Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets

Why pay those prices for instant oatmeal packs when you can make your own! It's easy and they are much healthier for you. I figure I can make these for .15 a packet as opposed to .52 a packet for the store bought.


Instant Oatmeal Packets

3 cups quick oats
salt
8 sandwich baggies (be sure to save and reuse your baggies to save even more money)

Process 1 cup oats in a blender on high until powdery.

Measure into each baggie: 1/4 cup of the un-processed oats, 2 tablespoons powdered oats, and a pinch of salt and any add-ins if desired.

To serve: empty baggie into a bowl. Add 3/4 cup boiling water. Stir and let stand for 2 minutes. For creamier oatmeal add a shot of milk or cream.

Add-in ideas:

Sweetened: 2 tsp sugar (or use splenda! accordingly)

Brown Sugar & Cinnamon: 2 tsp brown sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Brown Sugar & Raisins: 2 tsp brown sugar and 1 Tbl raisins

Cinnamon & Apples: 2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 2 Tbl chopped dried apples

Bananas & Cream: 1 Tbl non-dairy coffee creamer and 2 Tbl dried bananas

Maple Brown Sugar: 2 tsp brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp maple pancake syrup

Do you add anything to your oatmeal that I didn't mention here? I'm always looking for new ideas, so leave me a comment.

Sour Milk Pancakes

I'm always trying to figure out how to use everything and to cut down on being so wasteful. A friend on the Grocery Challenge board, Precious, shared this recipe that she found on recipezaar uses milk that has soured. I have been doing really good not letting milk go to waste. Back in the day, it was nothing for me to pour over a half a gallon of milk down the drain. Now when I see it's at that stage when the boys refuse to drink it, I use it in Hamburger helper, mashed potatoes, and now I can use it in for pancakes! Thanks Precious for the tip and recipe. Be sure to visit her blog, Frugal Makes Cents.
Ingredients
2 cups milk, sour
2-3 egg
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Beat all ingredient together until well mixed.
Don't forget to make your syrup home-made also!

Home-Made Quick Frugal Brown Sugar Pancake Syrup

Brown-Sugar Pancake Syrup

½ cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
Pinch of salt

Bring all ingredients to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and let syrup sit three to five minutes before serving.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for about a month. This syrup is delicious served warm, room temperature, or cool.

Quick Pancakes

Today is National Pancake Day.

Known also as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, National Pancake Day dates back several centuries to when the English prepped for fasting during Lent. Strict rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products during Lent, so pancakes were made to use up the supply of eggs, milk, butter and other dairy products… hence the name Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday.

Here's my fav recipe. What makes it my fav is that it doesnt make a lot of batter.


1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (add 1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let sit 5 minutes)

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Mix everything together. Pour 1/4 cup onto hot, lightly greased griddle. Turn over when top is bubbly and edges are slightly dry. Makes 8 pancakes.