My Favorite Recipes for January

Now that January has drawn to a close, I want to share some of my favorite new recipes with you.

 

BREAKFAST:  Homemade Pancake Dry Mix

This recipe is just amazing!  It makes enough dry pancake mix for 7 batches.  Once you make it up and store it in an airtight container, you just scoop out 1 cup of dry mix and add an egg and 3/4 cup milk to it, and voila…your pancake batter is ready!  Each batch make 6 good-sized, fluffy pancakes!  I made mine with skim milk and pastured eggs, and I used white whole wheat flour to maintain a light texture.  It’s easy to add the mix-ins of your choice as you measure out 1/4 cup of batter onto your hot griddle.  My younger kids like mini chocolate chips, and the grown-ups in my house like fresh blueberries or raspberries.  If you wanted to eat them plain, I think adding a bit of vanilla extract to the batter would be a flavorful addition.  Yum!  My picky daughter even asks for these, and I can see that I will *always* need to keep this mix on hand going forward.  Delicious!  And at 106 calories per pancake, you can enjoy a couple of them without the guilt!

 

LUNCH:  Chicken Alfredo Veggie Pizza

This was my first time making pizza dough by hand, and I must admit it was fun!  It was easier than I expected, and the results were fabulous!  The homemade crust was so good, and all the fresh toppings were just wonderful.  My whole family really enjoyed this, and even my younger kids ate the veggies without complaint.  I would definitely make this again! 

 

DINNER:  Hearty Salisbury Steaks

These tasty salisbury steaks are very filling and so yummy served with mashed potatoes and corn!  The gravy is so flavorful, and the whole thing pulls together so easily, and it makes for a hearty and satisfying meal in a flash!

 

DESSERT:  Makeover Oatmeal Bars

I actually made these over even more by using a stevia/sugar baking blend to cut even more sugar and calories.  Coming in at under 150 calories per bar, they made a delicious and tender treat that were even good with a morning cup of hot tea!  I noticed some of the reviews mentioned they were dry and crumbly, so I remedied that by baking them thicker in an 8x8 (rather than 13x9) pan for 23 minutes.  They came out moist and soft, just like I like them!  I used a blend of three kinds of jumbo raisins from Trader Joe’s, and it added a nice flavor to the recipe.

 

Enjoy!