Oh so good (for you) butternut pancakes

So I've been making pancakes several mornings a week for at least 2 years now. They are so easy for little ones to eat and I feel like I'm giving them something substantial to start their mornings off right. Also ... the leftovers are great snacks for later in the day!

I started out using my mom's delicious recipe, but have tweaked it here and there over the years and this is what I've come up with that we all like! :)

Mix together these dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
1 1/4 c. flour (white whole wheat from King Arthur is my favorite!)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp. ground flaxseed (I grind it myself using our coffee grinder. Works great and I know it's fresh!)

Mix together these wet ingredients then pour into the well of your dry ingredients.
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. apple sauce
1/4 cup pureed butternut squash
1 1/4 c milk

Mix batter until all is combined.
I use 1/4 cup measure to pour batter onto pre-heated pan/griddle. And I use a non-stick skillet and if it's preheated then I don't have to use any butter or oil to keep them from sticking!
We also like to add mini-chocolate chips, blueberries, diced apples, or bananas (for you Ry!) etc. in the pancakes. I just put them on the pancakes individually after they're on the pan and cooking. Yum!
Makes 8-10 pancakes

**Added BONUS ** I really enjoy this blog Simple Bites and here are some yummy homemade syrup recipes to try on your pancakes! We've only made the Buttery Maple one so far and LOVED it!

Unfried Chinese Rice

This has recently become a favorite in our home as it's SO easy, healthy and goes well as a side with many Asian flavored main dishes! We have it almost once a week. I found it on Recipezaar.com. Sorry there's no picture for this one!

UNFRIED CHINESE RICE

2 1/2 c uncooked jasmine rice (or you could use brown for an even healthier version)
1/2 c finely diced ham or bacon (I usually leave this out, especially if it's a side dish)
1 1/2c FROZEN peas (yes, leave them frozen ... no need to thaw)
2 eggs, scrambled and chopped
3-4 diced spring/green onions
1/2 - 1 c grated carrots (I added these for color and it's healthier!)
1/4 - 1/3c soy sauce
1/8 tsp ground ginger (I usually grate up fresh ginger)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground pepper

1. Cook rice following directions on package or in your rice cooker.
2. While rice is cooking, place all other ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
3. When rice is finished, put hot rice directly on top of other ingredients in the bowl and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Stir well and serve immediately.

** This recipe is a great leftover (and I don't like leftovers!) ... still tastes so fresh the next day!

Did you know?

Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in a crock pot and get the same kind of goodness that a store bought rotisserie chicken offers? Well... it's true! My mom said that many of her friends in New Zealand cook their chicken this way and I thought I'd give it a shot.

It was SO EASY! All I did was buy a whole chicken, put it in the crock pot, sprinkled on some salt and dried basil, added 1/8 of a cup of water (which I'm not sure was really needed) and turned it on HIGH. Three hours later I had a completely cooked chicken that I can make several meals from. It was SO moist and had soaked up the flavor of the salt & basil perfectly! And a plus for the summer time ... there was no heat pouring from my oven! Hooray for crock pots!

My mom also suggested dividing the chicken pieces up into measured amounts (2 cups, 4 cups, etc) and freezing them for later casseroles/recipes that call for cooked chicken.

Thanks to my mom for a money-saver, time-saver, heat-free tip! :)

Minted Melon Grilled Chicken

One of my friends here just had surgery and I took her family a meal. She asked for meals that were light, low-fat & with chicken. Hmmmm... I was going to have to search online. I found this one on Better Recipes (betterrecipes.com). It was a hit at her house & here in ours too! We really thought it was a great summer recipe because it was really refreshing with the relish. Hope you enjoy too!

Minted Melon Grilled Chicken
(by roxiechan submitted on Betterrecipes.com)

• Rub:
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound total
• Glaze:
• 1/4 cup mint jelly, melted
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• Melon Relish:
• 1 cup small dice cantalope melon
• 1 cup small dice honeydew melon
• 2 Tbsp minced red onion
• 2 Tbsp snipped mint leaves
• 2 Tbsp minced crystallized ginger
• 1 small stalk celery, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp grated lime peel
• garnish- mint sprigs

Method

Combine the ingredients for the rub and coat the chicken. Combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl. Put 1 Tbsp of the glaze into a medium bowl along with the ingredients for the relish. Mix well and place on a serving platter. Place the chicken breasts on an oiled grill rack over medium high heat 4-6 inches from the heat source. Cook 5-7 minutes per side or till the chicken tests done (165 degrees). During the last 2 minutes of cooking brush each side of the breasts with glaze and cook 1 more minute per side. Arrange the glazed chicken on top of the relish. Garnish wit mint sprigs.

Notes:

Number of servings: Serves 4

Brown Sugar Meatloaf ... dee-lish!

I got this recipe from the Easy Recipe link (thanks to who ever put that link on!) and made it tonight for dinner. Yummy! Josh really liked it ... he is a meatloaf lover. It has simple ingredients but a great taste.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf:

1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C ketchup
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 C milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt (it was a little salty so I think next time I'll use only 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 C finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs (about 10-15 crackers)

Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly grease a 5 x 9 loaf pan.
Press the brown sugar into the bottom of pan and spread with ketchup.
In a mixing bowl thoroughly mix all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf.
Place loaf on top of ketchup.
Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hr or until juices run clear.

Honey Baked Chicken

I just got this recipe from a friend here and made it tonight. It is not really super healthy (because of the butter & salt... but there's not too much in it) and it is SO yummy and EASY! I made sure my sides were more on the healthy side tonight ... baked sweet potato, brown rice, aparagus ... and I think that might even things out a bit. :) This dish has a little bit of the flavor of everyone's fave ... Karen's Chicken & Broccoli Casserole. I think because of the curry in it. I hope you enjoy it too!

4-6 chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, wings, etc) whatever you have on hand
1/3 c. of melted butter
1/3 c. of honey
2 tsp. mustard ... not the powdered mustard ... the regular yellow mustard
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Place chicken in a 9x13
Combine all the ingredients and pour over top of chicken. Cover with foil & bake 45 mins @ 350. (I basted it once near the end of the cooking time).
And viola! .... Dinner is ready!

Mount Kilimanjaro

The recipe for this yummy goodness came from Esther Wilhelm years ago and I have used it for many group dinners. Today I made it for a birthday lunch and it was voted "best comfort food" that they've had in a long time. It's really a fun, refreshing and always delicious dish because you can top it with whatever pleases your taste buds!

The recipe is for a larger group so if I'm making it for just our family I usually make a half batch.

3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery salt
2 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk
4 cooked chicken breasts, cut into small pieces or meat from a store roasted chicken
cooked rice (to put sauce over)

Melt butter and remove from heat.
Stir in flour and salts.
Return to heat and slowly stir in broth and milk until all is smooth.
Cook over low heat until bubbly.
Add curry powder and cooked chicken and cook over low heat until ready to serve.

Toppings (all these are chopped or diced to your liking):
pineapple
banana
mandarin oranges
green pepper
onion
raisins
lightly salted peanuts
AND
coconut flakes (which is the snow that tops Mount Kilimanjaro!)
*you can add more toppings these are just the ones that I always have ready to offer.

ENJOY!