Recipe: American Pancakes

American Pancake Recipe

This is the first time that I’ve tried and cooked American Pancakes so I’m looking forward to trying something new.

Simple American Pancake Recipe

 

What you will need:

  • 150g Plain Flour
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 35g Caster Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 125mls Buttermilk
  • 25g Butter (melted)
  • Olive oil for frying
  • 8 Thick slices of streaky bacon
  • Maple Syrup

How to make American Pancakes:

Sift the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add in the sugar, mix, and make a well (hole) in the centre.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and add the buttermilk and melted butter.

Pour this into the well of the dry ingredients and gradually whisk together.

Put the batter in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat a large frying pan and add a little bit of oil.

Spoon in dollops of the mixture making sure that there is a little bit of space between them. This will depend on the size of your frying pan.

Cook them for 1 – 2 minutes until they start to bubble on the surface, turn and cook on the other side until golden.

Keep them warm in the oven whilst you batch cook the rest of the pancakes.

In a separate pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the bacon rashers until crisp.

Serve the pancakes in a stack with crispy bacon and maple syrup on top.

Alternatively, you could have these with fruit and maple syrup as Ryan did.

If you enjoy Pancakes then maybe take a look at my Simple Pancake Recipe of these easy to make Pancake Kebabs which are great to make with the kids.

Simple American Pancake Recipe

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.

Simple Pancake Batter Recipe

Simple Pancake Batter Recipe

It won’t be long before Pancake Day.

My kids love to have pancakes and are requested quite often, especially as a Birthday breakfast.

Here is the most simple Pancake batter recipe that I’ve been using for years which can’t really go wrong.

My simple Pancake Batter Recipe is easy to make for the perfect pancakes

What you need:

  • 100g Plain Flour
  • 1 Egg (large)
  • 300mls of Milk
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Butter for frying.

How to:

Crack the egg into a bowl and add milk and whisk. Gradually sift in the flour stirring as you go along. Add in a pinch of salt and mix.

I always at this point put the batter mixture in the fridge for about half an hour which I was told to do by my mum but not sure why.

Melt butter in a frying pan and put on hob until hot.

Depending on size of pan add just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan.

Flip or use a flipper (fish slice) until golden on both sides.

To make a batch I have the oven on low and keep adding them to the oven until the whole batch is cooked and then serve.

Toppings

You can’t beat just sugar and lemon in my opinion but of course the possibilities are endless. Here are a few to get you going, but please feel free to add suggestions in the comments.

  • Maple Syrup
  • Golden Syrup
  • Peanut Butter
  • Jam
  • Cream of any sort
  • Chocolate Sauce
  • Ice cream
  • Nutella
  • Honey
  • Bananas
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blueberries
  • Cinnamon

If you fancy something more than the simple pancake batter recipe then make sure you have a look at our Pancake Kebab Recipe or why not give American Pancakes a go topped with Maple Syrup and Bacon.

For more Pancake Recipes and Breakfast ideas pop over to my Breakfast Recipes board on Pinterest.

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.

Sticky Maple Pork Loin with Apples Recipe

Sticky Maple Pork Loin with Apples Recipe

Sticky Maple Pork Loin with Apples Recipe – I think this is going to be a firm family favourite meal since trying it. It only takes about 20 minutes to make and all the ingredients are store cupboard staples apart from the pork loins. Isabelle who has been fussing with her food recently even asked for a second helping!

Sticky Maple Pork Loin With Apples

What you will need:

  • 500g Pack of Pork Loin boneless chops
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 2 Apples cut into pieces
  • 1 Garlic clove crushed
  • 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons wholegrain mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

How to make:

Trim all excess fat off the boneless pork loins and cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the pork, cooking for around five minutes.

Remove the meat from the pan and add in the apples and cook for around 5 minutes so these start to soften.

Add in the garlic, maple syrup and vinegar. Add in a few tablespoons of water at this point, pop the lid on your pan and cook for a few minutes to allow this to soften further.

Add the pork back in as well as the wholegrain mustard and cook further until the meat and apples take on a sticky glazed look and the pork is cooked through.

We served this with buttered new potatoes and broccoli which went down very well with all.

This got a huge thumbs up from Isabelle so will definitely be repeated.

If you like this Recipe then take a look at our Family Recipes Category for more inspiration.

Lisa x

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may get a small payment at no cost to you if you click and make a purchase.

Cheesy Baked Egg Toast

Cheesy Baked Egg Toast.

I think everyone gets bored of the usual breakfast offering of cereal, toast, fruit and yoghurt so I’ve been having a little search around for some great brekkie ideas which are quick but tasty.

Cheesy Baked Egg Toast

What you will need:

  • Crusty White Loaf
  • Grated cheese (enough to top as many slices of bread you want to make)
  • Butter
  • Salt and Pepper (optional)
  • Eggs

How to do it:

Slice the bread into nice thickish slices.

Using a spoon or knife press the middle of the bread down to form a square that will hold the egg.

Cheesy Baked Egg Toast

Season the bread to your liking (lots for Daddy).

Butter the non-flattened edges of the bread and add the grated cheese to the edges.

Cheesy Baked Egg Toast

Season the top.

Bake in the oven at gas mark 5 for about 15 – 20 mins.

Breakfast is ready!!

Cheesy Baked Egg Toast

Enjoy

Lisa

Ps – I have to confess that my earlier attempts at this were a major fail as I put them in the pan which resulted in the bottom of the bread burning and the egg not cooking so I flipped them over and this is what I got!

For more Scrummy Breakfast like the Cheesy Baked Egg Toast pop over to our Yummy Breakfast Ideas Pinterest board.

Slow Cooker – Easy Chicken stew

Slow Cooker – Easy Chicken Stew

Nothing beats a chunky soup or stew on a cold day, especially if its cooking in the slow cooker which makes it zero effort.

Easy Chicken Stew

 

What you will need:

  • Chorizo cut into small pieces (approx 7cm piece)
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 400g tin green lentils
  • 500g carton passata
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 2 good teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 veg stock cube
  • Small teaspoon English Mustard
  • New potatoes and carrot chunks – as many as you can fit into your slow cooker/pan Salt and pepper
  • Fresh Parsley

If using a slow cooker, make sure that you put this on in the morning (just before school run is a good time). You can prepare everything the night before so that in the morning you can just pop it all in and leave all day long.

Cut the Chorizo into small chunks and add to slow cooker.

Cut the chicken breasts into large chunks (you can use skinless/boneless chicken thighs as well).

Add the lentils, passata, two cloves of garlic crushed, and two generous teaspoons of smoked paprika.

Add in a small teaspoon of English Mustard.

Peel approximately 4 carrots and cut into small batons.

Cut new potatoes into quarters (I find that 6yo Isabelle prefers quarters).

Once all of this is added to the slow cooker, add the vegetable stock cube and add water to fill the slow cooker.

Towards the end, add a generous amount of chopped fresh parsley, and if needed add a bit of flour to thicken it up. Add salt and pepper to taste.

We also like to add butterbeans, but unfortunately Isabelle isn’t a fan but I would usually have them.

This is a really tasty but filling family favourite and because it’s made in the slow cooker it’s perfect for busy family life. Ryan can grab a bowl full before going off to football training, Isabelle can eat as soon as she is hungry and we can eat when Isabelle is in bed in peace and quiet. That is if we’re not having it together as a family meal.

Lisa

www.babynotincluded.co.uk 

Christmas Tree Pizza Recipe

Christmas Tree Pizza

No excuse needed for making Pizza for dinner, but a Christmas Tree shaped Pizza is guaranteed to give you extra Mum points. To make these pizza’s you could cheat and use a ready made pizza base but we prefer to make our own. Here is the recipe for traditional dough base.

Christmas Tree Pizza Recipe

What you need:

  • 3 cups of strong plain flour
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of fast action dried yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and cover. Leave for half an hour to give the yeast a chance to work.

Christmas Tree Pizza Recipe - Making the dough
Making the Pizza dough

After this time, divide the dough into 4 pieces and flatten with your hands. I then hand cut christmas tree shapes and put onto a greased baking tray.

Christmas Tree Pizza - Cutting the dough into tree shapes
Making Christmas Tree shapes

Using a jar of pizza sauce (can be found in most supermarkets) or use tomato puree mixed with some dried oregano.

Adding the tomato sauce to the Christmas Tree Pizza
Adding the sauce!

Then comes the fun bit of adding the toppings of your choice. I used a selction of peppers, sausage, chicken, salami, tomatoes and cheese. I let both of my kids decide what they wanted on their pizza. Put in the oven on gas mark 6 for approximately 20 minutes and they had them for dinner.

All the topping choices for your Christmas Tree Pizza
Pick your Pizza Toppings

The Christmas Tree Pizza's are ready to go in the oven
Ready to pop in the oven!

The cooked Christmas Tree Pizza's are ready to eat
Ready to eat!

If you’re feeling extra crafty then why not give making Handmade Christmas Wrapping Paper or make some Christmas Tree Bunting.

 

 

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

This is the first time that I’ve ever made anything sweet in my slow cooker, and we have definitely used it far more this year with lots of lovely soups, stews and casseroles.

So here goes!

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

What you need:

  • 6 Cups of Milk
  • 1 1/2 Cups Double Cream
  • 1 Tin Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 12oz Milk  Chocolate (chopped small of chocolate chips)
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
  • Marshmallows

Pop all of the ingredients into your slow cooker and set on a low heat for approximately two hours.

Stir every ten minutes or so and once ready top with a few marshmallows and serve.

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

This hot chocolate is not for the faint hearted. It is really sweet and choc0latey!!

We made this whilst we put up the Christmas Tree and decorations and then watched the Polar Express in preparation for our Polar Express Train Ride next Sunday.

Lisa

Simple Cookie Dough Recipe

Simple Cookie Dough Recipe

Simple Cookie Dough Recipe. We love to bake and aside from cupcakes, cookies are the easiest thing to make and keep the children entertained as they can help to make them and then decorating them afterwards is really fun and a great chance for mum to grab a cuppa.

Here’s the recipe that we use which can be frozen if you don’t use it all for another day.

Ingredients

  • 10oz/300g plain flour
  • 5oz/150g caster sugar
  • 8oz/250g butter, diced and at room temp
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (if wanting chocolate biccies)

Put the sugar and butter in a bowl. We tend to put our butter in the microwave for about 10 seconds to make it easier for Isabelle to mix with the sugar.

How To

Separate the egg yolk and add to the bowl with the vanilla essence, mixing until smooth.

Adding the flour, cocoa powder (if making choccie biscuits) and pinch of salt, mix everything together. May require little hands to get stuck in.

Once the mixture is formed into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge for about half an hour.

Simple Cookie Dough Recipe

Sprinkle flour on an even surface and roll out so that it’s about 1/2cm in thickness and cut using whatever cutters or shapes you have.

Put them onto a non-stick baking tray and bake at gas mark 4/180 degrees for approximately 12 minutes.

Simple Cookie Dough Recipe

Once cooled these can be decorated with icing, sprinkles, chocolate buttons or whatever cake toppings you may have.

As you can see, ours received a thorough makeover with lots of edible glitter to make them extra special.

Enjoy x

Chocca Mocca Caramel Cake

Chocca Mocca Caramel Cake

If you’re looking for a cake that is super easy to make and really yummy then this Chocca Mocca Caramel Cake is the cake for you.

Chocca Mocca Caramel Cake

What you need:

  • 2 Teaspoons of instant coffee powder/granules
  • 2 Eggs
  • 6oz/175g Butter (at room temp)
  • 2 Tablespoons Cocoa
  • 6oz Golden caster sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Golden syrup
  • 8oz/200g Self-raising flour
  • 4 Tablespoons Milk
  • 100g Chocolate Caramel Bars (We used the Cadbury’s Caramel Buttons)

Icing:

  • 100g Chocolate Caramel Bars
  • 2oz/50g Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Milk
  • 4oz Icing Sugar, sifted

How to:

Preheat the oven to around Gas Mark 4 (180c).

This recipe is based on using an 8 inch round tin. Butter and line the tin.

Mix the coffee, cocoa, and two tablespoons of hot water to form a chocolately/coffee paste.

Put the butter, eggs, sugar, syrup, flour, milk and cocoa paste in a bowl and mix with a mixer (or by hand). Add in the caramel chocolate pieces.

Add the mixture to the tin and bake in the oven for about 50 – 60 minutes.

To check that it’s ready I use a skewer which I poke into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean it’s ready.

Once it’s ready leave it for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Whilst it’s cooling, make the icing.

Put the caramel chocolate pieces into a pan and heat gently so that it melts, add in the butter and milk and stir until all melted (make sure you stir all the time). Remove from the heat and add in the sifted icing sugar.

Leave to cool whilst the cake is cooling.

Once the cake is cooled, spread over the icing and your good to go.

We decorated ours as it was for Daddy’s birthday which we took to the Donkey Sanctuary. We did have some spare caramel chocolate buttons, but these disappeared!!

Lisa

If you like this recipe then you may like to try some of the other Family Recipes that I’ve posted about.

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.

Simple Mackerel Pate

Simple Mackerel Pate Recipe

Simple Mackerel Pate Recipe – As a mum, I love to keep things simple, and as a family, we’re quite good at making meals that double up into a couple of meals or more.

Simple Mackerel Pate Recipe

Cooking a chicken as a roast, making a pasta dish the next day and a stirfry for the following day is quite a usual occurrence and is great for us as working parents.

I have to confess that Daddy is the main meal maker in our family and has a far better eye for making a meal from anything and everything, including whipping up a meal on the day before shopping day from the randoms left in the fridge/cupboard.

I will share some of these recipes with you as well as our firm family favourites.

One of my fave meals at the moment is mackerel salad. It’s really easy and quick to make. We usually buy the peppered mackerel fillets and grill them to make them extra crispy. We make a salad with lettuce leaves, rocket, red peppers, cucumber, tomatoes and beetroot and top it off with a side helping of potato salad (will share the recipe at some point).

Anyway, I always save some of the mackerel fillets to make Mackerel Pate for me and Belle the following day.

How to make

So to make the pate, you have to add mackerel fillets (we normally save 2 – 3) and put in the whizzer (aka blender), whiz it through for about 30 seconds, add a good squeeze of lemon, and then about 3 good tablespoons of mayonnaise.

If you don’t have a whizzer you can mash up the fillets with a fork which makes it slightly chunkier, but Isabelle prefers the smoother version.

Put into a bowl and then make a pile of toast.

Voila! Simple Mackerel Pate.

Easy lunch for you and your little!

Lisa x

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that I receive a small payment should you click the link and make a purchase at no extra cost to yourself.