Savory Pancakes and Cast Iron Pans

I threw together some ingredients last weekend for a breakfast/brunch dish and was really pleased with how easy and good they were. I was going to make regular pancakes, but didn’t have any bacon or sausage links or patties to serve on the side. I did have some browned loose sausage in the freezer that I thought I could throw in with the batter to incorporate the meat into the dish. I really don’t have measurements for any of this, but you can add as little or as much of anything that you’d like

Savory Pancakes

1 batch of pancake mix, mixed accordingly to directions on the box or a homemade recipe
1 cup or so of browned sausage crumbles or crumbled bacon
½ shredded zucchini, if desired (or other veggie)
Savory spices according to your preferences, this is approximately what I used:
Crushed red pepper flakes
Garlic
Basil
Thyme
Onion powder
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

After the batter is mixed, stir in meat and zucchini if using. I didn’t want sausage in all of the pancakes so I cooked a batch before I stirred in the sausage. Shake desired amount of spices that you’d like to use—don’t worry about measuring, just guess. It’s always better to use a little less than more if you aren’t sure. I probably used at least 1/4 of a teaspoon of each of the above spices, some probably more of. Prepare skillet or griddle with nonstick cooking spray, butter, or oil and heat until drops of water sizzle when dripped into pan. Pour batter into skillet and flip after bubbles start to pop on the surface of the pancakes. Remove from heat when both sides are golden brown. Serve with a touch of syrup if you like to mix salty and sweet or possibly even some sort of gravy if you’d prefer your dish to be completely savory.

If you have a cast iron pan, they work great for pancakes. I ordered one of these Lodge Logic Cast Iron Pans (the 12 inch) from Amazon and I will be getting more because I use it for so much and want other sizes. They come preseasoned, so they are easy to care for from the start. These ship free with a $25 purchase from Amazon and are part of the Buy 3, Get the 4th free promotion (they don't have to be the same item...just part of the promotion). They are American-made

8 inch Cast Iron Pan


10 inch Cast Iron Pan


12 inch Cast Iron Pan

Earth Day- ideas and deals

Earth Day has been promoted heavily this year, locally and nationally, which is fantastic! According to www.idealbite.com, (which is a great resource for little tips to be more earth-friendly) “Earth Day is the third-most activity-inspiring holiday in schools, after Christmas and Halloween.” Sign up for Ideal Bites daily tips or just browse the tip library to see what you can do to make a difference.
What can you implement into your life? Recycling, gardening, composting, reusing items instead of tossing them, using eco-friendly products, buying local and organic food, planting trees, volunteering for clean-up projects, turning off water while brushing your teeth and taking quicker showers, using grocery totes, using CFL’s in your house, reduce the amount of driving/idling that you do.
If you’re interested in composting, check out this composter from amazon (free shipping). I bought this one for my mom, and my friends bought one off of my recommendation and they really like it (I don’t have a yard). As with any composting, it takes a little getting used to what/when to add. This site is a great resource for all things composting. You may find that you have little need for trash pickup if you recycle and compost!
Check out my Amazon Earth Day sale link on the right (or click here)to buy eco-friendly items at a discounted rate!
Happy Earth Day!

Cooking Chicken Breasts

My favorite way to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts is in the crockpot. The chicken ends up tender and easy to shred, which I prefer to chunks for soups, casseroles, pizza, quesadillas, salads, and most other recipes. I never need to worry about whether the chicken is done all the way through--as long as it shreds easily and it isn't pink inside, it's done (or you can use a meat thermometer if you're still worried). I like to cook a couple of lbs. at a time and freeze the cooked, shredded chicken in about 2 cup servings to be used in future recipes. I thaw it overnight in the fridge or on defrost in the microwave if I'm in a hurry. You can start with fresh or frozen chicken--frozen will take a little longer than fresh.

How to cook:
--Cook on low for 7-10 hours OR
--Cook on high for 3-5 hours
You can add any desired seasonings or sauces either before you cook or after you shred.
You don't need to add any water, but I recommend a couple of tablespoons to a 1/4 cup if you are going to leave it on for longer end of the time ranges so it stays tender.
Once you use your slow cooker several times, you'll have a better idea of how long it will take. I cooked about 2.5 lbs. on high today in about 4.5 hours. If I'm going to cook it overnight or while I'm at work, I cook it on low. Try to use an appropriate size crockpot for the amount of chicken so you don't have to worry about overcooking. I use a mini crockpot (1.5 qt?) for 1 lb, but will use the bigger one (6 qt.) for any more than that. It is recommended to fill your crockpot at least 1/2 full, but no more than 3/4 full, but I've broken both those rules and didn't have any problems.

How to use:
In any way that you'd use cooked chicken. We made buffalo chicken quesadillas in the skillet today. Our favorite way to use shredded chicken is for Garlic Pepper Chicken Pizza or Santa Fe Soup (look for the recipes in future posts).

Want lots of crockpot recipes? Check out A Year of Crockpotting. Stephanie committed to and blogged about making a different crockpot recipe everyday in 2008. She completed her goal and continues to post new recipes as she makes them. She has tips and faqs for using the crockpot, as well as all of her recipes (successes and failures).