Annacdotes, Part 9

1. Two of my favorite verb variations Anna uses on a regular basis: "I went gas" and, when talking about killing a bad guy, "Let's get him dead."

2. Speaking of someone getting dead, when Anna was saying her prayers the other night, here's what she said: "Please help Dad to drive home safely. And please help him to not get dead by a shark. And please help him to go fishing but to come back without anything." It was such a good prayer.

3. Speaking of prayers, she regularly prays that her wishes will come true. That'll work, right? She also says every night in her prayers that she wants to be a "beautiful mermaid ice skater dancer ballerina." Maybe I should talk to her about that...

4. Words she's using that make me smile: moment ("I need to rest for a moment on the couch." or "I will play with my horse for a moment before I go to sleep." Really. That's verbatim.), extremely, dramatic, and proper accessories (which I think we can probably safely trace back to Fancy Nancy, or something similar). Also, I was telling her what a commercial was the other day and a few minutes later she told me she had more questions about "advertisements." What? When did she hear that word and when did she put that together?

5. A direct quote: "I can't walk anymore because my legs are out of breath."

6. Her new favorite food? Capers. Add that to the list of Unusual Foods For A 3 Year Old To Like, which, if you'll remember, also includes beets, pickles, pickled green beans, straight butter (cringe—she gets this from her mother, who may or may not have liked to eat it straight when she was young), and salt (I've caught her licking the salt shaker more than once—double cringe).

Spring Art Market

Go check out the Spring Art Market in Sugarhouse this weekend...

...where you can buy cool growth charts like this

and this

and several new designs that have not been unveiled yet. Get excited.

A total indulgence

I recently found a recipe for probably the best pancakes I've ever had.

Seriously.

I was searching for buttermilk pancake recipes on Allrecipes.com one day and saw that more than a thousand people had rated it, which was a good sign that I needed to try this recipe. The pancakes were so fluffy and delicious that I almost rated the recipe and commented myself. But I never do that, so I didn't.

Here it is:

Beautiful Buttermilk Pancakes
(10 servings)

3 c. flour
3 T. sugar
3 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. soda
3/4 t. salt
3 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. milk
3 eggs
1/3 c. butter, melted and cooled

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs, and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook. Heat a lightly greased frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Don't over stir! Use about 1/2 cup of batter for each pancake.

Some thoughts: Like it says, don't over stir. The batter will be super thick, but it's supposed to be. I always want to thin it down but I have to stop myself. Just put a scoop of batter in the pan and then spread it out a little to make a good-sized pancake. Also, notice that this is a huge recipe and will make enough for 10 servings. I was too lazy to do any kind of fractions right now, so that's no joke.

And if you're going to really quash all ideas about eating anything remotely healthy the morning you make these pancakes, try this syrup recipe. Absolutely heavenly.

Buttermilk Syrup
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. soda

Combine sugar, buttermilk, and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and soda. (Watch after you add the soda because the mixture rises to the top of the pan.)

This syrup recipe is similar to many out there trying to recreate the syrup they serve at Magleby's, but I added less sugar and it's still to die for.

And the moral of the story? Buttermilk makes everything good.

Everyone needs a pair of these

I went on a jean hunt a couple weeks ago and came home with a pair of these for $17. I couldn't NOT buy these pants. (I also found two pairs of jeans that day—it was like Christmas.) Anyway, when I took these bright-as-the-noonday-sun pants to the register, the guy who worked there said, "Man, doesn't everyone need a pair of these?"

I wholeheartedly agreed (and still agree). "Totally," I said, nodding my head.

He said, "We also had some in mustard yellow, but they're all sold out. Everyone needs a pair of those too."

I wholeheartedly disagreed.

Mustard yellow is a gross color that only a small percentage of the population can wear without looking sickly. I fall into the majority, however, so no mustard yellow anything for me, thanks.

But I will take bright peony pink corduroy pants. The minute you put them on, they'll cheer you and everyone you see right up. You can even see the pink glare in their faces, they're just that bright.

A brief foray into html

As you can see, I'm kind of having some strugs. But I might figure it out. Just maybe.