Austin Trip - Day 2

So its the second day in Austin and I could not feel like im back in college again more if I tried. This is a good thing though, since its all the college but none of the schoolwork. WINNER!

This morning the temp 'roomies' and I met the common aftertaste of the overindulgence of the new year with the hangover... and not the movie. Now, im not a drinker but i have not been sleeping well so i was definitely in need of some R and R. Whatever to do with this need to re-charge the batteries? Looka like teen-nick had the answer to this question by delivering me a marathon of EVERY SINGLE EPISODE OF DEGRASSI EVUHHHHH! So, now im following emma, terry and craig from the beginning. Excited? You bet I am!

So, after about six hours of non-stop canadian middle school drama we all started getting a little stir crazy and needed to go see a movie, the Alamo Draft House Cinema aided the call with their showing of 'Nine' which we answered. We were not the only ones who heard the call, however, so we were met with a sold out movie and hunger for Alamo food that seemed destined to fo unanswered. Until we decided to go to a regular theater for a later showign of 'Nine'... btu what of the hunger. Our questions were answered by the best buffet in Austin... the BUFFET PALACE!!

What did we learn? 1) never automatically turn sushi away just because its seemingly 'haphazardly done' and 2) 5 plates may be a bit too many when it comes to buffet time. There is a reason why i only go here once a year.

Well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time for some awesome BBQ and some of the best ice cream in the city of Austin. Until then, this is Panclayke reminding you that not every Guido is found on the Jersey Shore.

Vegan MOP!

Yeah, your right... like the instrument of cleaning. Not that i use one, in fact... the last time i attempted the 'swiffer' to clean up dried rum on the floor I ended up spreading it around more. Helpful hint... when cleaning alcohol up you cave to wash, soap, wash again, and dry. Its alot like washing the old coiffure, just with a mop and a bucket. Wait, its EXACTLY like washing the coif!

Hair trends aside, the 'strange' title has a double meaning. The first is to give glory to Neil Flynn! You may now him as the Janitor from Scrubs, he was also Lindsay Loan's dad in mean girls, sad that i know this. Guilty pleasure aside, the former is the reason why we honor him this day due to the abundance of Scrubs i have been lving up on recently... season 8 to be exact (SWAG!).

MOP is also serving as an abbreviation for Month Of Pancakes. Let me explain... october is vegan month of food... there, I did it. Numerous vegans in the Blogsphere are documenting the foods they eat and tips for new and aspiring vegans... however, due to my lack of experience in veganism i have opted to rebel out and focus on the wonder of Vegan pancakes. THEY CAN BE DONE! This may be interrupted breifly, more on this later, but a 99% is still an A. An A in Veganology, no wait... Veganomics (winner!). So, lets begin with...

ZUCHINNI PANCAKES!

(you put WHAT in there?)

See, i have a problem buying too many veggies when i go to the store. I dont really have a menu planned... but i know that I may want a veggie sangwich sometime during the week so i get some zuchinni. However, since produce is not as forgiving as meat, it tends to go bad before i can use it. Seriously... DONT USE IT! My toilet can vouch for this after what i dub as the 'radish inquisition'. So, since i cannot stand wasting food i decided to take a former Starbucks Favorite and MOP it!

Start with half a medium zuchinni and chop the buhjesus out of it and mix it with a little milk and sugar. Top it with Wheat Flour, baking soda, cinnamon+nutmeg, and a few chopped walnuts. Mix, pour, flip and VIOLA! You have a pancake fit for a wonderful cup of coffee! Just take a look at that. Veggies for breakast again! Remember These guys? OF course you do.

Now, the bad news. Normally I make the mix with Whole Wheat/chik pea flour or soy flour. Today... i was out of both. This is important because WW flour is heavier and, therefore, makes a more dense pancake when it is used by itself. That being said... the initial flavor was a bit offputting (and a little heavy on the nutmeg if i say so myself). I always forget that not every spice is as magestic as cinnamon. *gutteral moan* cinnamon *gutteral moan*. However, the heat from the skillet softened the zuchinni well and the Waluts provided a wonderful texture/flavor.

Lesson: Half the WW flour so its lighter, less nutmeg and toast the walnuts a but before putting them in with the dry goods. (MAN, am i critical or what?)

Lastly, as promised... what is going to interrupt the Vegan MOP? Well, let me answet your question with another. Can you click on this? IS it vegan, no... will I triumph in a pool of awesomeness? Tune in next time! Until then, this is PanClayke reminding you that guilty pleasures (pancakes and 'Mean Girls') are necessary from time to time.

Manly Mix... and only mix.

Todays adventure is brought to you by Kodiak Cake Mix, a quick look at the website will give some explanation to the todays title. When it comes to buying complete pancake mixes one is normally swamped by women (Jemima, Ms. Butterworth, etc), so imagine the 'joygasm' that ensues when a pancake mix featuring a snarling kodiak bear on the box showed up on the shelf. I didnt stand a chance, This mix was in my cart before you could say Dutch Baby.



Note: The mix is a bit hard to find, being that it is a bit out of the box (see what i did there) and not viewed as a 'staple' like the more attractive cousin Bisquick. I found mine at Central Market, but im sire you could get it at Whole Foods not to mention ordering online.

So, first things first, whats different with this guy other than the super manly box bear? Well, the first thing is that all the ingredients are natural. Wheat and oat flour, milk solids, its the closest thing to scratch pancake making I have found in the store (That is until I pick up a new box of Sodium Bicarbonate). Then, there is the ease of cooking. Since its a complete mix all it needs is a little moisture. equal parts dry mix and cold water and you have a breakfast fit for a king sans the king size effort.

Now, to the nitty gritty. Tasting these bad boys was truly a treat. Light and fluffy as buttermilk pancakes, with the earthy texture that sticks to your ribs in a subtle way that makes you feel like your not just eating a plate full of sweetened air. I am a huge fan of air, but not as a main course. Now, there is a bit of the Whole Wheat 'tang' which anyone who has ever had to use one slice of white and wheat bread on the same sandwich can explain if your not sure what I mean (note: when making a fried bologna sandwich... make sure you have adequate bread before you fry the meat). However, despite the taste reminding you that we are eating moderately healthy, the smooth and light texture keep thoughts of 'health food' as the last thing on your mind (expecially once the syrup comes into play). There is also a lot left in the box so you get the bang for your buck at about six 4'' pancakes for every cup of mix, which is definitely important nowadays. The mix is also pretty versitile. As a matter of fact im looking forward to incorporating some fun spices, fresh fruit, maybe even some bacon and just make an all in one breakfast... but lets cross that bridge when we get there.

In the end the Kodiak Cake Mix yeild a good tasting Pancake with ease, and leaves you feeling full and a little more like a mountain man. In fact, this was the manliest i felt all day in spite of watching 'P.S. I Love You' as i was eating said pancakes. Lets just say the pancakes were the highlight of the film for me. Therefore, the mix is highly recommended in terms of taste and movie saing and while it may be a bit pricey and hard to find, it is definitely a nice treat for the pancake enthusiast.

Until our next adventure this is PanClayke reminding you to nuke your syrup for 30 seconds.