Easy Valentine's Day Breakfast {tutorial}

I saw a recipe for easy red velvet pancakes over at This Blessed Nest, and knew immediately what I was serving up for breakfast on Valentine's morning! I had to tweak the recipe a bit after our first trial run, so this tutorial reflects my own adjustments to make firmer, thicker pancakes than the original recipe yielded.

Easy Red Velvet Pancakes

1 1/2 cups red velvet cake mix

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

Whisk ingredients together.

Preheat your skillet over medium heat.

Your butter should sizzle when it hits the pan, but not brown.

I tried a heart-shaped pancake mold for starters. (available at Amazon)

Once these hit the griddle, you're going to attract some onlookers!

For comparison, I cooked a regular round pancake at the same time.

Trim the excess off the round pancake using a butter knife.

(We used heart shapes for Valentine's, obviously)

Here are the finished cakes. I much preferred the round pancake I trimmed.

The pancake made in the mold was blackened and not precisely shaped.

Top with whipped cream.

Serve warm with smiles and hugs!

Someone is sure to snatch up the trimmings.

Parents trapped in the hospital

We are on our way home today, so I am re-posting something from the archives! Of course, I've added a few touches from the added experience of the past week. As well as photos. This yellow wheelchair has been in the hallway our entire stay, and as I hurriedly rush out to get water or milk for Amy, I have seriously wondered if an angel can impersonate a wheelchair. Even in my darkest moments here, this wheelchair has brought a smile to my face. If I ever become an invalid, I am ordering myself one of these!

Ever have a friend whose child is hospitalized? I found an excellent resource online shortly after my son Caleb was unexpectedly hospitalized for a week last April. This list of things to put in a gift basket for a parent whose child is in the hospital is just about perfect. My friend Heather rescued me several times with items on this list when a day in the hospital turned into a week. It would greatly bless any friend of yours facing similar difficulty, and may be a good idea for hospitals or even church small groups to provide as a service to those thrust suddenly into need. I've put the items I most requested in bold.

Survival items

• phone card for long distance
• tooth brush/tooth paste
• shampoo and hand cream
• small box tissues
• Tylenol & Ibuprofen (adult)
• sanitary pads
• razor (there are never ANY in the hospital, for whatever reason)
• mints, gum, instant breakfast, calming herbal tea, chocolate
• Starbucks VIA is an instant rescue for coffee-drinking parents walking the floors
• digital thermometer (paranoid parents always double check)
• a journal for parents to record experiences or medical information

Special touches

• pillow from home
• crayons/coloring book/drawing pad/stickers/book/small kids games
• blanket/tee shirt/hat/underwear
• slippers/soft socks
• coffee mug
• wonderful body refreshing spray - purse size (lemon/citrus is the most universal scent)
• cash, cafeteria gift card and/or parking tickets, gift certificate from hospital gift shop
• a list of nearby restaurants that deliver to the hospital

Services

• Pick up, launder and drop off laundry
• Babysitting of other children
• Offer to organize or pay bills, bring bills to the hospital, or contact service providers such as phone, power, cable, garbage, post office to alert them to the family emergency
• Mow lawn/shovel snow/weed gardens/feed pets
• Make meals for those stuck at home
• Offer to sit with the sick child in the hospital so the parent can run an errand, go outdoors for a few minutes, make phone calls, or get food out of sight of their child, who may be unable or not allowed to eat

Thanks to Ped-Onc Resource Center for the great list! My number one favorite pick from this list is:

• Bring homecooked food to your friend who is stuck in the hospital (Eric & Renee's Buffalo Chicken pizza and the meals my aunts have brought me will seriously NEVER be forgotten. They are in the permanent mental record of incredible blessings I've been privy to in my lifetime. Seriously. Of course, scroll down to see Rosalie's corn casserole and Shera's dessert - my meal last night after 4 days of cafeteria food - and you may understand why!)