It took me a long time to find THE pancake recipe that pleases my family.  They are called Sunday Morning Pancakes, because their creation entails 3 separate mixing vessels, and I don’t have the time or inclination to go through that much bother on a weekday morning.  Ok, I don’t have the inclination to go through it at all.  I want pancakes on the table in approximately the same time it would take to do a boxed mix.  They just want good pancakes.

The first thing I eliminate is the fussing around with the wet ingredients.  I melt the butter in a measuring cup, and everything wet just gets mixed in there.  IF I have buttermilk, I use it.  If not, I use powdered buttermilk, which is always in the ‘fridge (and use regular milk for the liquid).   The difference in taste is negligible.  I tried eliminating the buttermilk altogether and using milk thickened with vinegar or lemon juice, but, there were complaints…

The dry ingredients get whisked in the 2 quart plastic measuring cup that has become the symbol of pancakes in this house.  One does not get it out in the morning and not make pancakes if one does not want pissy children.

A quick mix, a lightly greased griddle (don’t use butter, it burns too fast), use the medium sized scoop to portion, and a few minutes on each side.  The recipe makes 18 pancakes, which serves my sons and husband. 

Some days I can put these golden discs of deliciousness on the table with the bottle of maple syrup** and everyone is happy.  Other days somebody wants fruit topping.  What to do?  Melt butter and brown sugar together, toss in whatever fruit is handy, and cook until the fruit is tender.  Resist the urge to glare at the spoiled child, because it’s my own fault.  This is fastest with bananas, and not nice at all with canned peaches.  I can also get away with using home made jam and a dollop of whipped cream.

Oh, and by the way?  They also want bacon.

Real maple syrup, please. Not that chemically concocted pancake syrup.  Your pancakes are worth it and so are you, really…

Is anyone but me NOT ready for school to be out?  My youngest brother texted me last Friday, full of glee, that “school is out for summer!”  Yikes.  I can see my routine crumbling…

Right now, I fill the boys full of breakfast, pack their lunches, send them off to school, and get on with my day.   That’s about to end.  They’re going to stay up late, sleep in, and have their own plans.  If I’m going to get anything done, the menu plan needs to be full of easy choices that the boys can make themselves so I’m not constantly in the kitchen.

Breakfast is easy – pancakes and waffles from the weekend store nicely, and breakfast casserole reheats very well – not much intervention from me at all (I love the leftover feature!), I’ll just make extra of everything over the weekend.

Lunch is more problematic because it tends to be more of a grazing experience.  To avoid queries about what they should eat, I’ll populate (and prominently post) the menu with choices like peanut butter and pretzels, turkey, cheese, and crackers (they don’t really like sandwiches), and fruit and veggies – which are kept in bowls in the fridge.   These things also pack quickly and easily for a day at the pool.

We make it a point to have  dinner together, but I’m already thinking about light and easy things like pasta salads, chicken caesar salad, or even some cheese steak sandwiches that are warmed on the grill instead of in the oven.

Guess I’m more ready than I thought…

It’s time for a little tough love here.  Many people complain about what their kids won’t eat.   It’s difficult, I know.  It starts early when they’re toddlers and we’re afraid they’ll starve, so we give in to the food strike with mac and cheese, or hot dogs, or whatever the favorite du jour is.  When they get older they complain that they don’t like whatever we’ve cooked, and it becomes easier to just hit the drive through or warm up frozen food.***  Food Network’s Nigella Lawson has the same problem, and she writes cookbooks!  This just has to stop. 

Make Small Changes to Meals First

Eating well is a skill which has to be practiced to be mastered.   No, this does not mean I’m going to ask you to spend hours in the kitchen, but it does require some planning so that you have what you need.  Start simply by adding a veggie platter or a fresh fruit platter (yes, you can buy it premade, but it’s going to cost more). 

Cook Less, Serve More Food

Prepare an easy main dish like Simple Sautéed Chicken (or pork of fish or whatever is on sale) served with simple fruits and vegetables, and some good bread and olive oil,  and you’re on the way.  You can add sauces and new herbs as you please.  Note that we did not add potatoes or rice or pasta, simple carbs that distract from the better foods, use that time to steam an extra vegetable (ok, it’s fine here to use a frozen one).  But, if you do need a pasta?  Buy a large container and mix your regular pasta with a healthy one.  Over time, mix out the less healthy one.  Start with a blended pasta, not a whole wheat, for maximum acceptance.

Make Food Fun 

Try something new once a week as a family, and get everyone talking about what they do and don’t like about it.  This helps guide your future efforts.  I found out that my kids like ginger, but not paprika.  This works, because while they’re thoughtfully tasting it and forming opinions?  They’re eating.

***There is ongoing concern about frozen foods and salmonella.  Check out this video from NBC Nightly News.  Did you know that freezing does not kill salmonella, and that it continues to grow and multiply while it is freezing and thawing?