PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES

Good Afternoon to you,

A couple of weeks ago, George and I were watching our local evening news programme, when the presenter, started talking about a pensioner by the name of Alan Barnes.  When the presenter had finished talking I had tears in my eyes, and George was shocked that something so awful could happen to a frail, elderly man.

Alan, lives in Gateshead and he is a 67 year old pensioner. He is visually impaired, is 4ft 6 inches in height and weighs under 6 stone. One evening in January, he was putting his dustbin outside his home, ready for collection, when someone walked up to him and demanded money. Alan said he did not have any money, so what did this coward do, he attacked this frail, elderly man. Alan fell to the ground and broke his collarbone. We just could not believe that someone could be so cruel to such a frail and vulnerable man. Alan said after he had been treated for his injuries,  he was too frightened to return home and had decided to stay with his sister.

Like us, a young mother, Katie Cutler was listening to the same news programme and like us, was struck by the callousness of this attack.  Katie decided to  act, she started an on-line fund raising campaign for Alan. Katie hoped to raise £500 for Alan, to help him, not that this money would wipe away the pain of the attack, but maybe the money would help him in some way.

The fund raising reached the target of £500 and surpassed it. You see, the story had become a world wide story and so many kind and generous people on hearing about Alan's plight, donated money.  The amount grew each day, until it reached the figure of £330,135.00.

When Alan was told how much had been raised, he said, he could not believe it and was amazed that so many people, who did not know him, had been so kind and generous.

When asked what he would do with the money, Alan said he was not sure as everything had been such a whirl wind. Also, he had never had this amount of money in his life, but one thing was sure, he certainly would not be wasting the money.

So from one cruel act, almost 25,000 kind people came forward to help Alan.

We hear such terrible news these days, that it was so lovely to think that 25,000 people were moved by Alan's plight and wanted to help.  I know this money will not eradicate the memory of the attack, but hopefully it will ease the pain and allow Alan to buy a home of his own, where he can feel safe and secure once again.

..... and to Katie, I would like to say, you are a lovely, kind and thoughtful young lady.

..... and talking of ladies, I know my daughters will love what I am making today,

scrummy pancakes.  Now these are not the very thin pancakes which we traditionally associate with Shrove Tuesday,  these pancakes are a little more robust, but so gorgeous.

So it's on with the pinnie and the music I am listening to is,

Simon Webbe's album, Grace.  I do love this album, his voice is fabulous. Simon was a competitor on Strictly Come Dancing and I was surprised to see what a shy, under confident man he was.  Having said that, as the series progressed, you could see his confidence soar, so much so, that he reached the finals of Strictly.

Trust me, you will want to dance around your kitchen to,

'Coming Around Again'

enjoy,

'Seventeen'

'Sunshine'

'Go to Sleep'

and

'Take Your Time'

As part of my 10,000 steps a day regime, I am dancing to 'Coming Around Again' while I organise my ingredients.... every little bit helps.

INGREDIENTS

TO 

MAKE

PANCAKES

150g plain flour

1 1/2  tablespoons caster sugar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

3 rounded tablespoons of Greek yoghurt

150 ml semi-skimmed milk

1 large egg

50g melted butter

1/2 teaspoon of salt

500g of blueberries

500g of raspberries

Preheat the oven to 100C

HOW

TO

MAKE

PANCAKES

Slowly melt the butter

allow to cool

and set aside for the moment.

Sift the flour

with the

bicarbonate of soda,

baking powder

and

salt

into a medium sized bowl.

Add the sugar

and

mix the ingredients

together.

Using a separate bowl,

add the

yoghurt,

whisk the egg

and

add

to the yoghurt.

Add the

milk

and mix together.

Then,

add the melted butter

and

stir together.

Add the wet ingredients

to the

dry ingredients

and

mix together.

This is quite a stiff batter

so do not worry, if it appears thick.

Heat a dry griddle pan

or a dry non stick frying pan

and 

scoop half a tablespoon of batter

onto a spoon.

Place the batter into the griddle pan

and 

using the back of the spoon,

gently coax the batter

into a circular shape.

I griddle two pancakes at a time, as

I find it easier to keep an eye on two pancakes

as they cook quite quickly.

When one side is cooked, you will notice that

little bubbles appear on the surface of the

pancake.

Flip the pancake and cook the other side.

They will not be perfectly round as

you will see from mine, but

that does not worry me.

Life is too short to make perfectly

round pancakes.

As one batch is cooked

place them in a very low

oven, covered with foil

to keep them warm.

All there is left to do is,

Place a pancake on a plate,

add blueberries,

(some I crushed)

raspberries

and 

a 

dollop of yoghurt

with a sprinkle

of 

icing sugar

and

enjoy!

Now I don't know if you have noticed, but in the photograph of the pancakes on the blue platter, there is a rogue raspberry.  You might think that I had missed that little raspberry, when I sprinkled the icing sugar, but the answer is no, there has been a 'cheeky so and so' playing a game on me.

I had arranged my pancakes with the blueberries and raspberries ready to take the photographs.  I had left the kitchen to find the tablecloth I needed, when a certain person, who shall remain nameless (George, haha, as if you couldn't guess) ate one of the raspberries with the icing sugar and replaced it with a plain raspberry. It was not until I loaded the photographs on my computer, that I noticed the rogue raspberry and of course by this time, many of the pancakes had been eaten so I could not take another photograph.  I mentioned it to George and he looked a little sheepish, he said he had eaten the raspberry. He thought once I had noticed the rogue raspberry, I would sprinkle it with icing sugar. 

Mmmm, shall I let him off... yes I think I will, as he is so very patient waiting for the photographs to be taken, but I will keep a keen eye on my finished dishes in the future.

Just before I leave you, I thought you would like to see a photograph of Alan and Katie.

source

Take care of yourself and I will see you next Thursday.