Granola-Yogurt Pancakes

From Lou Seibert Pappas's Pancakes & Waffles, page 20.

I know, I know . . . another pancake recipe.  I just am in a pancake phase right now.  These pancakes claimed to have a crunch from the granola, but mine did not.  Perhaps it was the type of granola I used.  (Or it may have been how long my three-year old was mixing the batter while I fed his little brother some breakfast--multitasking fail.)  Even so, I loved them!  They were deliciously chewy and filling.  I topped mine with granola, fresh fruit, and (you guessed it) Buttermilk Syrup.

1 1/2 cups granola
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola or nut oil

In a bowl, combine the granola, flours, sugar (if using), baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl, beat or whisk together the yogurt, eggs, and oil.  Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and grease lightly.  For each pancake, spoon or pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle.  Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes.  Turn over and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute more.

Notes:
- I accidentally left out the brown sugar and was happy I did because I think my pancakes would have turned out too sweet otherwise.  Use your own judgment and add as much or as little of the brown sugar as you want, depending on the sweetness of your granola.
- I used French Vanilla Almond granola to make these, but the possibilities are as plentiful as the types of granola you can find (I can't wait to try this recipe with the Gingersnap, Cherry Vanilla, and Pumpkin varieties of granola in the bulk bins at our Smith's!)
- This batter was somewhat thick, so I tried to spread it out a little after pouring it into the skillet.  I wasn't keeping close track of the time, but I think it took longer than the recipe says.

Four-Grain Fitness Pancakes

From Lou Seibert Pappas's Pancakes & Waffles, page 18.

I was really excited to try these pancakes, and they did not disappoint!  They were hearty with a hint of spice from the cardamom.  The texture was great, and so was the flavor.  Pappas recommends topping them with plain yogurt and fresh fruit, but I just couldn't resist that delicious Buttermilk Syrup from my sister's blog.  At least I used the fruit, though.

Yield: About fourteen 4" pancakes.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup rye or oat flour
1/2 cup barley or buckwheat flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbs. honey or maple syrup

Notes:
- For the life of me, I couldn't find rye flour, so I used oat flour.  (You can make oat flour by processing oats in a food processor.)  After all, Pappas suggests, "Vary these healthful pancakes with the grains at hand."  She also recommends tossing in toasted sesame seeds or toasted chopped nuts.
- Look for buckwheat flour in the bulk bin section of your grocery store.
- Look for the wheat germ in the cereal aisle.

Ricotta Souffle Pancakes with Raspberries

From Lou Seibert Pappas's Pancakes & Waffles, page 24.

See how I'm finally getting around to trying all these delicious pancake and waffle recipes?  Pappas writes that these are "a treat for brunch or dessert," and I totally agree.  Though I made a breakfast out of them until they were all gone.  They're light and fluffy but somehow kept me full.  I'll definitely be making these again.

 Yield: About sixteen 3 1/2-inch pancakes.


4 large eggs, separated
2 Tbs. sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup fresh raspberries for topping

In a bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, then beat in the sugar until medium glossy peaks form.

In another bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and pale in color, then beat in the cheese, flour, butter, zest, and salt.  Fold 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in the remaining egg whites.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and grease lightly.  For each pancake, spoon about 3 large tablespoons batter onto the hot griddle.  Cook slowly for about 1 1/2 minutes until golden brown underneath, then turn the pancakes over and cook about another 30 seconds longer.

Notes:
- I used part-skim ricotta, which didn't seem to cause any problems.
- This recipe made me wish I either had another mixing bowl for my Kitchen-Aid or a little hand mixer that I could use for the egg yolks.  As it was, I gently scooped the beaten egg whites into another bowl so I could use the mixer for the yolks (tried doing it by hand--too tiring for me!).
- I made a glaze out of 1 Tbs. melted butter, the juice from 1/2 a lemon, probably 1/2 tsp. (maybe a little more) lemon zest, and enough powdered sugar to make it the consistency I wanted.  YUM!

Classic Buttermilk Pancakes

From Lou Seibert Pappas's Pancakes & Waffles, page 13.

I was given this book along with a waffle maker at my bridal shower, and although I frequently found myself staring dreamily at the recipes and pictures, I am embarrassed to admit that until recently I had only ever made two (Caramel-Pecan Waffles and Swiss Whipped Honey Butter).  But then I gave these buttermilk pancakes a go, and I love them!  Typically I prefer something heartier (whole wheat, multigrain, oatmeal) or exciting (Pumpkin Spice).  Combine these with the delicious Buttermilk Syrup that I stole from my sister over at Rate the Plate Utah, though, and I can't help loving these yummy, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth pancakes.  Mmmm.

Yield: about fourteen 4" pancakes


2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, separated
2 cups + 2 Tbs. buttermilk
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, or canola oil

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a small, deep bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft, glossy peaks form.  In another bowl, beat or whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, and butter.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Fold in the egg whites.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and grease lightly.  For each pancake, spoon or pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle.  Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes.  Turn over and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute more.  Serve immediately or transfer pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200F oven.  Bake remaining batter as directed.  Top with butter and maple syrup, Swiss Whipped Honey Butter, or Maple Sugar-Pecan Butter.

Buttermilk Syrup

From Rate the Plate Utah.

I fully realize that if you read my blog, you've likely already seen this recipe on my sister's blog.  But oh well, I can't help myself!  It's kind of like those Pumpkin Spice Pancakes I posted in December: I can't get enough.  As soon as my first batch was out, I made another.  It's like I have to have it in my fridge at all times.  Maple syrup just doesn't cut it anymore!  My 3-year old is even addicted to the stuff (okay, so that's no surprise--it's sugar).  Forgive the lack of a decent picture.  Syrup is apparently hard for me to photograph.

This is a terrible picture, but at least you can see how deliciously thick and gooey the syrup is, even after sitting on my hot pancakes.

1 cup butter

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups sugar

2 Tbs. corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

Put butter, buttermilk, sugar, & corn syrup in a large pot.  Bring to a boil, and boil for 3-5 minutes.  Add vanilla & baking soda (it will foam up . . . a lot).  Stir with a wire whisk.  Serve.

Notes:

- I use lite Karo syrup for the corn syrup.

- My 3-quart pot wasn't large enough for the extreme foaminess, so I've switched to my 5-quart pot.  Adding the baking soda is my son's favorite part--he's obsessed with volcanoes and hot lava.

- The syrup becomes thicker and gooier in the fridge.  The last time I made it, I may have overcooked it because it's more like a thick caramel sauce and I have to let it come to room temperature before I can hope to have it run off of the spoon and onto my waiting pancakes.  Still tastes divine, though.

Swiss Whipped Honey Butter

From Lou Seibert Pappas's Pancakes & Waffles, page 74.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

2/3 cup honey
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a small bowl, combine the honey and butter and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the cream and beat until blended.  Spoon into a small bowl and serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Note:
- I really like adding cinnamon to ours!

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

From Annie's Eats.

Yes, more pumpkin.  I've gone a little pumpkin crazy, okay?  Pumpkin pie doesn't quite have the same appeal for me that it did when I was a kid, and so I guess I've been making up for the lack of pumpkin in other ways this Fall.  Anyway.  These pancakes are wonderful!  The day after I finished off the first batch, I made another.  It's like pumpkin pie, but better.  Much better.  I like to eat mine with maple syrup and a big scoop (dollop? not here) of sweetened whipped cream.  Mmm.  Just thinking about it makes me want to make them again.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of ground cloves
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 Tbs. vegetable oil or melted butter

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.  In a separate bowl (or large liquid measuring cup), mix together milk, pumpkin puree, egg, and oil or butter.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined.  Lumpy batter is perfectly acceptable.

Drop 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter onto a greased skillet or griddle heated over medium.  When edges are dry and little bubbles begin to form on the top, carefully flip with a spatula and cook the second side until golden brown, a couple more minutes.

Repeat with the rest of the batter until it has all been cooked.

Notes:
- I really like to eat mine with maple syrup and sweetened whipped cream.
- I have also used buttermilk instead of the milk when I was trying to use it up.
- You can keep the cooked pancakes warm in a 200F oven while you finish using up the rest of the batter.
- I like to freeze leftover pancakes (regardless of what kind they are) wrapped in plastic wrap and/or in freeze bags with the air squeezed out.  To reheat, stick a couple of them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds and then finish in the toaster at a low setting, just to take out the sogginess crisp up the outside a little bit.

Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan) via Perry's Plate.

I was craving something pumpkiny after Halloween ended and made my husband pick up a can of pumpkin puree at the store one day, even though he's not so fond of the stuff.  These muffins are so delicious!  Not too sweet, with just the right amount of pumpkin and spices.  Even my husband admitted that they were good, for a pumpkin muffin (he based his opinion on texture).  Our toddler was really excited about them and has eaten the equivalent of maybe one muffin; when it comes down to it, he's a cereal boy like his daddy.  So that leaves me.  I made these probably four days ago . . . and we have one muffin left. *sigh*  Good thing there's more pumpkin in the fridge.

Yield: 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground allspice
1 stick (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
About 1/3 cup slivered almonds, for topping

Preheat oven to 400F.  Prepare muffin pan by lining with paper cups or greasing 12 molds.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the butter at medium speed until soft.  Add both sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth.  Add eggs, mixing after each addition, then beating for one minute after the eggs are incorporated.  Beat in vanilla.  On low speed, mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk, then add the dry ingredients in a steady stream, mixing only until they disappear.  Stir in nuts.

Divide the batter evenly among a dozen muffin cups and sprinkle a few slivered almonds over the top of each.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a cooling rack.

Notes:
- The recipe originally called for 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/2 cup nuts, but I don't do raisins.  It also called for 1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds for the top, but I didn't have those and used the almonds instead.
- Don't be tempted to under-fill the muffin cups or divide the batter between more than 12 cups.  They will be very (and I mean it) full--to the point that the batter will likely be higher than the sides of your muffin pan.  But since it's pretty thick, you won't end up with a big runny mess.  Just trust me.

Multi-Grain Twisted Cinnamon Ring

From Healthy Cooking (Oct./Nov. 2011), page 40.

I decided to try making this ring after one of my sisters raved about the rolls.  I typically don't have luck with yeast breads, so I was surprised that this actually turned out for me.  And it was yummy!  This recipe can also be used for rolls or a pull-apart loaf (just follow whichever directions you want at the end of the recipe).

Prep: 30 min + rising / Bake: 15 min.
Yield: 1 ring / 1 loaf / 1 dozen rolls

Dough:
1 pkg. (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
3 Tbs. butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
6 1/2 tsp. half-and-half cream
4 1/2 tsp. butter, softened

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add the oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, butter, egg, salt, and 1 cup flour.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down.  Roll into an 18x12-inch rectangle; spread with butter.  Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough to within 1/2 inch of edges.

For Icing: In a small bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, cream, and butter until smooth.

Now choose one of the following three methods of finishing the recipe:

For Twisted Cinnamon Ring:
Roll up jell-roll style, starting with a long side.  Cut roll in half lengthwise.  Place dough side by side on a greased baking sheet.  Twist together, cut side up; shape into a ring.  Pinch ends together.  Cover and let rise until doubled about 45 minutes.  Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pan to a wire rack.  Drizzle glaze over warm bread.

For Cinnamon Rolls:
Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seams to seal.  Cut into 12 slices.  Place cut sides down in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.  Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.

For Cinnamon Pull-Apart Loaf:
Cut into thirty-six 3x2-inch rectangles.  Make two stacks of 18 rectangles.  Place, cut sides up, in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.  Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.  Drizzle glaze over warm bread.

Notes:
- Confession: I don't hand-knead for very long if I can help it.  I just switch from the paddle to the dough hook attachment on my Kitchen-Aid mixer and call it good. :)

Banana Oat Muffins

Adapted from AllRecipes.com.

Prep: 15 min / Cook: 25-30 min.
Yield: 12-18 muffins

1 cup + 1 Tbs rolled oats, divided
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 large very ripe bananas
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Streusel topping:
1/3 cup rolled oats
4 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs. butter, chilled
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups

Place 1 cup rolled oats in a food processor and process until ground.  In a large bowl, combine ground oats with flours, 1 Tbs. rolled oats, chopped nuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the banana and vanilla.  Stir in sour cream.  Mix oat/flour mixture into the egg mixture.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan.

To make topping, combine 1/3 cup rolled oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in 1/4 cup chopped nuts.  Generously sprinkle muffins with topping.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Notes:
- One reviewer said she chose not to process the oats because she liked their texture, so do what you want.
- The original recipe also called for 1 tsp. of baking soda but neglected to say when to add it.  I completely forgot about the baking soda and the muffins turned out just fine.
- I didn't pre-mash my bananas even though the original recipe said to.  I'm getting lazy.
- I was short on sour cream and ended up using a Tbs. or so of vanilla yogurt to make up for it.  No problems.

Oatmeal Pancakes (Coach's Oats)

Adapted from the back of the package for Coach's Oats.

Yield: about 15 pancakes.

These slightly chewy, heart-healthy pancakes are a great way to eat oatmeal and offer a nice change from the traditional boxed-mix pancakes.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup Coach's Oats
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk
1 cup water

In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  In another bowl combine eggs, vanilla, milk, and water.  Add liquid to dry ingredients.  Stir mixture until well blended.

Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot, lightly greased griddle.  Cook both sides until golden brown.

Notes:
- Coach's Oats are 100% whole grain steel-cut oats, and they are delicious.  Buy yourself a huge bag at Costco and be happy.  My son loves them so much that the sample guy at Costco gave him two helpings; we were sold and took one of the bags off of the display table.  Anyway, you could probably make these with rolled oats, too, but I haven't tried it.
- The recipe says it makes 16-18 pancakes, but my batch made 15.
- The original recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I've started using whole wheat instead.
- You can make these into waffles by adding more liquid--about 1/4 cup each of water and milk if you make the full batch.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Yield: six 4-5" pancakes.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbs. oil
1 scant cup milk

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.

Mix together egg, oil, and milk in a small bowl; add to dry ingredients.  Stir until blended.

Cook in 1/4 cup amounts in a skillet over medium heat.

Notes:
- A "scant cup" is just barely under a cup.  If you don't like your pancakes quite so thick, add more milk. I tend to use probably 1 1/4 cups.
- The recipes calls for cooking these over medium-high heat, but whenever I've tried that, I've ended up overcooking the outside while the middle is left gooey.  Not good for pancakes.  You may want to experiment with the heat you cook these over.  Also know that the first pancake will look totally different from all the rest--it won't get as dark.
- This recipe is from a food storage cookbook that I don't know the name of.

Crispy and Creamy Donuts

From AllRecipes.com, submitted by Kelly.

Total time: Anywhere from 2 1/2 to 4 hours
Yield: About 3 dozen donuts + holes

These donuts don't quite mimic the brand their name plays on, but they were very, very yummy!  We'll make them again for sure . . . sometime.  Donuts aren't an all-the-time thing, you know.

2 (.25 oz) envelopes active dry yeast (or 2 Tbs.)
1/4 cup warm water (105-115 F)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Glaze
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbs. (or as needed) hot water

Sprinkle yeast over warm water and let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy.

In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups flour.  Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon.  Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl.  Knead for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover.  Set in a warm place to rise until double.  Dough is ready if you touch it and the indentation remains.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently roll to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut with a floured donut cutter.  Let donuts sit out to rise again until double.  Cover loosely with a cloth.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in hot water one Tbs. at a time until the glaze is somewhat thin but not watery.  Set aside.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 F (175 C).  Slide donuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula.  Turn donuts over as they rise to the surface.  Fry donuts on each side until golden brown.  Remove from hot oil to drain on wire rack.  Dip donuts into the glaze while still hot and set onto wire racks to drain off excess.

Other Topping/Filling Ideas:
- Powdered sugar
- Cinnamon/sugar mix
- Alton Brown's chocolate glaze (we wanted to try this but forgot to make it)
- Melted chocolate (that's what lazy me did)
- Maple glaze (didn't have time, but I'm thinking of trying the recipe HERE next time--there's also an orange glaze)
- Sprinkles
- Vanilla pudding (I left a few donuts intact so I can fill them)
- Jam or fruit purees (but you could have pudding!)
- Anything else you can think of!

Notes:
- We used canola oil instead of vegetable oil.  Just make sure what you use is safe for deep-frying and doesn't have a low flash point; you don't want to have an oil fire.
- My dough always stuck to the side of the bowl, but it was really easy to scrape out.  I admit I lost count of how much flour I put in (oops!).  I got to what I thought was 5 cups, but the dough was still really sticky looking.  After trying to count back on how much flour I had added, I decided to go ahead and add another cup.  So I'm not sure if I added 5 or 6 cups.
- I love my mixer.  I used the paddle to mix things in and then switched to the dough hook for the kneading.  Yeah right I'm going to knead by hand for 5 minutes!  Ha!
- The indentation in my dough remained even before it doubled in size, so . . . I let it keep rising.
- Donut cutter?  Really?  I used a 3" biscuit cutter and then used the mouth of a small glass bottle to cut out the centers.  I think the mouth of a plastic water or soda bottle would work, too.
- One reviewer said that she let her donuts rise on wax paper sprayed with Pam, so I did, too.  Matt thought it made it harder to pick them up--do what you want.
- We were so involved in the donuts that I forgot about the glaze until the last minute, so I cheated.  I melted the butter in the microwave and slowly added the powdered sugar.  I'm sure it would be easier to do it on the stove, but it worked in a pinch.
- We don't have a thermometer that measures up to 350 F, so I looked up some ways to test the oil without one.  Check HERE and HERE for some methods you can use.
- If you're using a deep fryer, you'll want to check your directions before using it (duh).  Ours says donuts take 2-4 minutes, but I'm not sure they even took that long.  Just make sure you test the insides every now and then to make sure they're cooked through.
- Donut holes are harder to fry since they don't want to flip over once the first side is cooked.  We wasted 8 or 9 before we figured that out.  Matt decided to fry them one at a time and just hold them under the oil with the spider--presto!  He's a genius.

Orange Julius

Serves 4

1/4 cup sugar

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

10-15 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until ice cubes are crushed and drink reaches desired consistency.

Notes:

- I tend to like my orange julius thicker, so after the initial ice cubes are blended up, I add a few at a time until it's thick enough.

Flax Seed Waffles

I modified the waffle recipe on the Bisquick box to include more flax seed in our diets.  We've found this is actually a really easy way to do it, and you can hardly taste the flax seed.

1 cup Bisquick

1 egg

1 cup milk (more or less, depending on how thick you prefer the batter)

3 Tbs. flax seed, finely ground

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla, optional

2 dashes cinnamon, optional

Whisk together all ingredients.  Cook as usual.  Eat with your favorite toppings.

Notes:
- You can also modify the pancake recipe--just make sure to add more liquid.  If you half the recipe on the box, still use the amount of eggs for a full recipe.