Easy-to-Make Heart-Shaped Pancakes for Valentine's Weekend Breakfast

A couple of things, today. First, some photos of how I make heart-shaped pancakes, with Valentine's just around the corner. The full post showing two ways to make heart-shaped pancakes, right here. 

These are easy to make. You can pour the hearts out with batter, off of the tip of a large spoon, or cut hearts out of round pancakes with a cookie cutter. It's a fun, and free, thing to do for your loved ones on Valentine's Day, or the weekend before.

Or . . . . . . .

My "other" thing, heart-shaped pancakes are a definite item for our menu this weekend, at some point, because. . .

my son, Chris, and his girlfriend, Angie, got engaged this past week!!!

Using Every Last Bit of a Bundle of Celery

When I buy a bundle of celery, I do something, right away, that ensures the flavorful tops will not get tossed into the compost or frozen for making stock.

With everyone making their own lunches, now, I noticed on a few occasions that some leafy celery tops made their way into the compost bin. My reaction -- Yikes! That's real food that you are tossing out!

Anyway, I had to find a work-around on this one, as nagging does not inspire compliance.

When I get those bundles home from the store, I "decapitate" the entire bundle. I chop off the top portion, just beneath the main joint where the long stem meets the leafy branch. I leave all of the stems, in tact, on the bundle and unwashed. There are decay issues if you wash the bundle without pulling the stems off; and leaving the stems still attached to the bundle keeps them fresher, longer.

After cutting all of the tops off, I wash those parts, and chop to add to a pot of soup.

Problem solved.