Dad's Pancakes

Dad would make these pancakes on weekends to give the kids incentive to get out of bed. They are so good! I remember as kids we always liked them doughy in the middle... I wouldn't eat them that way now! I remember watching him just pour the ingredients into his hands and throwing them in. He would as few measuring cups and spoons as possible cause he didn't want to get too many dishes dirty. He just eyeballed most of the measurements.

Dad's Pancakes

1/2-3/4 c. Milk (depending on how thick or thin you like your pancakes)
2 T. Melted butter
1 egg
1 c. White Flour
2 t. Baking Powder
2 T. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt

Beat the milk, butter, and egg lightly in a mixing bowl. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and add them all at once to the first mixture, stirring just enough to dampen the flour. Lightly butter or grease a griddle or frying pan and set over moderate heat until a few drops of cold water sprinkled on the pan produce rapidly-moving globules. If you wish small pancakes, drop about 2 Tablespoons of the batter onto the pan, or pour about 1/4 cup from a measuring cup if larger pancakes are desired. Bake on the griddle until the cakes are full of bubbles on the top and the undersides are lightly browned. Turn with a spatula and brown the other sides. Place finished griddlecakes on a warm plate in a 200 degree F oven until you have enough to begin serving.

Ginger Bread Cookies

My grandmother would make these cookies for the grand kids at out family christmas party. They are so chewy and delicious! What a great Christmas tradition! I love that you can use honey instead of molasses because who keeps molasses on hand nowadays?

Ginger Bread Cookies

1/3 soft shortening
1 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C dark molasses or honey
2/3 C cold water
6-7 C sifted flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix dough and chill overnight. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Makes about 2-3 dozen.

Whole Wheat Bread

My family didn't eat home-made bread very often because it was so much easier to buy it. But when someone did make it we loved to eat it fresh out of the oven smothered with warm butter and honey. There's something just so satisfying about the taste of homemade bread with butter and honey. Yum! 
This particular recipe can be made with all whole-wheat flour which is awesome because it has so many more nutrients and is much better for your digestion! However, using all whole-wheat flour can make the bread more coarse and dense. If you want softer, lighter dough, try adding a couple tablespoons of vital wheat gluten, dough enhancer, or both to improve the texture.

Whole Wheat Bread

Put in dough maker:
3 Tlb. yeast
6 cups water
1/2 C. honey
about 2 C. whole wheat flour
Turn on mixer for 1 minute. May use all whole wheat or 1/2 whole and 1/2 white.

Add:
More flour (approx. 2 cups)
2/3 cups shortening
2 eggs (room temp)
2 Tlb. salt
More flour
Mix about 8 minutes. Add flour to make thick dough but not dry. Grease pans. Pour spot of cooking oil on table. Spread. Put dough on oiled spot. Break into 6 portions. Shape each portion into loaf. Put in pan. Let rise till double in bulk. Bake 375 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool. 

Apple Nut Ring

I remember my mother making this for our family on holiday mornings. The smell of cinnamon and apples add a wonderful to the home as you are going through your morning. This recipe is quick and easy. If you don't have an apple-peeler-corer-slicer, just peel and core the apples with a vegetable peeler and thinly slice them. 

Apple Nut Ring
2 cans (8 oz each) pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
3/4 c. cinnamon sugar
1/4 c. raisins (optional)
2 granny smith apples
4 Tbls. margarine or butter softened
1/3 c. pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt margarine/butter and brush onto sides and bottom of round baking dish. Arrange 15 biscuits around outer edge of baking dish and overlap remaining in center. Peel core and slice apples with apple peeler corer slicer: cut each apple in half. Place 2 apple slices between each biscuit and all around the outer edge of the deep dish baker. Brush tops of biscuits and apples with margarine/butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Chop nuts and sprinkle over top. Mix raisins with remaining sugar and sprinkle over the top. Bake 25-30 minutes.