Monday, July 30, 2012

special day

 
 
I play pinochle regularly  with seven other women, 
 
A Thingos Presentation ? Whimsical & Wacky Wits - Compiled for your personal enjoyment by karen-Compilation Copyright ? wacky wits.com
 
most of whom are 70 or older.
 
A Thingos Presentation ? Whimsical & Wacky Wits - Compiled for your personal enjoyment by karen-Compilation Copyright ? wacky wits.com
 
 Recently we celebrated the birthday of our oldest member by taking her out to lunch.
 
A Thingos Presentation ? Whimsical & Wacky Wits - Compiled for your personal enjoyment by karen-Compilation Copyright ? wacky wits.com
 
 When the waitress came to take our order,
 
A Thingos Presentation ? Whimsical & Wacky Wits - Compiled for your personal enjoyment by karen-Compilation Copyright ? wacky wits.com
 
 one of the women said to her, "This is a very special occasion.
 It's Elsie's ninety-second birthday."
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The waitress made seven instant enemies
 
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 and one fast friend
 
A Thingos Presentation ? Whimsical & Wacky Wits - Compiled for your personal enjoyment by karen-Compilation Copyright ? wacky wits.com 
 
 by asking the question,
 
A Thingos Presentation ? Whimsical & Wacky Wits - Compiled for your personal enjoyment by karen-Compilation Copyright ? wacky wits.com
 
 "Which one is Elsie?"

Friday, June 1, 2012

CINNAMON ROLL PANCAKES! ....... YUMMO!

 
cinnamon roll pancakes  -don't these look good!







I have a wonderfully fluffy pancake batter that I like to use (recipe below) so I swirled a bit of cinnamon roll filling into the pancake.



And they cooked up just like a pancake- fluffy, but with craters of crusty, sugary cinnamon swirled within.



You might find three of these stacked in a fancy breakfast restaurant, but I’m gonna tell you that one pancake is all you need. It’s like eating a cinnamon roll, and no one needs more than one cinnamon roll for breakfast. Or certainly no more than two ;)



See, just like a cinnamon roll. Love this. I can eat this pancake just as you see it, but you really need to add the glaze to get the full cinnamon roll-effect. Read on…



Oh yeah. A warmed cream cheese glaze drizzled on top really completes this pancake. No syrup needed. Let me say that again: No. Syrup. Needed.




There you have it: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes . With lots of ooey, gooey cream cheese glaze drizzled on top. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a pancake today. Go get ‘em. These babies are just like eating a cinnamon roll, which is a perfectly okay… once in a while, right? I mean, it’s not like I put chocolate chip cookie dough in them or anything. Hmmmm.


Yield: Eight 4-inch pancakes
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 10 min

An absolutely decadent morning treat...

* NOTE: This recipe has been revised (2/18/12) from its original publication. I've tried the current version many times with great success. Just follow all the tips and you'll get it right! Ingredients:

CINNAMON FILLING:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, just melted (not boiling)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2-ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

PANCAKES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
 
Directions:

Prepare the cinnamon filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a quart-sized heavy zip baggie and set it aside (see *Tips below).

Prepare the glaze: In a small pan, heat the butter over low heat until melted. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until it is almost smooth. Sift the powdered sugar into the pan, stir and add in vanilla extract. Set the pan aside while you make the pancakes.

Prepare the pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the milk, egg and oil, just until the batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).

Cook the pancakes: Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-heat and spray with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop (or 1/3 cup measuring cup) to add the batter to the pan. Use the bottom of the scoop or cup to spread the batter into a circle (about 4-inches in diameter). Reduce the heat to medium low. Snip the corner of your baggie of cinnamon filling and squeeze the filling into the open corner. When your pancake begins to form bubbles, add the filling. Starting at the center of the pancake, squeeze the filling on top of the pancake batter in a swirl (just as you see in a regular cinnamon roll). Cook the pancake 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bubbles begin popping on top of the pancake and it's golden brown on the bottom. Slide a thin, wide metal spatula underneath the pancake and gently but quickly flip it over. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the other side is golden as well. When you flip the pancake onto a plate, you will see that the cinnamon filling has created a crater-swirl of cinnamon. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and repeat with the remaining pancake batter and cinnamon filling. Re-warm the glaze briefly, if needed. Serve pancakes topped with a drizzle of glaze.
 
Tips:

*Quick and easy tip: Use a boxed pancake mix as the base for this recipe.
*Tips for the cinnamon filling: Before swirling, open up the baggie again and give it a good stir to re-incorporate any butter that may have separated from the sugar. You want the mixture to thicken a bit- it's best when it's similar to the squeezing texture of a tube of toothpaste, which will happen if you leave it at room temperature for several minutes. Don't try to use the filling for the pancake swirl unless it has thickened as it will be too runny to make a solid swirl.

*Keep the heat low or your pancakes might cook up too quickly. Don't flip them until you see those bubbles starting to pop on top. Flip them with a wide spatula so you can grasp the whole thing without batter and filling dripping all over the place!

*I wrote a very detailed post on how to get the cinnamon filling *just right* on my Gingerbread- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Post. Check it out before you attempt these!

*If you're trying to justify your intake of decadent cinnamon rolls, you can make this a tad bit healthier by using half whole-wheat flour and low fat cream cheese, or enjoy the pancakes without glaze.


Source: RecipeGirl.com