Breakfast is served!

This is a rare.....RARE weekend post.  Brought to you in part due to the icky, gloomy, rainy weather we have passing through our area today.   It is also the first time in 6 weeks that we have nothing on the calendar.  NOTHING!  As much as I love our busy, active life, this is a very welcome break in the action.

I know it's lunch time now, but I'm just now sitting down to eat my breakfast.  With the onset of above mentioned weather this morning I took the opportunity to "sleep in" until 7 a.m. (that's like noon in my book).  Even then, I lounged around in bed, watching tv, catching up on emails, reading a weeks worth of blog posts from all the ones I follow and sipping some coffee.  Throw in some snuggle time with my little ones who eventually woke up and it was turning out to be one fabulous morning.  I honestly can't remember the last time I did something like this....it has probably been months!  I didn't start milling around the house until after 9 a.m. 

I then decided to make a nice homemade breakfast for the kids, plus the one extra we have spending the night.  Again, not having anything specific on the calendar gave me a big opportunity to take the time to get this done.  No hurry up, throw something together, eat, eat, eat and go.  I was able to include the little ones who still think it's fun and cool to help mom in the kitchen.

I also took the chance to over cook and made quadruple the normal proportions so I can have some left overs and even some to tuck away in the freezer for future use.  It's a great tip that I highly suggest you take advantage of from time to time.  I may not be able to always serve them hot pancakes off the griddle like I did this morning, but they can still enjoy the yumminess of a warm pancake by grabbing some out of the fridge/freezer and warming it up on their own on a busier day that I may or may not be around for.

I took the above picture after only cooking a few dozen pancakes.  The kids were standing there chomping at the bit to start eating them.  I wanted to wait until I cooked all the pancakes to show you my abundance, but there was no holding off the vultures that were circling around my kitchen.  In the middle to the left you can see 4 lbs. of bacon.  We all love bacon so making so much is needed, especially if I want some leftovers!  I doubt it will even last us the week, but it will likely be awhile before I make so much again.  I also made plain pancakes (as seen on the platter and griddle cooking), but then I also made some chocolate chip and apple flavor ones.  In between the plate of bacon and big bowl of batter is a smaller bowl of my homemade applesauce.  I made that earlier in the week.  Simply put, I filled a whole stock pan full of cut up apples, added some cinnamon sticks and simmered for 8 hours.  Wha-la....homemade applesauce.  A delicious and easy add in to my pancake batter.

If you want to stop over I have PLENTY to spare right now.  If not, you can enjoy my homemade pancake recipe on your own.  Seriously, it is THE BEST EVER!  Find out for yourself.

PANCAKES
 ~3 C. flour
~1 C. brown sugar
~4 tsp. of baking soda
~2 C. milk
~2 eggs
~6 tbsp. of melted butter

Mix dry ingredients.  Add milk and eggs.  Stir until well mixed.  Add and stir in melted butter.  Cook as usual on griddle or stove top.

Note: the above recipe can make approx. 2 dozen pancakes and can barely feed my family of 8 without a crumb of leftovers.  I typically double the recipe to comfortably have enough plus a small amount of leftovers.

I'm heading out in a little bit for a long run with my running partner Angela.  Even though it's still very gloomy and wet outside, the actual rain has subdued for now.  I've had a great start to my weekend.  How about you?