Why I love it when Darrell goes out with the guys

Or, Breakfast for Dinner...

I am of the school of thought that sometimes there is nothing better than breakfast for dinner.

And what's not to love?

It's easy, cheap, fast, delicious, and filling.

Plus, I hate mornings so much, I never have a "proper" breakfast.

Darrell, however, is firmly entrenched in the opposite viewpoint.

Breakfast is only an acceptable option before 9:30 in the morning.

And not before 5:30 in the morning.

I've tried the, "Darrell, it's 6:00 at night, so it's earlier than 9:30 tomorrow morning.  We should have breakfast for dinner."

Doesn't.Work.

So, basically anytime Darrell goes out with his friends for dinner, I know EXACTLY what I will eat for dinner.

BREAKFAST!  (Cue angelic singing).

This very scenario played out this past Friday.

I made myself some Oatmeal Pancakes--some with blueberries, Buttermilk Syrup (Lucinda, for introducing this most delicious elixirs, I hex you!  I'm sure it is responsible for several of my current pounds!), and bacon.  I was going to throw in some hash browns, but got too full on the above.

Last night, as we were trying to decide what to eat for dinner, Darrell suggested Dunkin' Donuts.  I told him that we can't eat donuts for dinner.

To which he replied, "Why not?  You just ate breakfast for dinner last night.  And donuts are a breakfast food!"

I think I'll break him yet.

Here are my favorite recipes for the Oatmeal Pancakes and Buttermilk Syrup.

Oatmeal Pancakes

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten

Combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and eggs and then combine with dry ingredients.  Mix until combined, but don't over mix.

Cook pancakes on hot griddle.  I used a quarter-cup measuring cup, which will make 12 pancakes.  This recipe can very easily be cut in half (which I do...I can't eat 12...not even 6 pancakes).

Normally when you use buttermilk, you are supposed to use baking powder, but the baking soda in this recipe works.  Thanks to my mom, I remember that you DO use baking soda when using buttermilk.  DUH!

Buttermilk Syrup

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp baking soda

In a large saucepan (larger than you think you'll need, since the syrup will foam up in the end), combine the butter, buttermilk, and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring regularly.

Remove from the heat and add vanilla and baking soda.  It will foam up now.  Stir to combine.

Try hard not to sit in front of the TV and eat this like soup.

I always cut this recipe into a third.  It's really good and if, by some crazy miracle, you have any left over, keep it in the fridge.  I'm told it keeps for a couple of weeks.  I haven't tested this theory yet.

Why webmd is my best friend...

I am one of those crazy people who, after reading a magazine article detailing the "disease of the month," am convinced I have it.

I can answer yes to the questions about Every.Single.Symptom.

And so, I'm a bit of a hypochondriac.

But, I always alleviate my worst fears by going to my trusty friend, webmd, and seeing that there is nothing to worry about.

The good news is that I never have any of the usual illnesses.  Nope, strep throat, sprained ankle, and sinusitis are not my body's ailments of choice.

The following are just a few of the diseases from which I have suffered over the years:

Numerous ear infections.  As a full on adult.  The kind where my ear drum has burst.  Several times.  No wonder I feel I am partially deaf.

Kidney stones.  Although it's been over a decade since my last bout (knock on wood!), the pain is HELL CRAZY!  And there is nothing that makes it feel bearable.  Most of the time I have been forced to drive during the pain.  To all those who say miracles have ceased, I say: I drove over 20 miles in the middle of unimaginable pain.  And no one got hurt.

Bursitis.  I don't know why.  I don't know how,  But I developed bursitis in my right shoulder just before turning 30.  I couldn't move my right arm.  Try dressing without the use of your dominant arm.  Needless to say, I tried to drink very little until the pain subsided.

A sprained wrist.  I know that it doesn't sound that strange.  But I sprained my wrist while riding an inner tube being pulled by a boat.  I hit a big wave and came crashing down into the water.  However, the pain didn't manifest itself for 3 days.  Poor Darrell was practically interrogated by the ER staff, to ensure he did not beat me. 

A bunionette.  No, it's not just a little bunion.  It's a bunion on the other side of your foot--with your little toe.  It hurts like crazy and I have to wear these crazy devices to help cushion my shoes.  I'm too young for the podiatrist!

I'm sure there are more, but I don't want to bore you with the crazy details.  Suffice it to say that years of watching shows like ER and Emergency! have helped me with self diagnosis. 

I don't know if that is a good thing.