Hooray for another SNOW DAY! I can hardly believe it, it’s almost too good to be true.

I actually started to get ready this morning. I got up and checked the school closings, did NOT find my school on the list, and so I preceded (drudgingly) to get ready for my day. On my way to the kitchen to get my morning coffee I thought I heard the sound of my cell phone ringing, so I stopped dead in my tracks, waited, and when I heard the ringing again, I BOLTED back to my bedroom in a giddy frenzy. I WIN! I WIN! I thought with excitement as I jumped back into bed with the most satisfied feeling.

When I did eventually wake up, 3 and a half glorious hours later, I decided to make Joy the Baker’s delectable milk chocolate buttermilk pancakes. These pancakes are divine. My choice to make these was a last minute one, and to my lucky surprise I still had buttermilk in my fridge from my buttermilk biscuit adventure (and a successful one at that).

For my milk chocolate buttermilk pancake adventure, I did not have any milk chocolate chips. Or semi-sweet for that matter. I was chocolate chip-less and at first very disappointed about it. But then I remembered I had just impulsively picked up a bag of dove milk chocolate promises, which I have been eating incessantly since I bought them… about a day ago. Oh jeez. Chocolate, you complete me.

So, in order to get some chocolate into my pancakes, a requirement since I was a little girl, I cut some of these wonderful little chocolate promises up and threw them right into the batter. GLOrious.

Great idea, right?? I thought so.

Don’t forget to read the promises! I love this one because it’s true:

The best things in life are chocolate.

And snow days too, of course.

These are the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes. You should make them. I’m serious. Don’t wait any longer! Make them RIGHT NOW!

Joy the Baker’s Milk Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes– YUM!

2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips (Dove milk chocolate promises work perfectly!!)

oil or cooking spray (for cooking)

Step 1: In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, butter and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and let batter set for a few minutes.
Step 2: Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, if or when the drops start to dance its hot enough.
Step 3: Pour 2 Tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

Happy Friday!!

SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD.

I picked these up last week to make for my MLK day breakfast. I dreamed and dreamed of these puppies all weekend long and when the day finally came it was everything I hoped for and more. So soft and sugary, one of the best things TJ’s has to offer! Go pick some up and make them this weekend. They are the best!!

Best ice cream place EVER: Cabots!

I was first introduced to Cabots through Zan’s family, as this is their favorite place to go for celebrations (i.e. graduations and such) and also sometimes just for the heck of it. I try to be around for each and every time they plan on going, because it is sooooo tasty. Not to be mistaken for healthy food, because it is far from it. But tasty like nothing else. The best part about this diner is it’s classic feel. Definitely like you’ve stepped back to simpler days.

Actually, I take that back. The best part about this diner is the Danielle’s Choice Sundae. It’s insanely big and INSANELY good.

I get it every single time without fail.

Here, you will see why…

Fun fact: I can finish the whole entire thing. By myself.

YUM!!!

Take a drive over to Newton and get yourself one of your own. You will not regret it. I never do.

Cabots Ice Cream and Restaurant. 743 Washington Street. Newtonville, MA 02460

This past weekend I took on a project. I like to call it the PW project. Over Christmas, picked up a copy (and not just any copy, a signed copy) of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl. I have been dreaming about this cookbook for awhile now. Partly because I want to make the food, but also partly because The Pioneer Woman, is like, the coolest woman EVER.

So I decided that this was the weekend I was going to try out her yummy looking buttermilk biscuits. Cause if there’s one thing I love for breakfast, it’s buttery biscuits.

Come with me on my journey…

First, get all your ingredients ready. Your “cast of characters” as PW likes to put it.

Keep your butter cold. That’s the way it’s supposed to be for making biscuits.

Make sure to follow your recipe. Cause biscuits aren’t easy. They are tricky, tricky, tricky.

Start by pouring your dry ingredients into a large bowl. Oh, and pre-heat that oven to 450 degrees.

Add the butter and shortening. Yes, I know what you must be thinking. But let’s indulge a little here. It’s a Sunday morning. As for the mixing, PW says you can use a pastry blender, but I’m not that fancy so I used two knives.

Pour in your buttermilk…

And fold with a fork until still a little sticky (not dry, not crumbly).

It should look something like this. I’m showing you these pictures so you can get an idea of what yours should look like, should you decided to take on this project yourself. Also, truth be told, I’m obsessed with my new camera.

Then you flour a clean surface, and roll out the dough… not too thin, not too thick.

I got a new french rolling pin from Crate and Barrel via a gift certificate from one of my students. It’s AWE-some. And it makes me just that much more awesome in the kitchen. Trust me.

After your dough is rolled out you can cut your biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Which didn’t seem to exist at C&B, so I bought this little number instead. Works like gold.

After that they’re ready to go into the oven. 11-14 minutes or until golden brown. I think I cooked mine a tad bit too long. But they were still dang good.

Truly terrific! Spreading butter on top is simple and delicious. Raspberry jam is equally (if not more so) yummy as well. They also make a perfect place to put an egg sandwich. Yes. Oh yes.

Click here for the full recipe!

Hope you make these someday! They’re sure wonderful.