If you’ve been following along the last few weeks, you’ve probably noticed that my blog posts have gotten quite Ernest, Sincere and Serious (I capitalized these on purpose). It seems that I fell into the trap of “escaping mediocrity is serious business” thinking.
And some days, it is serious. It requires that I be more than I think I can be, make choices I don’t think I can make, and push myself into places I’m frightened to go.
So I sit and think, and write, and ponder about all of this and then…..
My seven year old son asks “Hey mom, can you make Snickerdoodle pancakes?”
And I realize that there is this whole other piece to escaping mediocrity that I’ve been totally neglecting. 
It’s the part about having fun. It’s the part about playing. It’s the part about looking up the recipe or the instructions (or making up either of those if necessary) for something I’ve never done before – simply because.
And if the holiday season can’t bring out the playful kid in me, I am doomed.
So, I said to my son, “I’ve never made snickerdoodle pancakes but they sound delicious. Let’s find a recipe and make them!!”
(I tweeted about this on Sunday and many of you asked for the recipe. I found two which are posted below.)
We measured, we stirred, we laughed when the sugar dumped over. We even cut the top off of a squeeze bottle so we could make funny faces and shapes in the pan.
And when we ate them….mmmm…it was like eating a warm cinnamon sugar cookie with butter and maple syrup. And we reveled in the edible masterpiece we created.
And all the capital E effort I can muster will NEVER be able to duplicate that most UNmediocre split-second in time.
I’m thinking this might be the secret gas pedal for my escape plans. Just to make sure, I plan on experimenting with more fun, play, laughter and doing stuff just because it sounds like fun.
Wanna come decorate cookies with me?!
Snickerdoodle Pancakes Recipe #1:
2 eggs (can use egg whites only if preferred)
¼ cup sugar
1 1/4 c milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (to taste)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1. Beat together eggs and sugar with a wire whisk or electric mixer. Then add the milk and stir.
2. Add vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
3. Stir in flour until batter is smooth and thick to the point that it coats the back of a spoon.
4. Pour onto a non-stick griddle or frying pan.
5. Flip when exposed top is bubbly and the edges of the pancake are drying.
6. Serve with your choice of syrup, fruit topping or as a desert with ice cream.
Snickerdoodle Pancake Recipe #2
2 cups Pancake Mix
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
In medium bowl, stir together pancake mix, brown sugar, chocolate chips and salt. Add milk, egg, butter and vanilla. Stir with a whisk until blended. For each pancake, pour 2 tablespoons batter onto lightly greased and preheated 375°F griddle (medium heat). Cook 11/2 minutes per side, turning only once.
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Tags: escape plans, food, levity
