the ingredients in your kitchen.  It's easy...Mix the wet ingredients together.   Mix the dry ingredients together.  Combine.  Bake.  Voila!

This recipe's simplicity and great results are going to make it a favorite of ours for years to come.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Amazingly Easy (& Delicious) Banana Muffins
Adapted from: Cat Can Cook
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:
4 large, ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and butter together in a small bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.  Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. 

Cook's Notes:
*These are much more flavorful the next day, and they freeze very nicely too!
*Possible additions:  walnuts, toasted pecans, or chocolate chips 

 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Blueberry Bread

Well, the blueberry recipes just keep coming, don't they?   I hope that's okay with you guys, because this Whole Wheat Oatmeal Blueberry Bread sure is scrumptious! 

With all the streusel-topped blueberry yumminess that's been making appearances around our kitchen, I was in the mood for something a little more hearty and healthy.  This bread really hit the spot.

It's packed with wonderfully fresh blueberries, oats and whole wheat flour, plus the buttermilk was a great substitution for the regular milk that the original recipe called for.  The original recipe also called for 1 cup of frozen berries.  I doubled it to two full cups and used fresh instead of frozen fruit.  Quite delightful, if you ask me.  :)

While the fresh berries really make this bread something special, if blueberries aren't in season and frozen is all that you can find, then by all means go for it.  It will still be delicious!

Bon appetit, my friends!  :)

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Blueberry Bread

Adapted from:  From Judy's Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 cup quick oats
1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
6 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease one large loaf pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together the first six ingredients on medium speed until mixed thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the white flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.  Add to the buttermilk mixture and stir until just moistened.   Next, carefully fold in fresh blueberries.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.

Leave in loaf pan for 10 minutes after removing from oven, then remove from pan and cool on rack.

Serving Idea: Drizzle your favorite icing over top for a yummy brunch bread.

Blueberry Scones

I love a good scone for breakfast.  They're easy to grab as I run out the door for work in the morning, and they're delicious, too.  It had actually been a while since I've made scones, and with it being blueberry season and all, what better time??

I sure have been on a blueberry kick lately...Scones, Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Blueberry Muffins, a Blueberry Buckle, and even Whole Wheat Blueberry Oat Bread (coming soon to a blog near you!).  

This scone recipe from Martha Stewart is really scrumptious.  Some scones are extra dry and hard as bricks, but not these.  They come together quickly, and as they bake, the blueberries sort of burst and make these scones so pretty it's hard not to gobble one down right out of the oven (but why wait, anyway?).

These are fantastic warmed up, with a little butter melted over the top and a hot cup of coffee on the side.  That sounds like the perfect way to start the day, if you ask me.

Bon Appetit, my friends!  :)

Blueberry Scones
Adapted from:  marthastewart.com

Yield:  Makes 8

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling tops
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, picked over and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in center. Place a baking mat on a baking sheet, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Stir in blueberries and zest.
3. Using a fork, whisk together cream and egg in a liquid measuring cup. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, and pour in cream mixture. Stir lightly with fork just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times to mix well.
4. Pat dough into a 6-inch square about 1 1/4 inches thick. Using a floured knife, cut into four 3-inch squares. Cut squares in half on the diagonal to form eight triangles. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer scones to wire racks to cool.
   
   
   

   
   

   
   

   

   
   

A Fabulous Blueberry Buckle

We just can't get enough blueberries around here lately!  We've bought huge buckets of them at the farmer's market the past two times we've been, so I've had to come up with different ways to use the perfect little berries full of blue summer deliciousness.

I know, I know...sounds like such a terrible predicament.  ;-)

I saw a photo of a Blueberry Buckle while perusing blueberry recipes, and it made me stop in my tracks.  It sounded like perfection - A rich, moist cake batter packed full of so many blueberries that there's probably more berry than actual cake, with a streusel topping made of cinnamon, butter and light brown sugar sprinkled over the top.  Oh MY goodness, folks.

Blueberry muffins are one of my weaknesses, and this cake is so much like a huge blueberry muffin in cake form.  It's quite wonderful!

After making this dessert, I got to wondering why it's called a "buckle." As it turns out, the cake batter rises up around the blueberries as it bakes, encasing the fruit in batter and causing the streusel topping to buckle, which creates a distinctive crinkly appearance.  Other people say that it's called a "buckle" because when you see it, your knees buckle because it looks so delicious!

Either way, this recipe is a definite keeper.  

Bon Appetit, and HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, my friends!  I hope your day today is filled with lots of great food, family, fun and fireworks! :)

Blueberry Buckle

Source:  Laura's Sweet Spot blog

Adapted from ”The New Best Recipe” By Cooks Illustrated

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

Streusel:
1/2 cup (2.5 oz) all purpose flour

1/3 cup packed (3/5 oz) light brown sugar

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened 

Cake:

1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup (4 2/3 oz) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

20 oz (4 cups) blueberries

Directions:
For the Streusel:
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt on low speed until well combined and no large brown sugar clumps remain, about 45 seconds. Add butter; beat on low speed until mixture resembles wet sand and no large butter pieces remain, about 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to bowl; set aside.

For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9″ round cake pan.

Whisk flour and baking powder together in bowl; set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, sugar, salt, and zest on med-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer on medium speed, add eggs 1 at a time; beat until partially incorporated, scrape down bowl, and continue to beat until fully incorporated (mixture will appear broken). With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat until flour is almost fully incorporated, about 20 seconds. Stir batter with rubber spatula, scraping bowl, until no flour pockets remain and batter is homogeneous; batter will be very heavy and thick. Gently fold in blueberries until evenly distributed.

Transfer batter to pan. Spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Squeeze portion of streusel in hand to form large cohesive clump; break up clump with fingers and sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Repeat with remaining streusel.

Bake until cake is deep golden brown and toothpick comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

Drool-Worthy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Blueberries...

"How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways..."

So maybe Elizabeth Barrett Browning wasn't talking about blueberries when she wrote her famous poem, but she could have been.  Especially with fabulously sweet, perfectly round and beautifully blue little berries like these.

Every year, Brad and I look forward to the day when these huge buckets of blueberries are available at the farmer's market.  It's the best $20 you'll spend at the market...hands down.  Each year, we scoop up one of these buckets, and I get to work figuring out how to put them to good use.  And let me just tell you...The berries mysteriously  start disappearing handful by handful, thanks to my sneaky husband.  During blueberry season he can be found sneaking handfuls right and left, making a little game out of it.

Oh, that husband...  :)

One of our very favorite things to do on the weekend is indulge in Sunday morning pancakes.  The Sunday after our farmer's market trip, I whipped up these buttermilk pancakes and added a very generous cup of blueberries to the batter.  The results were nothing short of glorious.   Glorious, I tell you!

The buttermilk makes these pancakes extra fluffy and tender.  This weekend, pick up some berries from your local farmer's market and treat your family to these pancakes.  You'll be so glad that you did.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Adapted from:  The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook by Julie Fisher Gunter

Yield:  18 (4-inch pancakes)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 heaping cup of fresh blueberries

Maple syrup

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients; stir well.

Combine eggs, buttermilk, and oil in a bowl;  add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Stir in blueberries.

For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle.  Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked;  Turn and cook other side.  (Store unused batter in a tightly covered container in refrigerator up to 1 week.  If refrigerated batter is too thick, add milk or water to reach desired consistency.) 

Serve pancakes warm with butter and maple syrup.

Sunny-Side-Up Eggs with Baked Potato Hash & Bacon

A year ago, I wouldn't touch a sunny-side-up egg with a 10 foot pole.  There was just something about a runny yolk that completely turned me off.  It's funny how our tastes change over time, though.  I find myself being open to more and more foods that I disliked growing up.  And I have to admit, it's fun to cook a delicious dinner and then watch Brad realize that "Hey, maybe black olives aren't so bad after all, and wow...mushrooms really ARE good!"  We should all try new foods at LEAST once, right?  We might just be surprised.

Anchovies?  Well, that's a completely different story...I'm not quite there yet! 

With all of the egg recipes floating around in honor of the upcoming Easter holiday, I recently had a hankering for them one Sunday morning.  This recipe in my latest issue of Glamour magazine seemed like just the thing to calm that craving. And yes...it helped me conquer my fear of the dreaded runny yolk.

The beauty of this dish is that it's a very simple and quick breakfast to whip up on a lazy weekend morning, but it's equally as scrumptious as a comforting dinner.  Now, that's my kind of meal!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Sunny-Side-Up Eggs with Baked Potato Hash
Adapted from Glamour magazine, April 2012 issue

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon
3 white or yellow fleshed potatoes
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 tsp. olive or canola oil
2 sprigs thyme
1 spring rosemary
A pinch of paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
Butter
4 large eggs

Directions:
In a medium skillet, fry bacon over medium-low heat, until crisp.  Flip bacon several times while it's cooking, to avoid burning.  Remove cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate.  Once cooled, break the bacon into small bite-sized pieces and set to the side.

While the bacon is frying, prepare the hash...

For Hash:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch squares.  In a large bowl, toss potatoes and onions with oil until well-coated.  Stir in herbs, paprika, salt and pepper, and spread mixture onto a cookie sheet.  Bake until browned, turning occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook eggs:  Over low heat, melt butter in a small nonstick pan;  use just enough to lightly coat the bottom.  Crack an egg in a bowl (in case of bits of shell or broken yolk), then tip into pan.  Turn heat up to medium-high, and cook until outer white is fully set for sunny-side up.

For over easy, flip egg then reduce heat to low and cook until white is set but yolk is still runny, 10 to 15 seconds.  (If you like your yolk cooked a bit more, let the egg sit in the pan on low heat for another 15 to 20 seconds.)

Spoon hash onto plate, sprinkle bacon pieces over the hash, slide egg on top and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Repeat with remaining eggs.

Serves 4.

Feta, Basil and Roasted Red Pepper Muffins

I have a confession to make.

I am a total carbaholic.   Is that a word?  Well, sure it is.  It can be defined as this:

carb·a·hol·ic

noun

-A person addicted to carbs and all delicious things containing them, i.e. bread, pasta, muffins, etc.

Okay, okay...so maybe it's not THAT bad, but I sure do love homemade breads and other carb-y delights.  These muffins are a great fix for those cravings.  I crave carbs even more, now that Brad and I are training for the Rumpshaker 5K in March (which we are so excited about!).  At least, it makes me feel better to blame it on all that running on the treadmill!  :-)

These muffins are fabulously savory...a pleasant surprise from the usually sweet muffins that we are all used to.  Instead of biting into bits of fruit or sugar, these muffins surprise you with cheesy pockets of Greek feta and flavorful bits of roasted red bell pepper.  Throw some herbs into the mix, and you have yourself one delicious muffin.
  

The only change that I had to make was the substitution of dried thyme, instead of using fresh basil.  I would have preferred using the basil, but fresh, g00d-looking basil can be hard to find this time of year.  The dried thyme did add a nice little punch of flavor, though.

 These muffins are also very versatile.  I served them alongside a dinner of salmon, but they'd be equally perfect at breakfast with a few slices of bacon and some scrambled eggs.
  

Bon Appetit, my friends! 
 

Feta, Basil, & Roasted Red Pepper Muffins

Source:  The Art & Soul of Baking

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) jarred roasted red bell pepper, patted dry and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil
• 1 large egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and position an oven rack in the center.  Lightly coat the muffin tin with melted butter, oil, or high-heat canola-oil spray.  

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the feta cheese, roasted bell pepper, and chopped basil.  Set aside. Pour the buttermilk into the measuring cup.  Add the olive oil and the egg and whisk together until well blended.  

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well and stir gently with a spatula.  Mix only until there are no more streaks of flour or pools of liquid and the batter looks fairly smooth.  A few small lumps scattered throughout are fine - they will disappear during baking.  Gently fold in the feta cheese mixture until evenly distributed in the batter.

4. Use the large ice cream scoop or 2 soup spoons to divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops feel firm and a skewer inserted into the centers comes out clean.  Transfer the muffin tin to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. 

5. Gently run a thin knife or spatula around each muffin to free it from the pan, lift out the muffins, and transfer them to a rack to finish cooling (careful, these are tender while hot). Serve warm or store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for 1 month. Reheat room temperature muffins in oven at 375 for about 8 minutes or in microwave. 

Sausage and Grits - Creamy, Cheesy and Decadent!

When was the last time you had breakfast for dinner?  Breakfast foods are so delicious, so why don't we eat them for dinner more often?  That's exactly what Brad and I did recently with this comforting recipe for Sausage and Grits.

It had been a particularly long day, and this casserole was just the thing we both needed.  It's creamy, cheesy and decadent with every bite, which makes it oh-so-perfect!

While a lot of recipes for Sausage and Grits incorporate TONS of butter, cheese and eggs, my version is somewhat conservative when it comes to fat content.   I say "somewhat" because these ingredients are still included, just not at heart-stopping quantities.  

If you have guests visiting for the holidays, this Sausage and Grits Casserole will make such a wonderful dish for them to wake up to.  One bite, and they are guaranteed to feel loved!

Plus, you can make it up to 2 days in advance, keep it in the fridge and then bake it whenever you are ready.

Bon Appetit!

Sausage and Grits

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked grits

1 lb ground sausage

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 stick butter

1 egg

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tsp paprika

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  

Cook grits in 4 cups of salted water until thick.  Saute sausage, breaking it into small pieces.  When sausage is almost done, add onion to sausage and continue to saute until onions are soft and sausage is cooked through.  Drain sausage mixture to remove excess fat.

Add butter, egg, and 1 cup of the cheese to grits.  Combine grits mixture with sausage mixture.  

Pour into a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish and garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, paprika and parsley.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the casserole is bubbly and lightly brown on top.

The casserole can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking, and it also freezes well.

Scrumptious Strawberry Pancakes

Our little ritual of Sunday morning pancakes has to be one of my favorite parts of the week.  It's hard to beat sleeping in a little bit and enjoying a homemade breakfast consisting of a tall stack of mouth-watering pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs.  You know that any day that starts like that is bound to be a pretty fantastic day!

Last Friday was my birthday, and what a great day it was!  I got to see my family, and my sisters got to come stay with us all weekend.  When they are in town, I don't think we slow down the entire time....we just go, go, go!  Needless to say, this weekend was filled with a beautiful hike at Ruffner Mountain, meandering the booths at Homestead Hollow, pumpkin AND mum picking, and lots of shopping!  What fun!

On Sunday morning, I got up and made these pancakes for everyone.  I was thrilled with the way they tasted.  They were super easy and all the fresh strawberries were amazing.  One of my sisters isn't really crazy about pancakes and even she LOVED these!  

Make these on a Sunday morning and you'll be in love with them too.  :-)

Bon Appetit!

Halfway through our hike...

 

Flower power!  

 

I made pretty flower wreaths for their hair...

 

 

Me and the hubby

 

Suzanne and Maranne

 

Even Hannah had a blast!

Strawberry Pancakes
Source:   EveryDay with Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla. Preheat a nonstick griddle over medium heat.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the melted butter. The batter should be thick and smooth. Fold in the strawberries.
3. Spoon the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook the pancakes until set and thoroughly bubbly, about 3 minutes. Flip them with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Serve with butter and maple syrup.