Get out what you put in

My mom and I were chatting recently about juggling it all, so to speak. I took into account such things as making breakfast two or three times a week. This is down from the 7-12 times a week it felt like I used to make breakfast. Pancakes, waffles, and occasionally eggs. Throw in some turkey bacon, yogurt and french toast and fruit and that makes an ideal breakfast spread.

This started early in my motherhood. I remember like it was yesterday the day that the sweet, loving, and gently firm day care provider said to me, "I think he'd like something more. He seems to like the look of the pancakes." Sam was 7 months old. It began Sam's and subsequently the twins' love affair with the breakfast carbs. I make pancakes from scratch, though am not above a box of complete pancake mix. (If I'm going to cut corners, I'm going to just add water.) I own and use a waffle iron. We have favorite muffins, ranked by flavor and maker (Wegman's is the favorite).

When the boys were very young, another mom of young 'uns asked, "do you make pancakes *everyday*?" At that point, I did. Pancakes, yogurt and fruit were our typical breakfast. Let me simplify, because I never meant to make this mom, or anyone else feel anything about themselves, parenting, their children, etc etc etc simply because of food:

1 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 beaten egg
1 c. milk
2T. oil

Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine, egg, milk and oil. Add flour all at once to wet ingredients. Stir until blended but slightly lumpy.

Pour 1/4 c. batter onto hot, lightly greased griddle. Turn heat to low.

Cook until first side is bubbly and edges slightly dry. Flip and brown second side.

Serve it with syrup, powdered sugar or rolled up with brown sugar in the middle or any other way you please. Enjoy!!

It isn't anything more than sustenance. But it is what I know. I cook, bake and poke around the kitchen. I am the daughter of the daughter of a farmer's wife. When you have to feed a dozen mouths, you cook good, healthy, hearty meals, as my grandmother did. My mom stayed at home with us. She made breakfast, lunch and dinner from scratch. It is just what I know. Admittedly, making breakfast from scratch is the expectation that I put upon myself because I choose to, I enjoy it, I want to, I feel that it is a little something I can do for my boys.

When I came upon this quote, it resonated, and made me laugh a little:

When you cook it should be an act of love. To put a frozen bag in the microwave for your child is an act of hate. -Raymond Blanc

However, it also occurred to my that I am unsure of what it means when you call Imperial Pizza.