I am safe. I am loved. I am cared for.

There are some things that I need in my home and this is one of them...

Frequently I will hear things from cooks or chefs on social media about the evils of mixes.  They espouse how easy it is to make pancake or waffle batter.  They state that I do not need these types of things and can simply store 8 types of flour in my pantry.

That might be true but I have issues....deep ones.  They start and end with a life where we did not always know where our food was coming from or if we would even have any available to us.  I also had no idea how to cook when food was around.  So I once asked someone what to do.  That someone was MorMor and she made these...

My husband calls them grandma cakes.  They are made from the Bob's Red Mill pancake and waffle mix.  MorMor was a World War II bride who eventually became a single mom.  She made a similar mix herself when she was young, but once someone gave her this she stopped.  Here is what she adds that is NOT in the recipe...

The zest of one orange

Homemade vanilla extract

I think it is good to mention that MorMor loved me.  She is gone and probably spending her time with Abuela, who went home many years after MorMor.  MorMor showed me how to grocery shop and placed this mix in my basket the first time we went to the grocery store.  She said, "This is quick but healthy. You need healthy, Athena. You need this to start your day and make you full.  This way you will not be scared throughout your day. He told me about when you were little. I am sorry about all of that, but now we need to fill you up with love and how-to. It will help. It may not fix it all, but it will help. Now let's get some eggs."  She walked away using her cane as I held back my tears.

When she was alive she taught me how to choose eggs.  She believed brown eggs were better and that you needed extra large eggs to make baked goods taste best.  Now my eggs in the fridge look like this...

They come from a local farm and the loveliest farmer I have ever met!  She often lets me come pet the sheep, peer at chickens, laugh as the kittens frolic, and listen to the pigs snort.

MorMor would have loved seeing this all happen.  She had a full victory garden, a few chickens, and skills that always put food on her table.  Her daughters survived on that garden and her no nonsense ways. She taught me everything she could when we were together, but she started with Grandma Cakes. I think you should start here too.  It may not fix everything but it WILL help.  Here is what you will need...

2 cups of Bob's Red Mill 10 grain pancake mix

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups of milk or water

The zest of 1 orange

2 TBsp of a flavorless oil

1 TBsp of vanilla extract

MorMor always insisted that we separate the eggs and whip the whites until they were stiff.

Separate the eggs

Add the oil and the vanilla to the yolks and whisk them together

Whisk the egg whites until stiff and they can hold a peak at the end of your whisk

The dry mix was always sifted to make it lighter...in MorMor's humble opinion.

Sift 2 cups of the mix into a bowl

See how fluffy it looks!!

Zest one orange and remember not get any of the white pith. Place it in the bowl with the dry ingredients

Wet ingredients were whisked together and then folded into the dry mix with the orange zest.

Add the yolk mixture and mix the milk in slowly using the whisk until all of this is incorporated.

The pancake batter will look slightly runny.

Then and only then was I allowed to fold in the egg whites.

Add 1/2 of the egg whites and fold them in until they are completely incorporated.  Then do the same with the other half.  You will have some white streaks in the batter.

This is important because it lightens the pancake just a little.  I can still hear MorMor telling me, "Be patient. Do not over mix it. Look at the food.  It takes time and you will not be hungry."  Hunger is not a word I liked hearing.  I feared it and MorMor was on a mission to change that.

I usually cook one of these at a time in a ceramic pan, but if I can cooking for a crown I use a cast iron griddle.  Use a 1/2 cup scoop of batter into a pan heated on medium heat with melted butter.

See those bubbles on the edge?

See how they look set?

It's time to flip! Now I wish I had a shot of this but a husband came in and I completely forgot!  I do have this shot for you though...

Leave them on this side for only 2 minutes.  Then stack them in a receptacle that will keep them warm.

There are many things you can add to these.  MorMor added blueberries from her backyard.  In the winter should would soak oats in milk and add them.  She NEVER used syrup on these.  They were always slathered with butter and homemade jam. I add frozen fruit, stir in apple sauce swirls, or even add the jam to the batter.

Our homemade strawberry jam made from berries grown in our front yard

Keep them in the fridge.  You can heat them in the oven or the toaster.  If there is fruit added to them, such as blueberries, skip the toaster.  I have heard you can reheat them in the microwave.  I am not certain how that will go because we do not use ours as a true microwave.  We put our bread dough to rise in there and that is about it.  I truly think you will enjoy these!

I must add one more thing...

MorMor....I miss you terribly. I do know that I am safe. I am loved. I am cared for.  I hope you know that too.

Athena