Oatmeal Pancakes

I've been MIA this week. The internet worked when we first arrived in Sta. Rosa and the morning we left -- at which point I was too busy cleaning and packing to use it. We made it home Thursday night and yesterday I had no writing mojo so I simply caught up on reading the blog posts everyone had written since Monday... between four loads of laundry and continuing with the small sewing projects. I am bound and determined to finish at least one of them this weekend!

Thought my plan was thwarted when I hooked up my Pfaff last evening and the peddle didn't work. But Mr. Fix It husband had it humming along in no time. Thanks honey!

Do you ever have a lot to say and don't know where to start? That's where I am. So rather than go on and on and on...and on, I'm going to share some food related items with you. Because that's who I am and that's what you get. 

We had a most delicious dinner last night that included lettuce and green onions from our garden. Baked potatoes were topped with butter, sour cream, the green part of green onions, freshly shredded Fontina cheese and chunks of bacon. For salad I tossed the thinly sliced white sections of green onions, lettuce and a sprinkling of fire engine red pepper chunks with olive oil, salt and a light Rosé balsamic vinegar. The last item I found a few months ago and we are on our third bottle. It's balsamic lite, in a sense; doesn't have quite the bite a traditional balsamic has, but it does have the sweetness and just the right amount of tang. In my humble opinion.

Hungry yet?

Then how about I share a hearty autumn recipe for those of you in the northern hemisphere. Although those here in the south would enjoy them too.

OATMEAL PANCAKES

*Note: Must start these the night before!!!*

2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (i.e. NOT INSTANT)

2 c. buttermilk, plus a bit more

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

2 t. sugar

1-1/2 t. baking powder

1-1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1/4 stick butter, melted and cooled

vegetable oil for frying

Partially prepare batter the night before: in a small bowl, combine oatmeal and 2 c. buttermilk. Cover and refridgerate overnight.
The next morning, sift together dry ingredients and set aside. In a larger mixer bowl beat the eggs until frothy. Add butter and blend, then add oatmeal mixture. Quickly blend in flour mixture. Batter will be very thick so you may need to add buttermilk -- CAUTION: one tablespoon at a time until it's the right consistency.
Fry pancakes, using heaping tablespoon of batter for each cake, and flatten to about 3/4" thickness. Pancakes will puff when turned over.
Serve however you like: with syrup, sauteed apples, powdered sugar...or WHATEVER. They're your pancakes; eat 'em how you want!

~ brought to you by Cooking from Quilt Country: 

Hearty Recipes from Amish & Mennonite Kitchens

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Okay, so attempt #3 with the no bake cookies failed as well last weekend.

I Am A No Bake Failure.

What am I doing wrong? I followed the recipe TO.THE.LETTER. They were dry and crumbly and we again ate them with a spoon. Because it is hard to eat the crumbs with the fingers. And eat them, yes we did. Not as good as batch #2 but definitely edible.

Could it be the higher altitude? We're at about 4,000' elevation. Would that make a difference?

Perhaps my ingredients here aren't equivalent to what I'd get in the U.S.? But it's basic stuff and I don't see how it could be that different. Sugar is sugar. Right?

I have not given up, oh no I have not. The fight has just begun! I am off to the store this morning to buy yet more oatmeal. I'm going to attempt recipe #2 again but add more oatmeal to see if that prevents it from being too gooey.

Although gooey is good. Sometimes I'm in a gooey mood.