Four Grain Flapjacks

Sadly, this is the only picture I actually took of the finished pancakes. Despite Elisheva's expression, we all love these things, including Elisheva.

For Christmas my uber-organized sister Mandie put together a cookbook for my Mom with each kid contributing a recipe with pictures of the grandkids making it/eating it/just looking cute. This is the recipe we put together for her. I wish I could say I invented this, but it actually came from the new and updated Joy of Cooking cookbook. I love that book. Avram and I checked it out of the library, and kept it for over four months on renewals, because we couldn't give it back. Then my mother-in-law gave me it for Christmas, and now I can be happy for forever.

Although I planned for a cute family togetherness cooking experience to take pictures of, real life intervened. First Lydia and Elisheva fought over the one purple apron that my Mom made for Lydia. Lydia won that one, but then in a spare moment Avram kyfed the controversial apron and hid it. Good thing Elisheva is getting an apron for her birthday in a few months.

Avram began assembling the ingredients, but by this point Elisheva was starving, and demanded breakfast NOW!

The dark underbelly of cooking and trying to take cute pictures while you have hungry kids to feed.

We gave her cheerios, and food comforted all Elisheva's sorrows.
Lydia helped Avram stir the dry ingredients, while Avram did the actual work to make this meal happen.Despite pictoral evidence, these are as quick as any pancakes (not from a mix) to put together - just ten minutes or so. And we do love them.

Four Grain Flapjacks

Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cornmeal

¼ old-fashioned or quick-rolling rolled oats

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In another bowl, combine:

1 ¾ cup milk

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted

¼ cup honey

3 eggs

Quickly mix the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Cook as for pancakes - on medium heat, until bubbles form on the top, then flip and cook on the second side until brown.

We really like to eat these pancakes with real maple syrup. Sure, it's five times as expensive as the fake stuff - but because it tastes so good, you don't need to use as much. And the extra grains can make you feel virtuous and lovely.