Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pancakes

We make two kinds of pancakes in this family. We do not buy pancake mix- ever. We have a family sourdough start that has been passed around for many years, and we have these. (I'll have to post the sour dough recipe later.) These are oh so yummy and very filling because of the oatmeal. You can also make them a little healthier by doing half of the flour whole wheat and half white. (I've tried that too, and they are still very good.)

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 T veggie oil
1 cup buttermilk (homemade buttermilk also works)

Mix the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ones. Cook on pancake skillet.




It's a little harder to tell when these are done compared to other pancakes. They do not bubble up quite as much, so you have to get them when they are just first starting to bubble at all. You kind of have to experiment with it.



Mmmmm...golden browny delicious.


-Adapted from Taste of Homes

Kabobs!!!

We tried this kabob recipe with friends the other day, and it was a HUGE hit!! My friend made it for her family the very next week.

Steak and Shrimp Kabobs

1 cup teriyaki sauce
1 can (6 ounces) of pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into one inch peices
1 pound of uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
(We actually just used the jumbo kind that you find already cooked in the bags at the grocery store, but whatever.)
1 pound whole fresh mushrooms
3 large peppers (green, red, yellow, orange, or all 3!) Cut into one inch peices.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour into a gallon sized plastic bag. Add the beef, shrimp, mushroom, and peppers. Marinate for an hour or so.

Drain the marinade into a saucepan. You can bring this to a rolling boil to cook off the germs from the meat and use it for a dipping sauce.

Thread the meat and veggies onto metal or water-soaked wooden skewers. Grill on medium high for about 4 minutes on each side or until the steak reaches desired doneness.

(6-8 servings)

*Adapted from a recipe found off of TasteofHome.




Before grilling.



After. Yummy with pineapple.

Red Pepper Spaghetti Sauce w/ Italian Meatballs

YUM!

Everyone likes spaghetti, right? Well, I got this recipe from a friend who got it from a friend. So I have no idea where it originated from. I adapted it because it originally made 35 servings. It really is yummy and has a distinctly different flavor than other sauces I've had. Everyone I've served it to has said something similar to, "Hey, what's in that sauce? That is REALLY good spaghetti sauce."


Not only that, but I never used to be into the whole meatball thing, but after trying this recipe, I have to say that I prefer meatballs to the whole ground hamburger cooked in with your spaghetti sauce thing. It really separates the flavors so that you can taste the meat and the sauce separately. Plus you can choose how much meat you get.

Ashley's Meatball Musings:

Speaking of meatballs, here are a few ideas. If you do not have the time or energy to make meatballs, you can buy a big pack of already made frozen meatballs at pretty much any store. OR- if you have a big freezer for food storage, a great idea is to maybe double or triple this meatball recipe, cook them, and then freeze them on a cookie sheet afterwards. Once they are frozen solid, scoop them into freezer bags and take them out as you need them.

Anyway, give this one a whirl next time you have a spaghetti night.

Italian Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 med. onion
1/2-1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg OR 1/3 cup water (your choice, but I think the egg makes it stick better)


Mix all ingredients. Don't add the egg or water all at once. You may not need it all, and you don't want the meatballs so moist that they fall apart.

Shape into balls. I made mine about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. You may want smaller meatballs, so adjust the baking time as needed.



My meatballs BEFORE baking.


When finished, freeze OR add to sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.

And while the meatballs are baking...


Red Pepper Spaghetti Sauce

1 T olive oil
1 large red pepper
1/2 large onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 T basil
2 tsp. oregano
1 jar Ragu sauce (garden combo is good for this)
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup cream





Saute onions, peppers, and garlic in oil.




Season with oregano and basil. Add Ragu. Add the desired ammount of meatballs and simmer for 20-30 minutes.



Mix in cream at the very end. The sauce will take on a lighter color and creamier texture.

Serves about 8.