Veggies from the garden & tomorrow's recipes

These are the vegetables that we picked from the garden today. Guess what we've having with our chicken tonight? Maybe a few green beans. Looks like we'll be canning beans sooner than we thought. That's okay, though, because Katherine loves dilly beans. I can never make enough to last for very long, so we always have to ration them out over the winter.

We're having pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, so here's our recipe, which we have worked on and tweaked for years:

Buttermilk Pancakes
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 cup flour (whole wheat preferred)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1/3 cup chocolate chips, if desired

Mix all ingredients together. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Flip after bubbles have started to pop. Time-saving note: Dry ingredients can be mixed up the night before, so you only need to add the egg and buttermilk in the morning.

I know it sounds weird to have both baking powder and baking soda, but trust me, the texture of the pancakes depends on it. I've tried using just one, and the texture is icky. Same goes for the buttermilk. You can use plain milk, but the flavor and texture are greatly improved by using buttermilk. We use whole wheat flour, but you can, of course, use unbleached or half of each or 1/3 whole wheat or whatever combination you prefer. If you don't tell your kids (or spouse) that there is whole wheat in them, there is a good chance they won't notice -- as long as you include the chocolate chips. Using chocolate chips also means they can be eaten on the run, since you don't need syrup.

And for tomorrow night's dinner:

Pasta Salad
Mix together the following ingredients in a large bowl:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 T fresh dill or 1/2 t. dried dill weed
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Add:
1 pound uncooked rotini that has been cooked, drained, and rinsed in cold water
2-3 zucchinis, sliced
1 carrot, shredded
2 green onions, snipped into 1/4 inch pieces

Mix everything together, cover and refrigerate at least a couple hours before dinner. Can be done the night before. This is an easy recipe to cut in half if you're only cooking for one or two, but remember, it keeps in the frig for two or three days.

Feel free to invite friends to join us in our Cyber Celebration of Food, and don't be shy about commenting and letting us know about your challenges and successes.