(another) Pancake Recipe and Other Cravings.

You may be tired of hearing about my ever-changing pancake recipes, but I'm sure not tired of telling you about them. I have found a third variation for my recipe and I think it may be my favorite one:

Pineapple Yogurt Pancakes
-1/2 c flour
-1 container Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurt (I used pineapple this time because it's what I had, but I'm sure any flavor would be as amazing. And when I say container, I mean the size that come in a pack of four)
-1/4 c Silk Original Unsweetened Almond Milk
-1/4 c + 2 tbsp Egg Beaters
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-sugar substitute, I usually use about the same amount as flour or a little more. I know it sounds like a lot, but the kind I use isn't very strong. (I like to use store brand granulated sugar sub that comes in the big bags. It does a good job of bulking up the batter to make more.)

-In separate bowls, mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients then combine. Cook on pan sprayed with Pam and cook like you would any other pancakes :) My batch was 3 large pancakes. Top with Smuckers Sugar-Free Breakfast Syrup for perfection.

These were seriously amazing and very satisfying in terms of my sweet tooth. They were the fluffiest and most "normal" pancakes I've made so far. They almost had a cake-batteresque taste to them and the pineapple flavor was incredibly subtle. For real though, you should try these out. Perfect weekend meal. 

Real talk now. I've been feeling a little homesick for the past couple of days, but I know that's normal. I've been here for 2 1/2 months now and it is definitely the longest I've ever been away from home and from my parents. I'm not accustomed to such long periods of time away, but I'm sure the longer I'm here, the less affected I will be. Or not. Only time will tell. I think the thing that I miss the most is just being able to see the people I love whenever I want to. I miss getting in my car and driving to Hoover to Mom's office for lunch and shopping on Fridays, picking Dad up from the airport after said shopping, meeting Pat and Nicole for dinner, going to Jacksonville to see Hannah, or meeting friends either in Birmingham or Jacksonville to go out for dinner or drinks, hanging out with my BooBear, going on photo shoots, or just driving around with her. I know that I was stuck in a rut for a long time and was bored with my life, but these aspects were never something to complain about. These are the things and people that kept me sane and smiling.

I know that having my mom, dad, and sister out here for a few days at the end of this month will help tremendously and I cannot wait for them to get here! I'm excited to see them, hug them, interact in person, show them around, just hang out, really. I think I'll feel a bit of normalcy and home being around them and that's something I'm craving. Speaking of craving, you don't realize how much you love a certain food until it's not as easily obtained. Barbecue. Oh, Lawd, do I miss Moe's, Dreamland, Full Moon, Cooter Brown's, Golden Rule, Jim n' Nick's, etc...Yes, there's BBQ out here. No, there's not a BBQ restaurant on every corner, and no, it is definitely not the same as Southern BBQ. If there's one meal I could eat right this very minute, it would be a Moe's smoked turkey salad, cheddar rolls from Jim N' Nick's, and 'nana pudding and sweet tea from Dreamland. Excuse me while I go find a napkin with which to wipe the drool from my chin....

There are so many things I love about being here and there are still so many things for me to experience and see. There's a lot for me to be thankful for, but nothing could ever replace home or the people I love there. Yes, I still feel that I made a positive change and the right decision, but I admittedly miss home. I miss Birmingham because, despite my past complaints, I do acknowledge the fact that it really is a cool city, incredibly small and quiet compared to San Francisco and the Bay area, but definitely quirky and charming in its own right. I'm happy here. I'm happy with my life, the people in my life, where I'm headed, just happy in general. My life is not what I expected it to be at this point, but I don't think I would have it any other way :)