Strawberry-Banana-Chocolate Chip Pancakes

A simple adaptation of this recipe from "dakota kelly" on Allrecipes.com.

Yield = About 9 pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp. white sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg (beaten)
3 tbsp. butter, melted (canola or vegetable oil can also be used)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 chopped banana
1 cup chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Pour the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla into the center and mix until smooth.

Gently mix in the banana and strawberry pieces, and then the chocolate chips.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray. Ladle the batter onto the pan to make a couple pancakes at a time (or as many as your pan can fit). After a minute or so flip your pancakes to cook evenly on both sides. Serve hot.

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm thinking that blending my leftover frozen strawberries into a syrup to eat with these might be extra delicious. :)

Autumn Salad

This salad is by no means specific to autumn, but it uses ingredients associated with the fall, and "apple-carrot-turkey bacon-etc.-etc. salad" didn't have a very nice ring to it.

Yield = 3 Salads

This picture was taken before I thought of adding carrots, and before I'd put on dressing. Imagine little orange slivers and some red goop:)

5 oz. mixed greens              

1 gala apple

~ 6 baby carrots

4 strips turkey bacon

40g sweetened, dried cranberries 

28 g crumbled goat cheese

16 g honey roasted pecans

~ 5 tbsp. fat-free Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing (I use the Panera brand)

Divide the greens into three containers. Chop your apple into little pieces and divide into thirds. Add each pile of apples to a different salad. Chop up your carrots and do the same. Cook the turkey bacon in the microwave and crumble it up over your salads (1 1/3 slice per salad). Measure out your dried cranberries and goat cheese and distribute them evenly across your salads. Chop up your pecans and sprinkle them evenly across your salads.

Add dressing to taste before serving. I like just under 2 tbsp. per salad.

Oatmeal Lacies

This is possibly our favorite (and possibly our only) traditional family recipe. They're easy to make and are always a hit.

2 ½ Cups quick oats

1 Cup butter, melted

1 ½ Cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

1 T molasses

3 T flour

1 egg, beaten

Melt butter and sugar.  Mix with oats and let sit, covered, overnight.  (room temperature)

The next day, preheat oven to 330 degrees (for a convection oven).  Combine remaining ingredients.  Mix with oat mixture.  Drop by precise teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper covered cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.  (Parchment paper is critical.)  Bake until edges start to brown, around 6-8 minutes.  Watch carefully so they don’t burn!  Allow to cool slightly since cookies are very limp at first.

**I’m not actually sure what the yield is on this…figure about 90 or so.

**If you use a “normal”, non-convect oven, figure 340 degrees and 8-9 minutes. There’s always a little experimentation needed with the first tray to find the right time/ temp combo.