Oatmeal Banana Muffins with Flax Seeds Recipe

Hola Amigos! Glad to be here a the blog today sharing  with you my first "from scratch" muffins!

You know me, I'm still yet to conquer my fear of baking sweets from scratch, the flour, the baking powder, the not over mixing, it's all a big headache for me and I tend to avoid those at any cost! But once in a while, with deep breaths and fire extinguisher at hand, I get enough courage to try something simple and safe.

Perhaps one day I'll do something more daring, for now, these muffins are just what I need.

I think I fell I little more comfortable because it was one of my mom's  easy recipes, designs for her baking impaired daughter. If something was to go wrong on the first try, I could always call her and ask for help. I know you must be thinking how could I mess up muffins...believe me I Can!

They have  a little extra healthy crunch with the Flax, but that's about it..I even put some glaze over because to my hubs it is not a muffin if it doesn't have glaze...that sounds more like a cupcake to me..but I'm here to please.

Thank goodness they came out perfect and I feel confident enough to share the recipe with you. If I can do it, You can too!

Thank You for your visit today! It's always a blessing when we have the chance to share our achievements with friends no matter how little they are. Keep in mind my friends, that everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Oatmeal Banana Muffins with Flax Seeds

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Oatmeal

3 Ripe Bananas, mashed
3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
1 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Honey
2 Cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 -1 TBSP Flax Seeds
Directions:
Heat Up oven at 375 F and prepare your muffin pan with light oil . In a large bowl cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and mashed bananas, mix and add honey. 
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and add them slowly to the wet ingredients mix. Mix only till ingredients are moist and integrated, in other words avoid over mixing it. Pour the mix on your prepared muffin pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean! Remove from oven, let them cool and enjoy. 
Note: Glaze is not necessary, but if you want the extra touch of sweetness like the hubs did, these are the ingredients and directions for the glaze.
Glaze
1 1/4 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 Cup Butter, melted
1 tsp Clear Vanilla extract
2 TBSP Hot Water
Blend sugar and butter well. Add vanilla, stir. Add hot water until is smooth.If you want a thinner glaze add a little more hot water.

Prep Time 5 minutes                                Cook time 18-20 minutes                 Serves 12 muffins

Sharing my sweet glazed semi healthy muffins at these Fabulous Parties:

Rain on a Tin Roof, Huckleberry Love, The Chicken Chick, Watch Out Martha, Jam Hands, Feeding Big,Mad in Crafts, A Southern Fairytale, Pint Sized Baker, Hun...what's for Dinner?, Mandy's Recipe Box, The Gunny Sack, Nap Time Creations, Home Stories A to Z, Our Table for Seven, Between Naps on the Porch, Sugar Bee Crafts, Cozy Little House, Smart School House, Ginger Snap Crafts, Made to be a Momma, My Girlish Whims, All She Cooks, Ducks 'n a Row, The View from 510, Hi! It's Jilly, Memories by the Mile, Fluster Buster, Creative Geekery, Lamberts Lately, Posed Perfection, Krafty Cards, A Glimpse Inside, Gingerly Made, Live, Laugh Rowe, Made in a Day, Saving 4 Six, The Crafty Blogstalker, Sparkles and a Stove, Simply Create and Design, Consider Me Inspired, The Mandatory Mooch, Artsy Fartsy Mama, What's Cooking Love, The Best Blog Recipe, Juggling Real Food and Real Life, The Girl Creative, The Inspiration Network, Sweet Haute, Jennifer Rizzo, The Answer is Chocolate, Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, Rattlebridge Farm, Tidy Mom, My Turn (for Us), Craft Dictator, Becoming Martha, Living Better Together, My Personal Accent, The Jenny Evolution, 504 Main, Liz Marie Blog, Not Your Ordinary Recipes, The Pin Junkie, Diana Rambles, The Thriftiness Miss, Today's Creative Blog, Cheerios and Lattes, The Wondering Brain, Angels Homestead, Too Much Time on my Hands, What's Cooking with Ruthie, SewLicious Home Decor, Made From Pinterest, Lemon Paper Designs, Suburbs Mama, Twigg Studios, Nifty Thrifty Things, 2 Crochet Hooks, Flamingo Toes, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Serenity You, Mail for Rosey, Everyday Mom's Meal, I Should be Mopping the Floors, My Mixing Spoons, Under The Table and Dreaming, This Gal Cooks, A Pinch of Joy, Lines Across, The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen, Chef In Training, Lady Behind the Curtain, A Bright and Beautiful Life, Gina's Crafty Corner, The Brambleberry Cottage, Lamberts Lately, Katherine's Corner, A Glimpse Inside, The Girl Creative, The Shabby Nest

Caramel Apple Biscuit Cups Recipe

Hola Amigos! Happy New Week! hope your weekend was fun and uneventful. At the house we tried to take it easy and relax after a few worrisome days  due to a silly  school accident my little one had at his K school. He is fine now but it was a bit stressful with a very lengthy visit to his doctor and right away to the ER. We just had to take it easy and that's how this  treat came to be!

When I'm stressed I crave for little bites of sweet comfort. I had a 3 apples that were not looking to happy and a pint of my favorite vanilla bean ice cream, baked apples with ice cream sounded amazing to me.

I kicked it to another lever baking them on my favorite caramel sauce. Had my dessert and so much left over that the next day for breakfast I decided to stuff our regular Sunday biscuits with the mix!
Oh boy! Now I need to make this every Sunday! They are warm, sweet and juicy. Crispy in the outside and sticky in the inside!

My pictures didn't come out good this time, they really don't do justice to how good and gooey these guys are. Note to self, time to get a light box for the soon to be here cold and dark days!

In light of recent commentaries of a certain public figure about bloggers I'm going to say one more time, I'm no expert. I don't have a degree in culinary arts and I have never been the editor of a glossy magazine.

I am an expert of what my family and friends like. After spending 7 years of my life studying in my country and overseas I do have a University degree and I'm the editor of the weekly grocery list I write in order to know what I need to get to plan for my family's meals. Meals that I've been sharing with you in hopes to inspire you in creating something similar to your family adding your own personal touches. You have and that is why almost a year later I keep writing this blog and enjoying each and every one of my readers!

This particular recipe started as one thing and ended as another...don't we all do that once in a while? My guys liked it, they smiled and some licked their little fingers and that was enough validation to me.
But enough of that lady and back to the biscuits, lol...I'm sure you are going to like them. I even drizzled more caramel sauce over them after they were done...yummm!

Thank you for visiting the blog my friends! Halloween is only 10 days away....(And still no costume, ugh!), Give these apples with or without the biscuits cups a try. As I said they are delicious with just plain ice cream, but if you have left overs...go ahead and stuff your morning biscuits with them and give your usual breakfast a sweet tasty spin!  Remember everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Caramel Apple Biscuit Cups

Ingredients:

3 Green Apples

1 Cup Brown Sugar

4 TBSP Butter

1/2  Cup Cream 

Pinch of salt

1 tsps vanilla 

1 tsps lemon juice

1.2 tsps cinnamon

1/2 tsps nutmeg

1/2 tsps allspice

1 can  (8) Grands Honey Butter Biscuits

Directions:

Heat up oven at 350F

For caramel apples:

Peel and diced apples. Pour 1 tsp of lemon juice on the apples, mix. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice, mix and set aside.

In a saucepan on medium heat add and mix brown sugar, butter cream and a pinch of salt. Cook until bubbly and semi thickened for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Mix.

Add this sauce to the apples, make sure all the apples are coated by the caramel. Place in the oven, cover with aluminum foil   and cook  until apples are soft but not mushy, about 20 minutes. 

Remove from oven, let it cool a bit before serving over ice cream or just eating right out of a bowl.

For Caramel Apples Biscuit Cups:

Heat up oven to 375F

Take 2 biscuits from the can, put them together between 2 sheets of wax paper and using a rolling pin,  roll them flat until you get a circle approximately 5 -5 1/2 inches each. You will get 4 circles out of a can.

Using a jumbo nonstick muffin pan, place each circle on the muffin cup. Make sure the biscuit dough is covering the bottom and sides of the muffin cup. Spoon the apple mixture on each dough cup  almost all the way to the top. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cool before serving. 

Prep Time 20 minutes                        Bake Time 20 minutes                               Serves 4

Sharing my Fall Apple Stuffed Biscuits at these Fa-Boo-lous Parties:

Ms enPlace, DIY Home Sweet Home, A Southern Fairtytale, Mad in Crafts, Jam Hands, The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen, Watch Out, Martha!, A Pinch of Joy, Feeding Big, The Gunny Sack, Hun What's for Dinner?, Our Table for Seven, Chef in Training, Memories by the Mile, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Not Just a Housewife, Between Naps on the Porch, A peek into my Paradise, Lady Behind the Curtain, Smart School House, Ginger Snap Crafts, Someday Crafts, The Shady Porch, Made to be a Momma, Real Housewives of Riverton, All She Cooks, Polkadots on Parade, Kitchen Meets Girl, SNAP, Ducks' n a Row, Pink Recipe Box, The Well Crafted Home, Live Laugh Rowe, The Crafty Blogstalker, Lamberts Lately, Made in a Day, The Mandatory Mooch, Jennifer Rizzo, Gingerly Made, Sparkles and a Stove, Delish, My Turn (for Us), Simply Dream and Create, Craftionary, The Best Blog Recipes, The Girl Creative, My Life in Pencil, Practically Functional, Today's Creative Blog, Sweet Haute, The Patriotic Pam, 504 Main, Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, The Answer is Chocolate, Six Sisters Stuff, Cheerios and Lattes, Made From Pinterest, Craft Dictator, Classy Clutter, Will Cook For Smiles, Sew-Licious, Suburbs Mama, Twigg Studios, Lemon Paper Designs, Serenity You, Cooking for the Seven Dwarfs, I Should be Mopping the Floors, Create with Joy, Craft-O-Maniac, Frugal Foodie Mama, SL Under the table and Dreaming, Huckleberry Love, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Carrie This Home, Boogie Board Cottage, Alderberry Hill, Navy Wifey Peters, The Chicken Chick, Lines Across, Say Not Sweet Anne, The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen, Titi Crafty, Suburbs Mama, Flamingo Toes, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Golden Reflections, Pint Sized Baker, Sugar Bee Crafts, The Blackberry Vine, Nap Time Creations, Home Stories A to Z, Kathe with an E, Cozy Little House, The Brambleberry Cottage, Creative Geekery, Saving 4 Six, What's Cooking Love?, 52 Mantels

Summer Berry Oatmeal Shake Recipe

Hola Amigos! Mornings are about to get quite hectic here and one way of making things easy in the morning is with a complete breakfast on the go if necessary or just to break the routine of the same kind of breakfast everyday.
Both my kids are picky eaters so I really have to try to pack the most amount of nutrients, good flavors in 1 bite (or drink) literally. It gets worse when the above description has to be the first in thing in the morning when let's face it, after months eating a bit late, no one is really hungry at 7 am.
This is my go to recipe, make it your own by changing the flavors of the fruit or oatmeal.

The carnation breakfast drinks were recommended by my oldest's Pediatrician when he entered Jr, High and he still likes them. When we don't have any handy (rarely) he substitutes it with Protein Powder.

Now that my little one is ready to enter K, I'm sure he would enjoy the different flavor drinks mama can make him for his mornings, strawberries are his favorite!!!

Are you ready for this new school year yet? Are your kids already in school? This week I will try to make some of the meals my kids like before they go to school, when they come back and what I like to cook for supper when car pooling, car taxing and homework make time disappear in a blink of an eye! Always keeping in mind that food tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Summer Berry Oatmeal Shake

Ingredients

1  Cup of Milk

1 Envelope of Carnation Breakfast French Vanilla

1 Container (2.46 oz) Instant Oatmeal, Processed* (or whatever instant oatmeal you have)

1 Cup Mix Berries (My garden gave me fresh blackberries, raspberries and a few strawberries)
1 tsps Sugar (optional)

*I put my oatmeal through a food processor or blender and pulse a couple of times for a smoother texture for my shake, this particular step is optional, my kids prefer it this way. 

Directions:

Add all ingredients and blend until smooth. 

Prep Time 5 minutes               Serves 2 (8 oz Cups)

Sharing some morning fruity goodness at these Fabulous Parties:

Rain on a Tin Roof, Huckleberry Love, Jembellish, A Southern Fairytale, Mad in Crafts, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cupcake-n-Bake, Who Needs a Cape, BoogieBoard Cottage, The Blackberry Vine, Say Not Sweet Anne, My Mixing Spoon, Feeding Big, Setting for Four, Home Stories A to Z, Handmade Cuddles, Ladybugs Blessigns, Mandy's Recipe Box, Nap-Time Creations, Kathe with an E, Pint Sized Baker, Adventures of a DIY Mom, Summer Scraps, The Princess and her Cowboys, Sugar Bee Crafts, Our Table for Seven, Memories by the Mile, Not Just a Housewife, Bebetsy, Clean and Scentsible, Mom's Test Kitchen, The Lady Behind the Curtain, The Everyday Home, Smart School House, Kitchen Meets Girl, Duck's in a Row, The Shaddy Porch, Crystal and Co., Made to be a Momma, Sew Much Ado, Thank You Honey, My Girlish Whims, This Silly Girl's Life, Someday Crafts, Polkadots on Parade, The Real Housewives of Riverton, We Like to Learn as We Go, 733 Blog, Real Coake, 52 Mantels, The 36th Avenue, The Brambleberry Cottage, What's Cooking, Love?, A Handful of Everything, Katherine's Corner, CrazyLou, House of Hepwoths, The Mandatory Mooch, I Gotta Create, Lamberts Lately, Chocolate, Chocolate and More, The Crafty Blog Stalker, The Best Blog Recipes, Jennifer Rizzo, Do Small Things with Love, Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, The Answer is Chocolate, My Turn (for Us), The Pin Junkie, Simply Designing, 504 Main, Craftionary, Tidy Mom, The Shabby Nest, A Simple Five, A Peek Into My Paradise, Living Better Together, One Tough Mother, Happy and Blessed Home, Five Days Five Ways, Shaken Together, Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Four Little Fergusons, Just Us Four, Made From Pinterest, The Wondering Brain, Cheerios and Lattes, Classy Clutter, A Little Claireification, Too Much Time on my Hands, Angels Homestead, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Serenity You, Under the Table and Dreaming, Frugal Foodie Mama, Claire Justine oxox, Craft-O-Maniac, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Flour Me With Love, Jam Hands,Sew Can Do, Keeping it Simple, Ms. enPlace, The Tumbleweed Contessa, Joyful Healthy Eats, Cozy Little House, Pint Sized Baker, The Gunny Sack, Hun...What's for Dinner?, Chef in Trainning, Dessert Now, Dinner Later, A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, On Nom Ally

Other Healthy drinks you might like:

Funfetti Cake Smoothie (no cake batter)

Chicken and Egg Bagel Burgers Recipe

Hola Amigos! Happy Weekend! This is the perfect breakfast burger for a Sunday morning or a mid day brunch...and you know? why not...for those late evenings when you feel like having breakfast for dinner.
I think it's a great idea if you want to surprise your hungry kids with something different, they would enjoy it for sure, perhaps more than you because let's be honest it's a bit of a preparation, but so is that stack of fresh pancakes you always make them right?

I first found the inspiration for my recipe on Pinterest. They were meat burgers and not much detail was given. Since I wanted something light for breakfast I made them out of chicken and I'm sharing some tips with you if you want to make them with or without the egg.

Chicken and Egg Bagel Burgers

1 Pound Fresh Ground Chicken

1 tsp minced onion

1 tsp garlic powder

salt

pepper

5 Eggs

1 Cup Flour

1 TBSP Paprika

1 TBSP Onion Powder

1 TBSP Garlic Powder

1/2 TBSP Chili Powder

Salt & Pepper

Bagel Rolls of your Preference 

Cheese (optional)

Season your chicken with minced onion, garlic powder salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper.

To make the burgers now,  make 5 large chicken balls, dip them in the flour mix and flatten them. Take a cup and cut a hole on each flatten burger make burger #5 with the left over "inner circles". Now you are left with 5 chicken rings ready to be fried. I recommend you do this on a non stick pan because otherwise your eggs will stick to the bottom and it will be a mess. Brown your rings both sides, Once this is done, add the egg. Cover it up so it is done to the way you like it!

Listo!

Sprinkle some cheese after you take them off the frying pan and put on your bagel

.

Enjoy! 

It makes 5 medium size chicken burgers. Serve with home fries and your favorite fruit.

Like I mentioned before, it's a little bit of work involved but I think is the perfect dish when you want to say, because you are Special, because it's your Birthday or simply because I Love You!

The Chicken well cooked and seasoned goes awesome with my everything bagel! Maybe next time I'll even add turkey bacon!! Yum!

Thank you so much for sharing some time with me today! I hope you get the chance to prepare these burger for someone you care for and surprise them. Remember my friends, everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Asking Who came first the Chicken or the Egg at these Fabulous Parties:

Snippets of Inspiration, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Spatulas on Parade, Living Better Together, Dessert Now, Dinner Later, The Tablescaper, Townsend House, twelve o eight, Serenity You, Frugal Foodie Mamma, Under the Table and Dreaming, Navy Wifey Peters, The Tumbleweed Contessa, The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen, I Gotta Try That, Cupcake-n-Bake, Cozy Little House, Love Grows Wild, Feeding Big, A Pinch of Joy, Pint Sized Baker, Sugar Bee Crafts, Golden Reflections, With a Blast,Thank You Honey , Ducks 'n a Row, Fluster Buster, White Lights on Wednesday, The Shady Porch, Mom's Test Kitchen, Memories by the Mile, The Pin Junkie, The Mandatory Mooch, Sew Crafty Angel, A Handful of Everything, Somewhat Simple, The Charm of Home, Craftionary, Jennifer Rizzo, So Small Things with Love, Craftberry Bush, Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, My Turn (for Us), The Best Blog Recipes, The Answer is Chocolate, Simply Designing, The Tumbleweed Contessa

Easy Mini Everything Quiche

Hola Amigos! Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the mother's around the world. The ones with us who we get to hug and kiss and the ones already gone but living in our hearts and we send a prayer to reach her in heaven!
In my country we celebrate Mother's Day on Dec.8th, so...I get to celebrate it twice a year!!! (or at least I make a point and try my  best for my guys to remember).
If you want your hubs and kids to cook for you a delicious Easy and Fast breakfast while you are still in bed on Mother's Day! I have the recipe for you! 25 minutes in the oven and breakfast is ready!

Mini Everything Quiche for Mom

5 Eggs

2 Cups Milk 

Your Favorite Fillings

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

You will get 12 servings! 

Listo,

Now Treat Mamma to Breakfast!

 I turned my bottom side up so you could see the details of the hearts which I think is kind of  cute!

Here is a close up of how how crispy they are on the outside abut soft and spongy on the inside!

All your goodies in just one delicious bite

Hope all you mom's get treated like the Queens You All ARE! Have a great Mother's Day Weekend!

Dads and Kids, remember everything will taste better for mom with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Bringing a Little Breakfast to the Mom's at these Fabulous Parties:
Rose Chintz Cottage
Handy Man, Crafty Woman
Love Bakes Goods
twelveOeight
Nap Time Creations
Our Home Away from Home
Hun what's for Dinner
Kathe with an E
Pint Sized Baker
A Humble Creation
Foodie Friends Friday
The Best Blog Recipes
The Home Girl
Rattlebridge Farm
Just Us Four
Not Your Ordinary Recipes
The Real Coake Family
Love and Laundry
Sew-Licious Home Decor
Classy Clutter
Your Homebased Mom
Cheerios and Lattes
Bowdabra
Uncommon Designs
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen
The Chicken Chick
This Gal Cooks
Create with Joy
The Wondering Brain
Will Cook For Smiles
Under the Table and Dreaming
The Tumbleweed Contessa

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Well, hello there 2013. 

We’ve only been here a day and already I feel like it’s going to be a good one.  I love a new year.  I love thinking about what might happen or what could be in store. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that in this year, we will become a family of three.  There’s always unknowns on January 1 of what is to come, but the anticipation of meeting this little bambino is more than I could have imagined.

In the meantime, I’m trying to stop time.  As much as the future excites me,  I know these quiet moments when it is just the two of us will be fond memories and we can never go back.   So my immediate new year’s resolution is to slow down a bit and take it all in. 

I want to take more naps.  See a few movies.  Take long baths.   Go out to dinner while there is no thought of having to get a baby sitter.  Take a few spontaneous trips.  Sleep late on the weekends and make more pancakes.

These oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes are just what Saturday mornings called for.  I stumbled upon this recipe on a rainy Saturday morning when pancakes sounded like a good idea.  I knew I wanted to make some flapjacks, but I definitely knew I did not want to go to the grocery store to fulfill this craving.  Joy the Baker is the queen of pancakes and I went searching for a recipe that could be made with what was available in my close-to-bare pantry. 

Crossing my fingers that a few substitutions would work, I ended up with these unbelievably hearty and perfect oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes.  My one beef with pancakes is that I often do not feel full from eating a big plate of a close cousin to cake.  The oatmeal in this recipe was a hearty and filling addition that kept me full and is a nice healthy kick at the same time. 

I hope you will join me in slowing this year down and enjoy yourself a nice stack of pancakes. 

From my little kitchen to yours… Enjoy.

A few picture notes related to my personal preferences...

Equal distribution of chocolate chips is a very important feature when it comes to my chocolate chip pancakes.  I like to start the baking process and then evenly place a few chips before flipping.  If you do not find yourself to be quite so nuts, you could stir a whole bunch into the batter.  However, you might find how truly satisfying it is to have complete control over chip placement from pancake to pancake.  Ah, sometimes it's the little things. 

The first picture where those pancakes are getting a healthy drenching of syrup is definitely not my stack.  It's Mr. Hungry's stack.  He would probably prefer if I served these pancakes in a bowl so they could be floating in syrup.  Not me.  My stack is what you see here below.  I believe pancakes (especially ones already studded with chocolate chips) need nothing more than a good slab of butter and a cup of coffee.  But I guess that's what so great about pancakes.  No need to agree on the additional toppings...just don't get near mine with your syrupy sticky mits.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Makes about 6 5-inch pancakes... perfect for two hungry people.

Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
heaping 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (or more if you are really chocolatey)
oil or cooking spray (for cooking)

Step by Step
In a large bowl beat egg. Add buttermilk, butter, honey and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Let batter set for a few minutes.

Heat griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, when the drops start to dance its hot enough.

Pour 3 tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. Drop as many chocolate chips as you desire into the batter as it cooks.  Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop and the edges set. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

//Adapted from Joy the Baker's Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes