Deb's Oatmeal Pancakes

Back to school!  It’s time - and I've spent my fair share of efforts “liking” pictures on social media of friends near and far as they post the pics to indicate this change in the seasons of life.  

The best advice I ever received when my kids were young was to “Be in the season you are.”  I translated that to mean do a thousand “under ducks” at the park, one-on-one hoops and endless games of horse in the driveway, and blow bubbles until they no longer chase them.  Many days this took a disciplined effort, and some days, I unfortunately chose laundry (with Oprah) as a rationalized replacement.  

Often I found that this meant if dinner wasn't planned and preparations begun early in the day, I was scrambling (usually literally with eggs….) to put something on the table.  Here is a great supplement to those scrambled eggs that are quick and packed with nutrition, allowing you to “be” in your season.  

The recipe was mastered by and therefore I named it after my sister.

Deb’s Oatmeal Pancakes

2/3 cup oats (steel cut, old fashioned or quick)

1 cup white or wheat flour- or some of both

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 T oil

1 cup buttermilk

2-3 T water

Combine dry ingredients together and stir.  Add egg, oil, and milk and water.  Stir until combined, without over mixing.  Spoon batter onto hot griddle sprayed with Pam and cook until browned.  Flip and cook on the other side. Makes 8 6-inch pancakes.

Top with your family’s favorite pancake syrup, peanut butter, or really enjoy your season by topping with cinnamon apples glazed with salted caramel “syrup”.

For the cinnamon apples, I peel, core and cube them.  Then I sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and simmer them in a few tablespoons of water.  I thinned the "secret" recipe pictured below with a little milk for the syrup.  

“Be in the season you are.”

Because before you know it, it'll be more than a decade later.  

Triple Chocolate Cookies

"Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10

I literally need to take this message to the core of my being. And this scripture means to me-

Hie to the kitchen, make these cookies, eat them, share them, and count your blessings!!

Triple Chocolate Cookies
1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa. (I mix Hershey's Special Dark with regular)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. grated dark chocolate
2+ cups chocolate chips

Cream Crisco, butter and sugars. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and grated chocolate and stir until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until done.


Ok. Maybe that's not exactly what the scripture means to me. But it's my interpretation for today :)

Protein Waffles

J went for a run yesterday. I can’t keep up, but I walked in the same direction. I passed a large park where there were two different young kids’ teams practicing football. I saw parents coaching, watching, and waiting in cars. I used to have that role. And I was reminded of my limitations of that role as a mom.
It was B’s senior season. He had suffered what eventually became a season ending injury the previous week. I recall the next Friday night was rivalry week. There was some hype: the pep band led a parade of the team followed by the mass of students into the stadium. I looked for B. He was easy to spot- only two kids were injured and thus just wearing their jersey with street clothes. He was the one with a high and tight haircut and black sweats. He stood next to the coaches during the warm up sprints, and then was very busy on the sidelines managing the defensive play clip board, and always holding a football with his other hand.
I sat in the stands watching him walk out to take his usual spot next to his quarterback lined up for the Nation Anthem. As my eyes fixated in the lights by the flag, my thoughts turned to an experience I had when I was 5 years old. It was just a few weeks before Kindergarten when my dad told us the empty house next had sold and we would be getting new neighbors. To my sheer delight he told us that they had 2 daughters, one of which was my age. My new neighbor quickly became my best friend. Her dad was the new principal at the high school which was adjacent to the elementary school we would soon attend. As my friend and I readied for Kindergarten our mothers wanted us to have no doubts in the course we were to walk to and from school. They walked it with us many times, making sure we knew the way. Several weeks into Kindergarten, the library was introduced to us. I quickly found a book to borrow and take home. The librarian reminded us to take special care of these books and return them next week in exchange for another. We agreed. The next week, my friend and I met out in front of our homes on the sidewalk. She was so excited to tell me that her dad told her of another way we could go to school. I tucked my book beneath one arm and clasped my hand in my friend’s as we skipped down the sidewalk on our NEW way to school. At one point conflict arose as the sidewalk’s concrete was broken. It was marked off and we could not pass. We noted our options and justified that since no cars were coming and it would be a short walk into the street, it was okay. As I stepped off the curb, I tripped. Immediate fear overtook me. My fall caused me to drop my library book which fell into the water run-off grate beneath the street. I cried. I cried for my disobedience in going the wrong way to school, walking in the street, and failing to take good care of my library book. My friend insisted we should continue on to school and that her dad would take care of everything. I didn't listen. Instead, I broke another rule. I turned around the other direction and ran home as fast as I could sobbing the entire way. Unexpectedly my dad was still home. I poured my regretful heart out to him. I recounted the tragedy as it had unfolded. My dad made a phone call, then took my small hand securely within his. I did not understand what we were going to do, but I knew I could trust him and did so by following him. A man from the city met us there. He removed the large bolts and the grate. My dad borrowed his ladder and retrieved my library book. Then without a word but of gratitude to the city worker, he walked with me to school.
My dad was my hero that day. He made all the fear and sadness go away.
As the team took the field, I felt sad for B, that he couldn't be out there with them- that he couldn't finally get to play a position he had worked so hard to be good at. I felt bad that I couldn't be his hero and make all the hard parts about this go away. Then I thought about how this trial is one more part of the refiner’s fire that my son has the opportunity to work through. I thought about how much stronger he could be if he chose to remain faithful during this adversity.
I was okay with not being able to rescue him. After all, he is no longer five. I prayed that the Lord would be generous in compensating him, and that we can all be patient with the Lord’s time schedule and His perfect wisdom.
That was years ago. My role of hero definitely continues to have its limits. But these healthy waffles will allow you to at least bask in momentary hero status :)

Protein Waffles

½ cup steel cut oats blended in food processor (or a full cup omitting flour)
½ cup flour (I use whole wheat)
2eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup of cottage cheese (I use fat free)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. Scoop out about 1 cup of batter and cook in a waffle maker. Top with fresh fruit, maple syrup, peanut butter, or whatever is your family’s favorite topper.
 
These waffles are packed with protein and lean carbs delivering the right kind of energy to keep your family playing football, recovering lost library books, or fighting through adversity.

S’mores Bar Cookies

My morning walk took me past a large park where I saw a young girls' soccer team practicing.  All three of my kids played soccer growing up and all three eventually traded it in for a sport they loved a little more.  I recall the season that would be J’s last.  The league was a rec league that only went through age 11.  She wasn't interested in competing on the travel team because of the Sunday conflict so she opted for the only opportunity to play another year- a co-ed rec team.  One game was especially rough.  She was matched up against a very fast, very aggressive, developmentally advanced BOY.  We encouraged her to get in there and not hold back and battle.  She did fine, but was physically out matched.  Towards the end of the game, I could see her tiring.  Her overzealous cheering section of parents, brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins cheered a little louder for her as she dribbled the ball down the field.  Then it was snatched away and booted in the opposite direction.  As she and the BOY jogged down the field, trailing all other teammates and the refs, I kept my eyes on her worried she might burst into tears as the pressure was great.  Instead, what I witnessed seemed nothing short of a mental toughness miracle.  She ran a bit closer to that BOY and elbowed him- hard!  Without even thinking about it or the level of appropriateness or the fact that I was an influential adult in her life I threw my hands into the air as I leapt from my seat and screamed at the top of my lungs, “J- You are awesome!!!!!”  I lingered in my proud mama bear moment well past the appropriate amount of time and only quieted at the stern urging of my husband.  Right or wrong-that day became my favorite soccer mom moment ever.

So, as we head back to school and back to sports fields, courts, studios and whatever lessons or activities those we love are engaged in this fall, let’s cheer them on s’more with these delightful bar cookies. 

S’mores Bar Cookies

1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soft butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups graham crumbs
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugars. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients at once and stir until well mixed. Flatten 1/2 of mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Layer with Giant size milk chocolate Hershey Bars. Spoon a 13 oz. jar of Marshmallow fluff on top. Gently spread with knife or back of a spoon. Flatten pieces of remaining dough and place on top of fluff. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 30 minutes.
You can stop here- or. Make 'em posh by sprinkling the top with mini marshmallows. Put them in oven on broil for just a minute or two. Watch them close so they don't ignite :) (That’s happened in my kitchen before :/ )
Remove from the oven and drizzle the top with a 1.55 oz Hershey bar melted in a freezer strength quart size Ziploc. (Cut small hole in the corner of the Ziploc.)

Now you are ready to share s'more cheers with someone you love!