The Great Pamcake Cook-Off

Several weeks ago, my house hosted the Great American Pancake Cook-Off. Okay, really it was the Greater-Chambana Pancake Cook-off that consisted of a measly four entries, but regardless! The important part about this story is that my pancakes (or pamcakes) were the champeens. Yes, that's right, world. E.E. Smith is Champaign-Urbana's Pancake Queen. Get me a float and tiara and the reign shall begin.

Of course I completely stole the recipe from here. (I know, me and the Food Network -- who woulda thunk it?) But there's no real issue with thievary in bake-offs. At least when you win. And Christine, c'mon darling, did you learn nothing from the Great Kugel Cook-off of 2005? Just because you put custard into something does not make it a slam-dunk. Plus anyone who's ever played Axis & Allies knows it's impossible for the Germans to win.

Elsewhere in my kitchen, I have noticed that I've gotten into these strange obsessions with certain foods the same way I do with certain songs. (My roommate noted not too long ago that she heard me play the same Old 97s song four times in a row and knew it wasn't a wise idea to come out and ask how I was doing.) As far as food goes though, I've been eating far too much of the following --

-bananas and cottage cheese (yes, together)
-red chai with soy milk
-pb&j (that's all natural peanut butter and some of my roommate's farmer's market raspberry jam . . . oh the snobbery!) on english muffins (well, these are from aldi and pretty crappy, so . . . )

I'm still in full obsession mode with some other things too -- black beans & rice, making chicken stock, soups from the food network site, Spanish wine, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout, Paula Deen's French coconut pie. Of course I made this the other night trying to marry my obsession with soup and black beans, and I must say, it was vastly mediocre. Five stars my ass.