Bulk Pancake Mix

This is another staple in my kitchen. The thrifty side of me wont allow myself to buy premade pancake mix. It is so easy and cheap to make that I cannot imagine shelling out $ for an inferior product.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp salt

So that is what you mix and leave in your pantry for when you need it. You can also add cinnamon, but I don't do this because this mix also works well for the topping of a pot pie, but not if it has cinnamon in it. Double, triple, whatever you want to fill the container you are storing it in.

When you are ready to make the pancakes:
3/4 cup milk (almond or soy milk also work fine)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pancake mix.

Easy right!

I think you could change the wheat to white ratio, but this seems to be the ratio that works best for my kids.

Chicken trouble :(

If I am sounding like a complete lunatic complaining about a chicken then I guess I am. This chicken, whom I used to love and adore (if that is really possible with a chicken, lol) has become so naughty. She is only 1 year old and I am secretly hoping that this is some wacky teenage behaviour that will go away on it's own. Who knows!?
We fenced our garden this year to protect it from said chicken. Well, I am sad to say that all our efforts have gone to waste with her. I know she can easily fly over it, but last year when I had up chicken wire of the same height it was enough to deter her. This year I guess the temptation is just too great. I have sad little bare spots in my carrot & beet rows where she has made herself a nice little bathing spot. The purple corn that I bought specifically as a gift for my mother has seen 5 casualties due to Goldie. I had 5 seeds given to me from my neighbor's step-father's award winning ginormous pumpkins, all suffered an untimely death by Goldie. She completely incriminates herself too, leaving uprooted plants all over the garden. Pieces of the corn stalk she just killed, seedling leaves, etc. Like a child leaving a half eaten cookie on the counter. Perhaps I am giving her too much credit, but I think she knows that she is not supposed to be in there. Every time I catch her in there and head out there to shoo her out she instantly flies out of the garden. Come on, what do I have to do? Get a cardboard cut out of myself to stand guard?

The next reason she is on my bad list is that she is such a meanie to the baby chicks.  I know she is the queen bee here, but come on. She chases and pecks constantly. No damage has occurred as of yet, and I am hopeful it will stay that way. Here she is chasing the babies around an old tomato cage.

She also guards the food and water. They have their own layer's food in the coop, but when she comes out she is crazy for the baby food. I guess like I used to like baby food when I was little.  I am hoping our days start to go better and that one day soon the babies can share the coop with the bigger ones. Their box is getting mighty small :)

Goldie Guarding the food. I am amazed I got this pic, the chicks were soon chased off.

Cute little baby around 8 weeks old.

Chicken Tortilla Caserole

This is a family staple. I cannot say that I came up with it myself. It is one that my mom made when I was a child, and now I make it for my children. It changes a little every time I make it, but it has a few key ingredients.

8 Whole wheat tortillas torn into pieces
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup - preferably low fat or Healthy Request
1/2 container Sour Cream - I use fat free
1 can of diced green chilies

2 cups Chicken - cooked and diced

2 cups Shredded Cheese
1 can Black Beans (optional)

Start by tearing the tortillas into pieces. If you do not have any leftover chicken (or turkey) cook 2-3 chicken breasts, dice them and set aside. Mix together the Cream of Chicken, Sour Cream, and green chilies. In this picture I did not have green chilies so I used some green salsa. Like I said, it changes a little every time depending on what I have in my pantry.

Spray the bottom of a casserole dish with non stick spray, and spread enough of the soup mixture on the bottom to just cover it. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of tortillas. Just overlapping the edges by a little bit. Layer half the chicken and black beans on top of the tortillas. Place 1/3 of the soup mixture on top of the chicken and beans. It does not need to be spread out evenly, just little dollops here and there will be fine.

Sprinkle with 1/3 the shredded cheese. I do not eat cheese, but my family loves it so I only cover half the pan with cheese. Repeat the layer process one more time, and on the last layer time, only cover with tortillas, soup mixture and cheese.

Finally cover with foil and cook at 425 for 25 mins (or until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges)

This recipe also freezes very well. When I freeze it I do not add the final layer of cheese. I let it defrost in my fridge if I have the time. If I have not thought ahead (which is most of the time) I just put it in the oven at a lower temp for a longer period of time. 300 - 325 for 1 1/2 hours. I usually uncover it in the last 30 mins and sprinkle with cheese.