Garden 2010!

It was so nice this week, it was painful to be at work. Having a window is great, but having to see the 70 degree sunshine and not get to go out ... luckily this weekend is still gorgeous!

Due to the wonderful weather, I decided to go out gardening. There are some plants leftover from last year:

Bulbs (yellow daffodils, pink hyacinth, and black-red tulips)
Hydrangea
Parsley (survived the groundhog and 3 snowstorms with 2 ft each!)
Lemon Vebena (coming back, cleared the dead branches from last year)
Catmint (also coming back, haven't cleared yet, but you can still see it!)
Collard Greens and Mustard Greens (Hearty indeed!)

Today, I tidied up the yard and planted some seeds. Some are old, so I'm not sure if they will actually grow. But here is what I have:

Arugula, Beets, Spinach, Radishes, and Turnip Greens (left to right)
Lettuce (two kinds, in round pots) and Green Onions (in oval pot on right)

Publish Post

I had so much fun being outside! I hope the seeds sprout ... ok, it doesn't look like much yet, but pretty soon it will be lush and gorgeous!

Pancakes on a Rainy Sunday

Since it seems like it is always raining, I have lots of lazy, rainy weekends to bake and make pancakes. Today, I made whole grain pancakes with apple maple syrup. I think apples and pancakes are a stellar combination! Also, adding whole wheat and oats to the pancakes makes them heartier but at the same time they feel less dense in your stomach. The whole grain pancakes are adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bitman.

Whole Grain Pancakes with Apple Maple Syrup

For the pancakes:
1 c. flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
2 Tbs. butter, melted

For the apple maple syrup:
3 apples
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla paste (or vanilla bean or vanilla extract)
3/4 to 1 c. maple syrup (I am estimaitng, I just finished the bottle I had)

For the pancakes: mix the flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Beat the eggs with the milk, then stir in the melted butter. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, and stir with a fork until combined (batter will probably be a bit lumpy, just don't stir too much). Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat. I coated mine with vegetable oil. Cook pancakes until they start to bubble, then flip. Keep warm - I put them on a platter covered with a kitchen towl.

For the apple maple syrup: core, peel, and slice the apples. There should be approximately 16 wedges for each apple. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the apples and vanilla paste (or vanilla bean). Saute until the apples are getting soft, but still a bit crunchy in the middle. Add the maple syrup (if using vanilla extract, add at this step). Bring to a simmer,cover, and simmer until the pancakes are ready.

Timeline: I would start by making the pancake batter. Then, preheat the cast iron pan for the pancakes and melt the butter in a saucepan for the apples. Core, peel, and slice the apples. Cook the apples while cooking the pancakes. They should be ready around the same time. Serve the pancakes with some sliced apples and the maple syrup.