I will admit here and now that I am very particular about my pancakes. Not even Martha is as picky about her pancakes as I am. The reason is quite simple really...it's my mother's fault. She always made homemade pancakes. I am not meaning the "Bisquick" type either. I mean honest to goodness, from scratch, homemade pancakes. As a result I don't eat pancakes at Denny's or IHOP or any other restaurant because they taste like cardboard. The pancake recipe I am going to include here is so good you won't need syrup, butter, peanut butter, or fruits so that you can stand to eat them. I am not bragging, just stating a fact. It is a family recipe and so I don't know how many generations it goes back, but I do know that my grandmother made them as well.
If you like mixes--you know, that you can combine in advance and then with the addition of a few more ingredients have the finished product--it is pretty easy to put all of the dry ingredients together in advance then add the liquids later.
**NOTE: To add to my picky pancakes great flavor I purchase fresh, unbleached, white flour from a special mill. Yes, yes I know. You are all out there saying, "OH BROTHER!" However, fresh flour can make or break the flavor or your pancakes. The stuff at the store can be up to 10 years old! And it tastes like it!**
So without further adieu:
MY FAMILY PANCAKE RECIPE:
2 cups milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs separated
2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Place milk, vegetable oil, and egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and wisk. Place egg whites in a small bowl and beat on low (yes I said LOW because you want all of the egg white to get beaten) until soft peaks form. In another medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture all at once and mix just until smooth. Carefully fold beaten egg whites into the batter.
Cook pancakes on a buttered, smoke-hot griddle to desired doneness.
Enjoy as you like!!
Yours Truly,
Mrs. Know-It
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Re-Potting a Large Plant
Once the moon and stars had all aligned correctly, I was able to find someone who not only would help me re-pot a large plant but was in desperate need of re-potting her over-grown, large, Jade plant.
As you can see this Jade plant (actually there were FOUR individual Jade plants all growing in this pot) has completely over-grown its pot.
So here we go:
Step 1. Find a VERY beautiful, much larger pot to re-pot your plant into. My friend got this from Plow & Hearth.
A drain hole in the bottom is preferrable, but not necessary.
Step 2. Put about 2-3 inches of packaging peanuts in the bottom of pot.
Step 3. Add appropriate potting soil for the particular plant that you are re-potting. If you aren't sure which type of soil you need, contact me in the comments section at any time and I will point you in the right direction.
Step 4. Because we had several plants growing in this pot we needed to seperate them. A large kitchen knife works really well!
Step 5. For most large plants, you will want to grab the trunk of the plant right at the base of it. If you will be removing the entire pot of soil and large plant at the same time, make sure you have at least two people so that one of you can lift and steady the plant and the other can help by lifting the soil. Make sure that the pot you are moving the plant to is close at hand because you don't want to have to carry ten tons of plant and soil to far.
Step 6. Once the plant is nestled into the soil of the new pot add the remaining soil to the pot until it is to the desired depth in the pot.
**Now this part is different that with the small plants: firmly pack the soil all around the trunk of the plant and push and pack the soil down into the pot. If you don't do this your large plant will fall over in the pot.
As you can see this Jade plant (actually there were FOUR individual Jade plants all growing in this pot) has completely over-grown its pot.So here we go:
Step 1. Find a VERY beautiful, much larger pot to re-pot your plant into. My friend got this from Plow & Hearth.
A drain hole in the bottom is preferrable, but not necessary.
Step 2. Put about 2-3 inches of packaging peanuts in the bottom of pot.
Step 3. Add appropriate potting soil for the particular plant that you are re-potting. If you aren't sure which type of soil you need, contact me in the comments section at any time and I will point you in the right direction.
Step 4. Because we had several plants growing in this pot we needed to seperate them. A large kitchen knife works really well!
Step 5. For most large plants, you will want to grab the trunk of the plant right at the base of it. If you will be removing the entire pot of soil and large plant at the same time, make sure you have at least two people so that one of you can lift and steady the plant and the other can help by lifting the soil. Make sure that the pot you are moving the plant to is close at hand because you don't want to have to carry ten tons of plant and soil to far.Step 6. Once the plant is nestled into the soil of the new pot add the remaining soil to the pot until it is to the desired depth in the pot.
**Now this part is different that with the small plants: firmly pack the soil all around the trunk of the plant and push and pack the soil down into the pot. If you don't do this your large plant will fall over in the pot.
We also used a plant stake with sturdy wire arms to help secure the branches and the whole plant in its new surroundings. This may not be necessary for your plant but it was necessary for this plant.
TADA!! Isn't it lovely! I am sure it will be much happier here than it was all crowded into that small old pot.
Any questions? Any comments? I hope you have enjoyed this plant re-potting series.
Yours Truly,
Mrs. Know-It
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Pause for Commercial Break
I still have not had the right combination of circumstances (ie. two people or more) in order to re-pot an extra large plant. I anticipate the alignment of the moon and stars to arrange into the right order so that it can be accomplished this Saturday. So, in the mean time we will pause for this commercial break from PBS:
Do you crave something chocolate-y, marshmellow-y, extremely fattening, and so delicious that you will try to find ways to skip meals so that you have enough room to eat an entire batch of it? Well, follow this link to some of THE MOST DELICIOUS cupcakes on the face of the planet!!! I made these last Saturday and I honestly ate three of them (one right after another). I know of no other chocolate cupcake/cake recipe that is this good! Yes, the recipe really calls for THREE sticks of BUTTER--one stick of which is mixed with a jar of marshmellow cream. Oh Man! Just writing this post makes me want to go make more.
Yours Truly
Mrs. Know-It
Do you crave something chocolate-y, marshmellow-y, extremely fattening, and so delicious that you will try to find ways to skip meals so that you have enough room to eat an entire batch of it? Well, follow this link to some of THE MOST DELICIOUS cupcakes on the face of the planet!!! I made these last Saturday and I honestly ate three of them (one right after another). I know of no other chocolate cupcake/cake recipe that is this good! Yes, the recipe really calls for THREE sticks of BUTTER--one stick of which is mixed with a jar of marshmellow cream. Oh Man! Just writing this post makes me want to go make more.
Yours Truly
Mrs. Know-It
Friday, April 11, 2008
Re-Pot a Cactus
Before we get started re-potting our cactus there are some important things that you may or may not know about cactus plants, but definately should take into consideration.
1. A cactus, similar to mine, will only grow as big a its container. So, if you do not want a six foot tall, 1,ooo pound, cactus growing in your house don't plant it in an extra large, 20 gallon pot.
2. Cactus love the sun. Mine simply adores its chosen place in my southern facing window where it can have sunshine all day. It is so happy there that it blooms from late January until June every year. So make sure that whatever pot you put it into that it will still fit onto that sunny window sill or in that sunny spot in your house.
3. Cactus are COVERED with millions of needles! Prepare yourself and your re-potting area carefully. Long, heavy, leather gloves are a must! It's a good idea to wear a heavy duty, long sleeve shirt also, especially if you don't have some long leather gloves.
4 Cactus require a special potting soil so make sure you have purchased the appropriate soil for it.
5. Cactus require a VERY good draining pot. I like to use the real terra cotta pots because they will not only drain water out of the bottom really well, but the pot itself will soak up the excess water out of the soil and provide the roots plenty of air circulation.
6. And finally, cactus are HEAVY. My little cactus is only about 8 inches tall, but it weighs 15 pounds!!! Unlike your other house plants, cactus are full of "water" and so every bit of that 8 inch plant is water.
So, here are my gloves and the cactus potting soil that I am going to use. Notice the package of soil says, "Provides Excellent Drainage". This is important if you want to have a healthy cactus plant. Notice that my glove are large, padded, and long enough to cover my hands up past my wrists--VERY important!
And here is my little cactus. I have had this plant for about eleven years. I have only re-potted it twice because after each re-potting the cactus has immediately grown to the capacity of the new pot. The only reason I am re-potting it this time is because the soil has sunk so low into the pot that the cactus is not stable anymore. I am not going to change pots, just add some new fresh soil and build up the soil level in the pot.
The proceedure is similar to the steps for re-potting any plant except that you need to be VERY careful that the cactus does not end up stuck to your bare arms or hands.
1. Moisten the soil and allow to drain completely until the soil looks nice and firm. While the soil drains, prepare new pot with layer of rocks or packaging peanut at the bottom and a few inches of soil, or in the case of mine, I will prepare the pot after step 3.
2. Loosen the soil and cactus by leaning the pot over and allowing the cactus to rest in the palm of your gloved hand.
3. Without pulling or bending the cactus slowly dump the whole plant into your gloved palm that the cactus was resting in in step two. Make sure that this whole process is done close to the table or counter top so that the plant roots and soil can come out onto the surface and the entire weight of the plant doesn't end up in your hand.
4. Using both gloved hands, pick up the cactus, by the root end, and carefully place the cactus into the new container. Fill in all the edges with more soil using a large spoon or small garden shovel. Don't pack the soil down.
Here it is! All re-potted. I like to put decorative rock around the bottom of my cactus plant. It won't need watered for about a week or so. I don't water my cactus that much because cactus are desert plants and don't need much water. I may only water it two or three times in a month and only about 1/4 of a cup of water each time.
Next time........re-potting an extra large plant.
Yours Truly,
Mrs. Know-It
1. A cactus, similar to mine, will only grow as big a its container. So, if you do not want a six foot tall, 1,ooo pound, cactus growing in your house don't plant it in an extra large, 20 gallon pot.
2. Cactus love the sun. Mine simply adores its chosen place in my southern facing window where it can have sunshine all day. It is so happy there that it blooms from late January until June every year. So make sure that whatever pot you put it into that it will still fit onto that sunny window sill or in that sunny spot in your house.
3. Cactus are COVERED with millions of needles! Prepare yourself and your re-potting area carefully. Long, heavy, leather gloves are a must! It's a good idea to wear a heavy duty, long sleeve shirt also, especially if you don't have some long leather gloves.
4 Cactus require a special potting soil so make sure you have purchased the appropriate soil for it.
5. Cactus require a VERY good draining pot. I like to use the real terra cotta pots because they will not only drain water out of the bottom really well, but the pot itself will soak up the excess water out of the soil and provide the roots plenty of air circulation.
6. And finally, cactus are HEAVY. My little cactus is only about 8 inches tall, but it weighs 15 pounds!!! Unlike your other house plants, cactus are full of "water" and so every bit of that 8 inch plant is water.
So, here are my gloves and the cactus potting soil that I am going to use. Notice the package of soil says, "Provides Excellent Drainage". This is important if you want to have a healthy cactus plant. Notice that my glove are large, padded, and long enough to cover my hands up past my wrists--VERY important!
And here is my little cactus. I have had this plant for about eleven years. I have only re-potted it twice because after each re-potting the cactus has immediately grown to the capacity of the new pot. The only reason I am re-potting it this time is because the soil has sunk so low into the pot that the cactus is not stable anymore. I am not going to change pots, just add some new fresh soil and build up the soil level in the pot.The proceedure is similar to the steps for re-potting any plant except that you need to be VERY careful that the cactus does not end up stuck to your bare arms or hands.
1. Moisten the soil and allow to drain completely until the soil looks nice and firm. While the soil drains, prepare new pot with layer of rocks or packaging peanut at the bottom and a few inches of soil, or in the case of mine, I will prepare the pot after step 3.
2. Loosen the soil and cactus by leaning the pot over and allowing the cactus to rest in the palm of your gloved hand.
3. Without pulling or bending the cactus slowly dump the whole plant into your gloved palm that the cactus was resting in in step two. Make sure that this whole process is done close to the table or counter top so that the plant roots and soil can come out onto the surface and the entire weight of the plant doesn't end up in your hand.
4. Using both gloved hands, pick up the cactus, by the root end, and carefully place the cactus into the new container. Fill in all the edges with more soil using a large spoon or small garden shovel. Don't pack the soil down.
Here it is! All re-potted. I like to put decorative rock around the bottom of my cactus plant. It won't need watered for about a week or so. I don't water my cactus that much because cactus are desert plants and don't need much water. I may only water it two or three times in a month and only about 1/4 of a cup of water each time.Next time........re-potting an extra large plant.
Yours Truly,
Mrs. Know-It
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Small & Simple
I want to start with the re-potting of a small plant. This small type of Ivy house plant is a very simple plant to re-pot. 
The first thing you need to do is moisten the soil where the plant is currently residing. MOISTEN--DON'T SOAK! While the water is draining all the way to the bottom of the plant, prepare your new pot. It should be at least a half a time larger than the pot that the plant is currently in. (See size difference in picture above).
Next, add enough good potting soil to the new pot to cover the bottom and a little up the sides. **If your new pot doesn't have a drain hole make sure that you place some 3/4 inch gravel or packaging peanuts, about one layer deep, in the bottom of the pot--this will allow air movement and drainage for the roots so that the plant doesn't get "root rot".**
Once the new pot is prepared and the soil in the old pot looks firm but moist carefully lay the old pot on its side and loosen the plant--soil and all. Carefully remove the plant and as much of the soil as will come out with the plant. Take care not to pull on the plant itself because you could pull off the tops--you want to lift the plant by the soil as much as possible. Place plant and soil into new pot. Nestle plant into the new pot soil and then, using a large spoon or small garden shovel, loosely add enough soil to finish filling the pot--especially around the sides. DO NOT PACK THE SOIL IN TIGHT! I use the spoon to "settle" the soil into place.
Once you have a sufficient amount of soil added, carefully move stems around so that they are no longer bound tightly together. This will also loosen the soil that came with the plant from the old pot.
Finally, if the plant needs trimmed this is a good time to do it. For this plant I cut, using sharp kitchen scissors, the stem right where my index finger is at just below the leaf stem.
All done! Remember--plants need air, light, and water to grow and flourish. Re-potting your plant allows the plant to have more room for its roots and the new loose soil will enable more air flow for the roots and the healtier the roots, the more beautiful the plant.
Got questions? Leave them in the comment section. Stay tuned...next time we will re-pot a cactus!
Yours Truly
Mrs. Know-It
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Recycle tip of the week:
This weeks recycle tip is really good. Do you use the fabric softener dryer sheets? Well, before you just throw them away after one cycle through the dryer re-use them as a furniture polishing/dust cloth! They work fantastic! Use them on wood, "fake" wood, and painted wood surfaces. I don't recommend using them on glass surfaces--like the face of the tv set or on knick-knacks--because they might streak the surface.
Speaking of dryers--if you do use dryer sheets to soften your clothes don't forget to take the lint trap out once a week and wash it with very hot water and dish soap! Rinse it thoroughly until the water flows freely through the trap holes. Allow it to air dry completely and then replace the trap back in the dryer. Why? Because the clothes softening agent that is on the dryer sheets coat your lint trap and clog the little holes in the trap. This makes your dryer work harder and become less efficient--not to mention, it could cause your dryer to catch fire or the heating element to burn out.
COMING UP: Spring time is an excellent time to re-pot your house plants. I will be giving tips and advice in a three part series starting next week. We will start with re-potting a small simple plant then move on to more difficult and large plant re-potting. So stay tuned!
Yours Truly
Mrs. Know-It
Speaking of dryers--if you do use dryer sheets to soften your clothes don't forget to take the lint trap out once a week and wash it with very hot water and dish soap! Rinse it thoroughly until the water flows freely through the trap holes. Allow it to air dry completely and then replace the trap back in the dryer. Why? Because the clothes softening agent that is on the dryer sheets coat your lint trap and clog the little holes in the trap. This makes your dryer work harder and become less efficient--not to mention, it could cause your dryer to catch fire or the heating element to burn out.
COMING UP: Spring time is an excellent time to re-pot your house plants. I will be giving tips and advice in a three part series starting next week. We will start with re-potting a small simple plant then move on to more difficult and large plant re-potting. So stay tuned!
Yours Truly
Mrs. Know-It
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
