Comfort Me With Pancakes

I have a secret to share with you. Yes, I'm just going to come out with it, right here at the beginning of this post. I hope you won't feel differently about me. Here goes...I am slightly neurotic, of the obsessive-compulsive variety. And for those of you who know me well, you also know that what I just said is an under-exaggeration, probably a big one. Now, I do think that OCD lies on a continuum and I would probably place myself somewhere in the middle. Okay, maybe slightly to the upper side of middle. But I'm certainly not like those really extreme cases you see on Oprah or TLC where the person has some ritual of turning off the stove 20 times in a row, or locking the door half a billion times before they can leave the house. Really people, I'm not that crazy. But as some of you already know... I do live by a lot of rules. They are rules of my own making of course, because as my sweetie likes to point out every now and again, when I'm being particularly rebellious, I do not like being told what to do (or what not to do!) I'm guessing it's got something to do with the German, Irish and Italian blood running through these veins, all three cultures of which are known to possess at least a smidgen of stubbornness.

So about these rules...let me enlighten you with a few examples. One rule I have is that I never watch a movie more than once. Well, maybe not never, but rarely. There are just too many good movies out there and life is too short to watch the same ones over and over. I'd be wasting time, and time is a precious commodity to someone with OCD. And while we're on the topic of movies, I almost never watch movies by myself. Documentaries, yes. Movies, no. Even I can't really explain that one. Another rule I have is that I don't allow eating in the bed. I know plenty of people who love to lie in bed watching movies and eating their favorite snacks. Well, mostly men, really. But that is not allowed in my house. I can't think of too many ickier things than crawling into bed and feeling crumbs on the sheets. One more rule, just to give you a better picture of who you're dealing with...the kitchen drawers below where the coffee pot sits need to be tightly closed before pulling out the bag of sugar to doctor your coffee. Now that one makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

And to these rules...and a multitude of other rules... I strictly adhere. Most of my rules have to do with cleanliness, as I am a neat freak, and the others govern my daily routines. I know what some of you are thinking. My AJ must be a saint to put up with all of this anal-retentive madness. And you'd be right. Oh, so right. Usually, when I'm spouting some nonsense about yet another rule, he looks at me with his head cocked to the side, trying to figure out if I'm joking or being serious, and either way, he just laughs and goes on about his day, letting it all roll off his back. Well, most of it. He does close the drawers below the coffee pot when making his morning coffee... which he proudly points out to me on a regular basis!

So as you can imagine, someone who likes their rules and routines has a hard time with change. Even the good kinds of change. And as of late, I've been more than a little stressed out. Change is on its way - I can smell it in the air. And I'm not just talking about the Fall weather. Remember all those months ago, when my sister and I first started this blog, and I talked about wanting to find a new job? Well, I think I'm almost there. I say "almost" because I'm not 100% certain yet, but I have gone to three interviews for a Program Director position, and I'm thinking that is a pretty good sign. I'm supposed to find out by the end of the week. Part of me is freaked out that I won't get the job, and part of me is freaked out that I will. Because then I actually have to do the job, and what if I don't know what I'm doing?! ( Did I mention that as someone with OCD tendencies, I also have a little extra anxiety on hand?) Of course, I'd much rather find a job getting paid to eat, or write, or sit on my couch and read books while drinking tea and nibbling on homemade cookies, but until that job comes along, I think this other one will work out pretty nicely.

The other big thing in the works is that I'm trying to get my house ready to be put on the market. And for those of you who have never gotten a house ready for sale, let me just tell you that it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears... oh, and a considerable amount of money, of which I do not have an abundance. (Lottery gods, are you listening?) And the strange irony behind getting your house beautified for sale is that it ends up looking more fantastic than it ever did when you lived there. You limped along with the paint that needed touch-ups, and the aging appliances, and the cracked faucet, and the new owners get to walk into a picture-perfect house. Which works out in the end, I suppose, if the next house you buy is as sparkling as the one you just left. But I have come to the conclusion that even though my house will look terrific with all the updates, it is just a little too cozy. My house is the perfect size for two adults, even for two adults and one child, but not for two adults and two children, fast galloping into their preteen years. The house feels like it's getting smaller by the second...and for a person who likes "a place for everything, and everything in its place", this is an ongoing, full-scale battle... a battle, sadly, that I am not winning.

There is also a trip to Orlando planned for December, and a trip in its beginning planning stages to Israel next July, and a weekend trip to Bend this Fall for a literary conference. And when I take a moment for a time-out from all this anxious stressing, I really can appreciate all the goodness that lies ahead in the coming months. I mean, really, what have I got to complain about... the possibility of a new job, a new house, two major vacations and a weekend getaway... I know there is a lesson to be learned here. Something to do with appreciating the journey as much as the end result, maybe?

So as I'm forging my way through these stressful, yet full-of-promise, upcoming months, I sometimes need some comfort food. (You knew I was getting to the food part somewhere in all this.) I try not to turn to comfort food too often, since I don't want to get as big as the house I'm trying to sell, and have yet another thing to stress about. But sometimes, a comfort food meal does wonders for the soul - especially when it's breakfast food served for dinner. I recently came across a yummy recipe for berry pancakes in a Rachel Ray magazine that I modified to my liking. The original recipe calls for raspberries and blueberries, but unless you have fresh raspberries on hand, I would recommend leaving them out. Thawed-out frozen raspberries make a pretty soggy pancake in my experience, even when you strain them. I usually make a full batch of pancakes, so that I can refrigerate the leftovers and eat them throughout the week.

Berry Pancakes

1 1/2 half cups whole fat plain yogurt (you could substitute low-fat here)

1 egg plus 2 egg whites

1/2 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup blueberries (or a little more if you wish)

1 Tbs vegetable oil

1. Whisk together the yogurt, egg and egg whites, the water and the vanilla until smooth. Then whisk in the baking soda and salt, and then the flour, just until blended. Stir in the vegetable oil and then the blueberries.

2. Take 1/4 cupfuls and drop them onto a skillet over medium heat. (I use a non-stick skillet so I don't have to use any extra oil or butter in the cooking process.) Watch for lots of bubbles to appear on the surface of the pancake (about 3 minutes), which means it's ready to be flipped. Cook the second side for about 1 minute.

These pancakes taste great with maple syrup or just with powdered sugar and extra berries. Hope they bring a little comfort your way. 

Enjoy!

- Colleen