Quick and easy Pancakes

A special thanks to Mary and Amy for reminding me of this one. They were helping me pack my kitchen last week when we came across my one of my favorite breakfast tools. I must admit, a dollar store ketchup bottle doesn't look like much, but when it comes to making pretty pancakes in a hurry, it gets the job done.

When I found this idea, I had 3 kids under 4. The kids had a hard time cutting their own pancakes and I found cutting them too time consuming. I tried making smaller pancakes the traditional way, but the end result was a bunch of lumpy blobs. Then I found this simple solution.

I bought a plastic ketchup bottle from my local dollar store and cut the tip down to create a bigger opening. I filled the bottle with pancake batter and then used it to create small, quarter-size pancakes (we call them silver dollars at our house). They cook quickly and were just the right size for my kids.

It wasn't long before I realized I could also use it to create fun shapes with the pancakes bottle too. On Saturdays, birthdays, or just when I'm feeling like being a fun Mom, I take requests and create all kinds of crazy pancakes for my kids. Flowers, dinosaurs, letters…anything their creative little brains can come up with.

When you're finished, just put the cap on your bottle and toss it in your fridge. You'll be set to make next batch whenever you need it. Just pull it out of the fridge and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to bring it back to room temperature. Easy and inexpensive…just thought I'd pass it on.

Want to try it? Here's a few tips…
1. Make sure your batter is free of lumps (I add extra milk to mine to thin it out a little)
2. Cook your pancakes on medium-low heat to give you more time to create
3. To add a little dimension to your designs (if you're feeling especially artistic), pour the darker portions first. For example, if you want to make a flower, pour the petals first and wait a few seconds before adding the center. The petals will have a little more time to cook so they'll turn out a little darker than the center.
4. Raid your kid's toys. I found that my daughter's mini metal spatula from her kitchen set is the perfect size for flipping the silver dollars.

If you have any easy or creative food tricks that your family loves, please post them in the comments area. I'm always looking for new ways to keep my family guessing. Thanks.