Snowman Pancakes - Simple and Fun!

photo: Non-Foodie Foodie

Over the summer we traveled the Ohio River Valley visiting family. One of our stops was to visit my Aunt Cathy and Uncle Brian. They have 2 grown boys (I mean like 6 foot plus grown boys) so they were excited to have babies back in her house - my 3 year old niece and nephew and my Shorty. My Aunt Cathy broke out her big fry pan and made the most amazing shaped pancakes.  They made the kiddies go crazy. This truly inspired me!

Since then I've been trying to make my pancakes a bit more interesting. I've got Mickey Mouse's head down pretty good. Then I came across The 17 Ways To Live (really live) in January from Paper & Glam.

Paper & Glam Blogger, Lisamarie, has put these wonderfully seasonal lists together to give, basically, a bucket list of seasonal fun, but done monthly and available to you as a printable download for free (see link above).

photo via @paperandglam's Instagram

One of Paper & Glam's January items is to celebrate this cold month with Snowman Pancakes. After a quick search through Pinterest to get some ideas, I had what I wanted to do.

I made this as simple as I could. I used pancake mix (my favorite is always Hungry Jack Extra Light and Fluffy). This one above had the head made first then the body (one small circle then one big circle made with a spoon). The toughest part of the whole thing is flipping it over. I suggest make the pancake to match at least 3/4 of the spatula size.

I friend up bacon in full strips in my new FAVORITE appliance - the Air Fryer. The bacon lies across the "neck" to make a scarf.  Next add chocolate chips for the eyes and the buttons, and voila`!  You have a cute and yummy snowman.

My co-chef wanted to have one "with hair".

photo: Non-Foodie Foodie

For this one, I started with the body then added a smaller circle for the head. I took a baby spoon and made two small pig tails on either side.

Once it was cooked, I added butter (very hard to do after the chocolate chips are added), a bacon scarf, and let Erin add the eyes and buttons. She wanted a mouth and a bow, all added with chocolate chips.

Once you take a picture of your SUPER cute creation (#latergram) - smother in syrup (if that's your thing) and enjoy!! 

I also consider this one a Pinterest Win!  It pretty much looks like (or even a little better, but I'm biased) than the ones I got inspiration from.

With this success, this weekend we are going to try Snowman Pizza, also on Paper & Glam's January list.

This post contains links, but at the time of writing this post, there is no affiliate program I am subscribed to.

Indoor S'mores Bars

Now that I'm a mom - it's opens a whole new world of food and food prep for me.  When looking to make something Munchkin can help me with, there are different things to think about - what can she help me make that won't make her sick if she eats a little before it's done?  What can we make that can have some margin of error for the amount that will end up on the floor?  What doesn't need a lot of knife work, heat or patience (on both our parts)?

Now, Munchkin is just turning ONE this month (OMG!!).  She isn't really helping me yet, but I came across this recipe as something to make as a give away for her birthday party.  It's a beautiful layered jar mix.  As I was testing it for yummy-ness (as not all jar mixes are as awesome in taste and they are in look in the jar) I found it was the perfect kid recipe!  Simple ingredients - check!  Nothing raw - check!  Easy for little hands - check (she can even use her hands to mix when she is dexterous enough)!  Nothing really hot (except a little time in the oven) and no real knife work - check check!!

...AND it's super yummy to boot!

I made 4 batches of this in one night for an event at work (I got 60+ bars) and hardly broke a sweat.  Even better - you probably already have everything in your pantry.

Indoor S'mores Bars

as adapted from Cookies and Cups recipe for Campfire Bars (visit here)

1½ cups graham crackers cut into 1" pieces (I used teddy grahams to look festive and avoid chopping)

1½ cups mini marshmallows

¾ cup chocolate chips

½ cup plain granola (I've used vanilla bean and honey so far)

½ cup packed light brown sugar

8 Tbsp butter - melted and cooled a little

 

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. 

 

Mix all ingredients with a bowl until all pieces are gleaming with buttery goodness.  Spread in an 8x8 baking pan, making sure to pat down the graham crackers that are sticking up a bit.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.

 

Cool completely before cutting.

 

One batch makes 16 bars.

To make as a give away - layer all ingredients except butter in order listed (graham cracker on bottom and brown sugar on top) into a quart size mason jar.  Print directions and attach to jar.

 

Almost all packaged for party goodies -
just need to add tags and directions!