Using Food Storage

Before I got my food storage organized, I would go to the dry pack cannery and just guess at what I needed. When I got my rotator shelf and began filling it up, I found that I had 3 times as much oatmeal as I thought. Although I'm fond of oatmeal, I'm not 20 cans fond of it, so I began brainstorming how I could use more oatmeal. I came up with this oatmeal pancake recipe. I'll make a couple of batches at one time and freeze the pancakes, put them in freezer bags, and then pop them in the microwave for 2 minutes. I have been having 1 every morning now for a couple of months. I have yet to get tired of them! Here's the recipe:

Combine in a large bowl:

4 cups oatmeal

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Combine in a smaller bowl:

4 cups (1 quart) buttermilk or regular milk

4 beaten eggs

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup melted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Add liquid all at once to dry ingredients. Stir until dry and wet ingredients are combined, but don't over beat. Let the batter stand for 45 minutes. The batter will thicken, so add regular milk until it is the right consistency. Cook on a hot griddle and enjoy.

I place cooked pancakes on cookie sheets and freeze; then I transfer them to freezer bags and stick in the freeze. I'll take one out, microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, and it's ready. Brooklyn asks for them every Saturday morning she's at my house. With the applesauce in the batter, she doesn't want any 'dippin' (pancake syrup).