Happy Birthday Pancakes!

Every birthday since I can remember, my mom has always made me b-day pancakes. This is the first year I haven't been home for my b-day to receive my b-day pancakes. I decided to make my own for Adam and I. We had them when he came home from lunch so it was like... brunch.

So the reason that this is going into my blog is because I was out of the Hungry Jack instant pancakes. They are usually a staple in the kitchen but apparently, I forgot to restock. So, for the first time in my 24 years, I made pancakes from scratch by my self. And you know what, they weren't that bad.



I used a simple recipe that I found on line that turned out to need a little adjustment. They were to thick so I had to increase the amount of milk by 1/4 cup or so. So if you want the recipe, here it is.

Old Fashioned Pancakes:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk (I added another 1/4 to the batter to thin it)
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.


So there we go. I consider this a new conquest for me because it was something I personally have never done. Adam asked if he needed to stop on the way home to pick up some more pancake mix for tomorrow (since my family is coming) and for once, I said... "nah, I can make some from scratch." Lol :)

The New Year Resolution

Subconsciously, I discovered that I have undertaken a New Year resolution. Adam and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for Valentine's Day and I ordered something I never had before... or probably would ever have. I mean, it sounded great but I tend to stick to things I know I will like. Like pasta or a hamburger. This happened again while I was at Buffalo Wild Wings. I ordered something uncharacteristically uncommon for me again. So while I was sitting there, I realized that I have began to try new foods and step out of my food comfort zone. So that is my New Year's Resolution.

For the rest of the year, whenever I go to a restaurant, new or old, I will try something I never had before. Also, I'm going to try and cook new things when I can. Than I think I might take a picture and write about it because I have nothing else to do at this time of my life. So, I'm going to post a picture of the last three I have had.

First is the Chicken Di Pana from The Cheesecake Factory. This was red mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and lightly breaded fried chicken. A white butter wine sauce was served over the broccoli, and it was fantastic.



For dessert, we had the White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. A creamy cheesecake swirled with white chocolate and raspberry topped with fluffy whipped cream. I don't need to go into detail about how delicious this was because the name speaks for itself.



At Buffalo Wild Wings, I had a Steak and Potato Flip. The waitress said it was absolutely delicious and she was right. Sandwiched between a piece of flat bread was shredded steak and french fries with melted mozzarella cheese. Also, there was ranch and honey BBQ sauce. It was served with tortilla chips and salsa. It was delicious and crazy. Who would have thought to put french fries, steak, and flat bread together.



Lastly, for breakfast yesterday, I made Creme Brulee French Toast. This was a recipe that we tried at the Burl Graves Bed And Breakfast, so it is an adaptation of their masterpiece. I made come creme brulee by mixing eggs, whipping cream, vanilla, eggs, etc. together and baking it in a ramkin. It chilled and then we took some Italian bread, cut them to size and then slit a 'pocket' to fill with creme brulee. Than we just soaked the top and bottom in half and half, eggs, and vanilla and fried all sides (it is french toast after all) and topped it off with raw sugar and syrup. The finished dish:



So there we go, my first Culinary Conquest blog. It's lacking a bit right now but that's because I was trying to remember everything. For now on, it will be my own pictures and I'll be able to describe things better. So, now it's your turn. Go try something new :)