SILVER DOLLAR OAT PANCAKES

 If I had any doubts that summer is here, all I have to do is look at the thermometer. We enjoyed crazy up and down temperatures in spring, and all of a sudden we were in the 90s. We didn't get a chance to work up to the 90s. That means I've not been in the kitchen very much lately so that means I haven't been sharing any new posts with you. I have been quilting, but haven't taken the time to share any tutorials with you.

As we used to say a few years ago, "I'm bad." Sorry.

I have been very busy helping to organize a food drive for three organizations in the northern part of our county. The group held one in the southern part of the county back in March that I just volunteered at. It was extremely successful and I wanted to group to do one for the northern part. Anyway it will be this Saturday and then I can take a breath and get back to my new normal. (My new normal doesn't include heading up the Cafe Treats at the church anymore. After doing so for a little over two years, I decided I would let someone else have the fun. I will be making treats for them some though. In fact I signed up to make some banana bread for this coming Sunday.)

I also decided to start going through some of my cookbooks and donate them to Hillcrest Thrift Shop. So far I have 25 picked out. I was checking out a cookbook that I had tagged a few pages and I found one recipe I had not made. The other four I had made and shared with you so I wrote it down so I could add the cookbook to the pile.

The recipe is called Silver Dollar Oat Pancakes. When I was young, my parents and I went to Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO a number of times. There was a cafe we would eat at that served Silver Dollar Pancakes. They were just regular pancakes but small. We loved them. I always wanted my pancakes small like that after that. This recipe wasn't theirs of course because they used just a regular pancake recipe. This one had flour, oats. and applesauce so I decided to use whole wheat flour instead and make them heartier and healthier. I had some natural chunky applesauce and just added some cinnamon to it to make cinnamon applesauce. They were good but I decided what I didn't like was they tasted salty. The recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon salt. Next time I will either skip it all together or just use 1/4 teaspoon. We don't eat a lot of salt, so I can really taste it especially if there is too much.

I made larger ones and smaller ones for my husband and me since he likes bigger ones than I do. I made eight larger ones and four small ones.

PRINT RECIPE.

SILVER DOLLAR HEALTHY PANCAKES

1/2     cup whole wheat flour

1/2     cup quick cooking oats

1-1/2  teaspoon sugar

1        teaspoon baking powder

1/2     teaspoon baking soda

1/4     teaspoon salt (optional)

1        egg

3/4     cup buttermilk

1/2     cup cinnamon applesauce (I added 1 teaspoon cinnamon to natural chunky applesauce)

2        tablespoons melted butter or oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl.

Whip the wet ingredients in a different bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients just until moistened.

Spoon batter onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray for the size you wish...2 tablespoons for silver dollar size.

Cook as normal for pancakes.

Serve hot with butter and syrup.

 

AMISH CHOCOLATE APPLESAUCE CAKE

 Yesterday afternoon I hosted the canasta group. Two of the members have soy or dairy issues so I had to look a little longer for a recipe I could make. The recipe called for shortening (lard, actually) and no milk so I thought I was good. I wasn't sure if I had chocolate chips which the original recipe called for so when I was at Aldi I thought I would buy a package just in case. Surprise! Surprise! The chocolate chips, actually all of the baking chips, contained milk and soy. I had no idea about the soy.

So I had to put on my creative cap and came up with substituting dried cranberries and they were so delicious on top of the baked cake. I had to keep checking it to see if it were done because I wasn't sure what size baking dish to use since it was not included in the recipe which took me away from the canasta game but it was worth it. My version was nice and thick because I used a glass 8 x 11 inch baking dish, but I would use an aluminum pan next time. And there will definitely be a next time for sure. It was so moist and light tasting.

PRINT RECIPE

AMISH CHOCOLATE APPLESAUCE CAKE

1/2     cup shortening

2        eggs

1-1/2  cup sugar

1/2     teaspoon cinnamon

2        cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2     teaspoon salt

3        tablespoons cocoa (I used unsweetened special dark)

2        cups applesauce (I used natural chunky)

1/2     cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

1/2     cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan. Set aside.

Cream together the shortening, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. (I just let it beat while I prepared the dry ingredients so it was nice and light and creamy.)

Sift together the dry ingredients twice in another bowl. This will make sure that the cocoa is well blended with the flour, etc.

Add the dry ingredients and the applesauce alternately to the creamed mixture beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan.

Sprinkle the nuts on top and then the dried cranberries.

Bake until done in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. (I baked mine in a glass 8 x 11 inch dish and had to cook it longer.)

Cut into squares to serve. Best while still warm. So moist and light.