Easy Country Blueberry Pancakes

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Mom loved to gather recipes.  It was a hobby that she and all of her female relatives spent doing in their leisure time.  I remember mom talking with my aunt and grandma about a great recipe and writing them down on recipe cards.  I even remember mom getting recipe cards in the mail of treasured recipes from a distant relative like Aunt Grace who lived in Ponca, Oklahoma.

I spent a lot of time with mom re-writing all of those heirloom family recipes and want to share one with you today.

It's Sunday morning and the sun is trying to peak out.  Time for something hearty like eggs and bacon, but let's throw in some pancakes for good measure.  So I'm in the mood for something simple to make, but one that has been passed down.  Off to the recipe box to pull out my mom's Aunt Grace's recipe for Easy Country Blueberry Pancakes.  

EASY COUNTRY BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

The ingredients are basic and readily available from your pantry, but the end result is an outstanding, country fresh pancake that is light and fluffy and bursting with blueberries.

Make sure to do yourself a favor and your family as well and make these this weekend.  One bite and you will be sold on the classic flavor and tender goodness this pancake has.  

Thanks to mom's Aunt Grace for an excellent family recipe that I'm proud to share with all of you.

Enjoy!

Easy Country Blueberry Pancakes

by Aunt Grace

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs (use large) 
1 1/4 cups milk (use whole milk) 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup blueberries 
butter for the pan

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Whisk to combine.  Add the eggs, milk, and melted butter.  Stir together until just combined.  Add the blueberries, and lightly fold in.  

Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot.  Add a dab of butter to the skillet and spread around.  Pour batter for pancakes and allow to cook until bubbles form and the bottom is golden brown.  Flip pancakes over and cook until cooked through and golden brown, about 1 minute.  Serve with syrup.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken (Mexican Style)

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Last year I brought you a great semi-homemade way to make Shredded Chicken Taco Meat using a slow cooker.  It's super simple and tastes great in a pinch, but now we are going to explore an even better version.  A totally, made from scratch version.

From scratch?  Yes!  You will be using all your own spices rather than taco seasoning and adding in some flavors and textures that will produce a chicken dish that is outstanding!  You'll still get to use the slow cooker and therefore the benefit of hands off cooking.  Here's the one I use.  Prepare your food in the slow cooker in the morning, and when you get home from work the house will smell like your favorite

taqueria!

SLOW COOKER SHREDDED CHICKEN (MEXICAN STYLE)

So what can you do with Mexican Style Shredded Chicken??  Well, how about filing for tacos, burritos, chimichangas, tostadas, flautas, chicken tortilla soup, enchiladas....it's endless I tell you!  And there is another plus to this recipe.  Make a big batch and freeze the shredded meat in portioned batches for future meals.  How great is that!

We ended up making street tacos with our chicken.  I found really small flour and corn tortillas at our Smart & Final store and they were the perfect bite sized vehicle for our tacos. 

This chicken meat is so versatile and has the BEST flavor you will want to keep this recipe handy because you'll be making this one often!

Enjoy!





Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken (Mexican Style)

1-1/2 - 2 pounds chicken breasts
1/2 cup medium salsa
1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
1 14.5 oz. can low sodium diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dry oregano

1/2 tsp black ground pepper
1 tsp chipotle chili pepper seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash, no salt)

Place the chicken breasts in your slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients and place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.

Remove chicken and place on a cutting board and allow it to cool, enough to handle.  Shred chicken and return to the slow cooker so it absorbs some of that seasoned juice.  Strain the meat from the juices to use.

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings, Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken

3 Last Minute Halloween Treats

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I have to tell you that my co-workers really get in to Halloween.  The other day I walked in and there were hanging bats, twinkling skulls light, cobwebs, and even a rat or two lurking around the aisles.

I love Halloween myself, especially the costumes and the make-up.  I was once a "cat" character from the play Cats.  I love doing the make-up on that one.  I also remember one year as a unicorn.  So many good times celebrating Halloween.  These days it has a totally different memory associated as it's also my and MGG's dating anniversary.  So our celebrations have taken a little different turn than the usual boo-fest!

This year my co-workers decided to have a potluck, with all Halloween treats.  Sugar heaven for sure!  So I went on to Pinterest and chose 3 treats that I could make quickly, but would be totally cute and wow my co-workers.

Treat #1:   Sweet and Salty Halloween Crackers
Found on Pinterest here.  This is an easy treat to make using store bought (bright) orange peanut butter crackers, black candy melts, and Halloween sprinkles.  Just melt the candy in a bowl according to the package directions.  Dip one corner in the candy mixture and place it on a sheet pan lined with wax paper.  Add sprinkles and allow to dry.  Simple!

Treat #2:  Frankenstein Monster Cookies
Found on Pinterest here.  This is a totally sweet treat.  Buy some chocolate wafer cookies, neon green candy melts, chocolate sprinkles, and candy eyes.  These are really fun and easy to prepare.  Just dip the wafers in the melted green candy and place on a sheet pan lined with wax paper.  Then sprinkle chocolate sprinkles on the top 1/4 to make the hair.  Add 1 or 2 eyes, then add another chocolate sprinkle for the mouth.  Allow to dry and then you have a cute treat to share!

Treat #3:  Savory Spiders
Found on Pinterest here.  I really like this one, and think it was the easiest to make.  Buy Ritz crackers, peanut butter, pretzel sticks, and candy eyes.  To make just take one Ritz cracker and add some peanut butter to the inside.  Break three pretzel sticks in half and add them horizontally to each side so they are sticking out like legs.  Add more peanut butter to the inside of another cracker and place on top of the one with the pretzels.  Push together so they adhere well.  With another dab of peanut butter add two candy eyes on the top cracker.  Repeat, repeat, repeat!


These will all be a big hit at the party.  They are almost too cute to eat!
Happy Halloween!