Pancake Imposters And Other Changes. Plus, Maybe, An Auction!

Friday.
You got stuff going on this weekend?
We're hanging here; That Old House demands attention.

It's time for me (if by "me," we mean "Howard")

to bring the Fall stuff up from the dungeon cellar.

You are looking at your weekend, O Dear Husband of Mine.

I am embracing Autumn.

There are more than seasonal changes here.

For the past few months,
we've ditched grains and sugar here at That Old House.

It is a challenge, but there have been benefits.

I can make a fist with my right hand.

That may not seem like much, but for the past year ... I could not.
My fingers could barely bend.  Now, they do.  Easily.

See?

Image from Karen, at The Graphics Fairy

That's one major change since Spring.

Another?

Howard and I are once again empty-nesters.

Our daughter Anne now lives in Washington, D.C.

She found a wonderful job as a costume designer,

a full-time position, and is loving the city,

her apartment, her job, her independence.

We are very proud.

(I miss her.  Especially when I have to weed the flower borders, or cook.  Don't tell.)

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Since we are not cooking with any grains,

breakfasts can get pretty repetitive.  No more cereal.  No more bagels.

No more breakfast sandwiches.  No more toast or English muffins.

No more pancakes!

Every once in awhile, we have pancakes anyway.  Well... sort of.  

Here, for Foodie Friday, are Cream Cheese Pancakes.

Cream Cheese Pancake Recipe

2 oz. cream cheese (1/4 regular block)

2 eggs (whole)

(opt) a packet of sweetener of your choice

(opt) 1/2 tsp of cinnamon

Put everything in your blender, and blend the heck out of it.

When it's all smooth, let it rest a few minutes till the bubbles settle down,

then pour 1/4 of the better into a hot pan, greased with butter or Pam.

Cook 2 minutes ... till brown ... then carefully flip it over.

(This is tricky sometimes ... slide your spatula under just a bit, and FLIP.)

Cook a good minute on that side, then serve.  Syrup, fruit, jam, butter, horseradish sauce,

whatever you like on your pancakes, you will like on these.

They are, as Anne would say, "tasty."

Update:  We made these for Saturday breakfast, and I realized that they would benefit
by the additon of a bit of salt to the batter.  Perhaps 1/4 teaspoon.  Sometime you just need that depth.

Will you ever mistake them for Aunt Jemima's?

Nope.

But if you, too, have sworn off wheat for whatever reason,

these are a nice change of pace.  I think I'll make them tomorrow....

I found this recipe on a wonderful blog, "i breathe... i'm hungry..." and you

can find the recipe, nutritional info, and much more, by clicking here.

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Meanwhile, for the first time, I have rose hips on a bush.

Are they used for anything?  Or do they just look nice?

Speaking of looking nice, our front porch Boston ferns are still ferning along.

The one closest to the camera hosted a family of birds this summer.

Mom, Dad, and babies, nesting in the fern.

Perhaps not the brightest of our feathered friends;

we had to water really carefully so as not to wash them away,

and they plucked the sticks for their nest off the front door wreath,

while I watched.  Kinda cute.  Wreath looks a little shabby....

The nesting fern is showing a little more brown than its mates. 

It worked hard this summer!

Now ... go visit Michael Lee West at Rattlebridge Farm,

for her long-running blog party Foodie Friday.

Go on ... click here!

What will you be up to this weekend?

As I said, we'll stick close to the Mothership.

Unless . . . maybe . . . well, we got an invitation to 

a country auction in the mail, and it looks pretty sweet.

It's described as "two houses filled with antiques and collectibles."

I think maybe we just have to go, don't you?  I think I owe it to my blogging friends!

Have a beautiful Fall weekend, ladies and gents.  -- Cass