If someone were to break into my house, into my bedroom to be more specific, whilst I’m in and demand all my valuables, my reaction would definitely be:
Please, take everything you want except my passport and laptop!
Firstly, I probably shouldn’t be making any demands at all. It seems totally unwise to be attempting bargains when face to face with a nasty desperate burglar. Secondly, there shouldn’t even be the most minute allowance for a break-in but I’m just saying ‘what if’; of course, I’m totally crossing my fingers and banging on wood that it’ll never ever happen. Thirdly, shouldn’t one’s life be more important than something mechanical and material like a laptop?
Only thing is, my laptop’s like my love-child. Ok, maybe not so much a love-child but an amniotic sac that contains all my unborn children - failed attempts at poetry, bits of surprising cleverness, the puzzle pieces of a story I’ve yet to successfully put together, precious photos & artworks & graphics and a massive database of tunes. Oh, not to forget university documents and important essays (strange how that only came to me as an afterthought!). And I could never willingly give that over to someone. Just as anyone would feel violated at the thought of a complete stranger entering your house and going through your things, I would too feel massively violated at the thought of having someone rob my intellectual property and know personal ‘memories’ (photos) and ‘obsessions’ (music).
Another great problem would be the attempt to re-build all that work. It could be easier for others with a better memory but seeing as I ain’t too good with remembering as I was in high school, attempting to reconstruct my writings and put together my iTunes and photo database would be near impossible!
Paranoia hit me this morning and by some strange stroke of magic (if you could call it that), I was so sure that my beautiful Macbook might die on me soon. I pray it won’t since it’s been such a gorgeous girl for 2 years now. I’ve promised to take it for a nice upgrading come Christmas to increase its performance but somehow there’s a tiny nagging feeling at the back of head and it’s a good nagging feeling because it’s pushing me to backup my most important documents. Hopefully, you lot out there will also be hit by the Paranoia Bug and think to backup whatever you hold important to you. Even if nothing bad’s happened, even if you computer is working like a beauty, even if you’ve never been burgled - be careful! It’s always good to be safe than sorry.
Putting aside that most random story and paranoia, let me share with you the best pancake recipe (I won’t say ‘ever’ because there might be better ones ever - but this is the best I’ve made so far). I love pancakes. But I’ve never had that perfect plate of pancakes which I could proudly proclaim to everyone “I made that!”. So each time, I go on and slather butter and pour gallons worth of maple syrup on them feeling a little miffed and upset. However, I’ve altered and tweaked my pancake recipe each time I make them in the search for that ultimate fat pancake. I’ve deifnitely not once given up. Talk about the Pancake Pilgrim’s Progress (I hope I haven’t made John Bunyan turn in his grave by perverting his title)! What’s so good about this attempt I think is that I might just have managed to alter my pancake recipe to the point of perfection — but perfection for me alone. I’ll be using this recipe from now on, except on Pancake Day (when English pancakes must be served), because these guys are the ultimate fat buggers I’ve been searching to create all my life. These are really fat and definitely fluffy. Be sure to cook them through. If you’re not careful, the fat layers might deceive you into thinking it’s all cooked through when actually there’s a tiny bit of uncooked gooeyness in the middle.
Add blueberries for the ultimate experience, or whatever toppings please you the most. These are still great plain or with the tiniest dash of cinnamon. I think the next time I whip these up, I’m adding two slices of crispy streaky bacon on top - major sin at breakfast time! Just the way I fancy it.
Ultimate Fat Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbs butter, melted
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
more butter, for frying
Place all dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk to mix. Make a well in the middle. Add eggs and gently whisk in. Add milk gradually as you continue to whisk. Batter will be lumpy and bubbly but that’s fine.
Melt some butter on a frying pan or skillet and ladle out a ladle of batter into the middle of the hot pan, using the back of the ladle to spread it out into a neat circle. Cook about 2-3minutes until bubbles start to form on the wet surface. Slip a spatula underneath the pancake, shuffle it about to unstick the pancake from the pan.
Now, flip the pancake with a gentle flick of the wrist - like a pro - or use the spatula. Cook another 1-2 minutes.
Serve up warm with extra butter and syrup.
Wow, delicious looking stack o’ pancakes there!
I feel that way about my laptop too… but since I added a subscription to an online backup service I’m not quite as anxious about it. We had to evacuate for the CA wildfires last year and I actually didn’t even bring any of our computers. But I did bring my 25 binders full of recipes!
Boy do those look good! Those sound so yummy right now!
Hah! I was actually waiting for the moment when thoughts of burglary or losing data will turn into pancakes. Foiled again, lol
But the pancakes look absolutely perfect– congratulations on getting them fat!
If this helps at all, my iPod, which is about 10 months old, suddenly decided it didn’t want to work yesterday. I had to restore it (THANKFULLY that worked and I don’t have to use it as a paperweight), but all my music and videos disappeared. Now I have to spend precious time ripping my CDs again!
Diva, these pancakes look amazing! Vanilla and blueberries in pancakes truely is wonderful. Oh and I would be lost without my computer as well
Baking powder AND self-raising fllour, no wonder these babies look so uhm, full-figured… (I’m trying to stay away from that three letter word). Diva girl, you need to get yourself an external hard drive. It will save your life, or at the very least, your tunes.
I have DEFINITELY been on a pancake craze as of late! I’ve been making them on the weekends with homemade honey butter. I need to try yours out! They look fantastically fluffy!
Great pancakes and great blog!
Hey, just going around the web and found your page. Very groovy, btw. I’m going to try this recipe and compare it to my own… >w>;
Anyways, I suggest adding sour cream to pancakes. I know it sounds weird and icky, but it is anything but weird and icky. It’s actually quite good! It makes them rise a little bit more than usual, and doesn’t affect the taste at all (in my opinion)! It’s also good in waffle recipes for fluffiness.
And you can use your iPod as an external drive, if you set the settings to “Manual disk use enabled”. Of course, I generally can’t back up my own music and movies (as they take up 60GB of my iPod), so there are some snazzy programs on the web, my favorite being iDump for windows (sounds weird, but I would use it every time).
RecipeGirl: that was brilliant!! you saved nothing but your recipes! that is total dedication.
My Sweet & Saucy: yea..i am looking at them now and my lust for pancakes is overcoming me again. Weird, considering I just had a massive dinner and very full up from that. aahhh..the love for pancakes.
Manggy: sorry to hear about your iPod. i’ve got a Nano and a 120GB classic. am intend ing to use some storage on the Classic for my writings and a couple of precious photos. That should do it for me.
Bobby: thanks bobby!! yea..i’m kinda thinking about blueberry muffins now as well…hmmm. I have a problem.
Dee: haha..yea they’re well fat aren’t they?? Terribly overweight they are! Actually I do have one - my iPod Classic doubles up as one..i just need to get down to backing it all up. Thanks for reminding me to though
cakewardrobe: HONEY BUTTER?? that sounds amazing..i bet winnie the pooh will love you for that. actually, how do you make it? share your secret dear…i’d love to give that a try..
Lisa: thank you! do come visit my blog again..;)
xx
Megan: gosh i really like sour cream! i usually have it with fish, on potatoes, on vegetables and in cake or cookie batters. Haven’t put it in pancakes though but i’m sure tht’s definitely a possibility. Sour cream’s acidity improves the texture of cakes (where’s my baking science book when I need it!) but i’ll def give it a go. Thanks for tht massive tip Megan.
yea. i’ve got an iPod nano and classic..the latter which I’ll use as a hardrive. I’ve just been a little lazy with getting around to backing it all up, which of course I’ll be doing asap! Anyway thanks for all your precious advice
I’m a full-fledged MAC user but I’m sure i’ll be able to find something to sort me out. cheers my friend.
xx
We love pancakes here in my house. This recipe is definitely going on the “to try” list. YUM!!
O.M.G.
You said Blueberry.
You said Pancakes.
That’s all I need to know.
I’m IN.
OMG! I have resorted to box o’pancake mix because I don’t make them enough to perfect a recipe, but it looks like you’re onto something. I will have to try this!
I am a bit paranoid about my data as well. I have most of it baked up on 2 different hard drives in case 1 or even 2 dies. I did not consider the theft angle though. I guess I will have to hide one of those drives.
Those pancakes look good! They are nice an thick.
Fat and fluffy is the only way I like my pumpkin. nice recipe.
Sorry about that.. I had pumpkin in my head for some reason.
I had a hard drive failure. Luckily I knew it was coming and was able to get my most important files off. Now I back up with Mozy and Carbonite. I switch between the two at the end of each subscription period because I can’t decide which one I like better. It’s been worth every penny just to know that my data is all stored safely at another location in case there is a fire. I think Mozy also works for macs. I think Carbonite is only for PCs though.
yummy! these look amazing! i’m feeling the need to make some after watching scrubs boxeset 4 coz i’m off school sick…but im thinking that these will make me feel soo much better!
i love love love pancakes with golden syrup and bacon! pure canadian bliss
xxxxx