Friday, July 20, 2012

Caffeinated Randomness - Family Traditions

Photobucket

This week I'm going to talk about traditions.  Every family has them.  A friend of mine just moved into her new house and asked people to comment on her Facebook page their families' traditions.  Some were simple like family movie night or board game night.  Some where seasonal like setting up Christmas lights the day after Halloween (for the record this is not me!).  Some were related to food.  

It got me thinking about my family's traditions.  We do seasonal stuff revolving around Christmas.  We have a tradition that on a person's birthday, they get to choose the food for all the meals of the days.  Sam really doesn't get to choose his food yet, but I make sure every meal is made with his favourites.  The one tradition that we do pretty regularly is Saturday morning pancakes.  I was inspired by Cindy Bultema.  She does Sundae Sundays.  She sets up a sundae bar for her family.  I tried this but always forgot to pick up whipped cream as it doesn't last a week in our house (the kids and I like to eat it).  The one thing I did always have in the house was the fixins for pancakes and syrup.  That's right I make the pancakes from scratch.  The recipe I use is pretty simple and from the Disney Cook Book.  

Most Saturday mid-mornings (I don't usually start cooking until around 9 am), I start making the pancakes. The first thing you need is your attractive lounge attire.  It is a must, at least for me.
My beautiful lounge wear.
I mix all my dry ingredients together.

 


I mix all my wet ingredients together.


I mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with my whisk.  (It's all very professional around here)


I then let my batter sit while I heat my electric fry pan.  You don't want to set it too hot or you end up cooking the outside of the pancakes, but not the inside.   


I take out my trusty scoop.  Which is about 2 tbsp.  I use two scoops per pancake.  I like my scoop as I get pretty uniform pancakes and very little mess or waste.  It is also great size for cookies too.


This last Saturday, someone who will remain nameless was impatient for the pancakes to be made and raided the Frootloops.


Once they are browned on one side flip them.


When they are brown on both sides serve.


I serve my pancakes with homemade syrup.  I found the recipe on Pinterest from Sugar Bean Bakers.  It is quick and very yummy.  I just keep filling up this bottle.  In the recipe she says keep only for week, but I keep in the fridge and it has kept quite well for at least a month.


I have made these pancakes for over three years now and have had very few complaints.  The nice thing about the recipe is that it is so simple and quick that if you need to double the recipe you can.  They freeze very well if you want to make more for later in the week, which I do during the school year.  You can also add blueberries or chocolate chips if you want. 

A very satisfied customer.
Another satisfied customer
Pancakes - makes about 10 med pancakes

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tbsp oil
1 egg

Measure out dry ingredients in large bowl.  Measure out liquid ingredients in another.  Mix together until smooth.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat.  Scoop the batter onto the frying pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.


I have learned that sometimes a family's traditions don't have to be ornate.   They can be very simple.  These are the things our kids are going to remember.  I remember having pancakes and bacon and eggs on Sundays growing up.  This is what I want my children to remember and to pass on to their children.  The fun of making the pancakes and the memories that you make while making them.

What are your family's traditions.  What do you like to do?  

Come link up your randomness this week.  We love to hear and read everyone's stories.




4 comments:

kendal said...

love this - i RARELY cook breaksfast. i like to cook, but not in the mornings. good for you. i'm writing from a family tradition right now - an annual beach trip with my extended family. where we do pretty much the same thigs every year. and we all LOVE it. 26 of us this year....

Deanna said...

I have a similar pancake recipe that we use all.the.time as well! I have not tried my own syrup though. I think I will test it out on my picky eaters this weekend!

Mindy @ New Equus - A New Creation said...

Your comfortable lounge attire looks a lot like my comfortable lounge attire! :) I'm going to have to have my Hubby check out the syrup recipe...he's the cook in the house! Great post! :)

Aritha V. said...

Oh, I also bake the pancakes that way. Only my pancakes are as big as a dinner plate ;-) We use other syrup like you. (Zeeuws meisje syrup). I'll follow your link and will read about your syrup, maybe I can also make it.

Family traditions: the child may choice tot eat on his/her birthday, which is always fries with mayonaisse, we sing always Psalm 121 on a birthday (among other songs) and we always eat cheesecake at a party (of French cheese made).

Nice blog!

My photo
Alberta, Canada
I'm a 39 year old (oh yeah I'm telling you my age) Stay at Home mom. A former Bad Girl now reformed sinner, I'm married to my Y2K guy and raising 3 great children from God. Proudly Canadian, however, missing the West Coast, I currently live in the prairies watching the farmers fields produce as I learn how God produces the fruits in me.
FacebookTwitter
Email
RSS

Mini Me

Mini Me

Middleman

Middleman

Tormentinator

Tormentinator

Friends and Neighbours

Where I travel