are things complicated yet?

The best Sunday pancakes you'll ever have

We have developed a Sunday pancake habit that is quickly turning into something of a family tradition around here. I make the batter, Chris cooks them and Jake looks at us as if he is starving and eventually we give him a pancake too.

We used to travel so much on the weekends. But we've made a conscious effort to cut back - no more going out of town just to see people - there's got to be a really good reason for us to give up our weekend these days.

And so, since we have the luxury of Sunday mornings back in our possession we've been making the most of it with delicious, light, fluffy pancakes almost every Sunday - topped with butter, honey and raspberries.

Go on, give 'em a whirl - I promise you'll love them.

Sunday Pancakes

2 c flour
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 large egg
3 T butter, melted
2 c buttermilk*

Whisk the first 5 ingredients together.  Whisk egg, butter, buttermilk in a separate bowl.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir with a long-tined fork very gently until just incorporated. Lumps should remain; take care not to overmix.

Cook 'em on the griddle and enjoy.

*If you don't have buttermilk simply add 1T lemon juice to milk and let sit a few minutes to thicken. 

I was thisclose to The World's Largest Smoker

Last Friday I was next to this behemoth at a stoplight.  It's the worlds largest smoker and grill and slow smokes 2,000 pounds of meat at a time.

Seriously, be impressed.  Nowhere but Texas would this show up at a stoplight in front of Starbucks.  Nowhere.

Is this neat? Or just dorky on a totally new level?

Nothing to do this weekend?  Not a problem!  I have something to satisfy the inner foodie/voyeur that I'm certain lives inside of you since you are reading my blog and that proves you're something of a voyeur to start with.  Also, let's be honest, who does not love food?  Nobody?  Great.  We are all set then.

Meet Chef Ciaran Duffy, from Tristan restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina.  Every weekend on Thursday, Friday and Saturday he wears a little camera on his head while he cooks and streams the whole thing live.

It's no "Hell's Kitchen" with elimination rounds but it's weirdly fascinating.  So, if you don't have cable like, uh, some people I might know, then this might be just what you need for impromptu weekend entertainment.

Or not.  Whatever.  People without cable do have other things to do besides lurk on the internet for hours and hours you know.

Berry Cobbler Sunday is my kind of Sunday

It's Cobbler Sunday!  Don't you just want to eat this web page?  Mmmmmmmm.

 

I modified this recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks! and I think it was delish.  So, go buy some berries and have yourself a Berry Cobbler Sunday too.  This takes about ten minutes to throw together and you'll love it.  No rolling pin required (the best part about the recipe).

Sunday Berry Cobbler

½ c melted butter, set aside.

Combine 1c sugar and 1 c self rising flour in a bowl and whisk in 1 c milk and 1 t vanilla.  Whisk in melted butter.  Pour into a buttered 9 x 9 baking dish.

Rinse two cups (or more) cobbler worthy fruit.  You can use frozen but it is SUMMER people so please do yourself a favor and save those frozen berries for winter.  Enjoy nature's bounty as it was intended: with a lot of sugar and butter on top of it.

I used raspberries, blackberries and blueberries today.  Sprinkle them into the baking dish evenly.  It should look like this:

I know, awesome huh?  We're not done yet though.

Sprinkle 1/4 c sugar on top of the fruit and batter, slide into the oven at 350 for an hour.  At ten minutes left, put another teaspoon of sugar on top to make it all crusty and yummy.

Serve with vanilla ice cream for maximum summer fun.  The vanilla ice cream is crucial.  Whipped cream will do in a pinch, but ice cream is much preferred.