Rice Cereal

Wash thoroughly and dry one cup of brown rice. Next fry the rice in a clean and dry iron skillet over medium heat. Stir often to prevent burning. Fry for about 10 minutes or until the rice is puffed up a little. When done, put in blender and whip till fine powder. Cook 3 tablespoons in a cup of water and add milk and sugar if desired. 

(This is a great baby cereal, but start with white rice for a few months so it won’t be too strong for baby)

Pioneer Mom's Note: If you would pre-soak the rice for at least 7 hours first in warm water mixed with a little buttermilk, it would be more digestible.

Instant Oatmeal Mix

4 cups regular or old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup or more, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apples or bananas)
1 cup instant powdered dry milk
Dash of salt

Put all ingredients in food processor and grind together to desired coarseness. Watch it; it won't take long! You may store mixture in a jar or bag in the freezer, or place by 1/2 cupfuls in ziploc bags and freeze.
 

Take 1/2 cup oatmeal mix into a hot-water-resistant bowl. Add one cup of boiling water. Stir and let thicken and cool off for a few minutes.

Pioneer Mom's Note: If there is one thing people really waste money on, its those little packets of instant oatmeal. You could omit the sugar and just add some honey when you add hot water if you prefer it that way. 

Grape Nuts Cereal

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups buttermilk or sour milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Sift flour. Measure and add baking soda and salt. Sift again. Add sugar to flour and mix thoroughly. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients. Beat until smooth.

Spread dough 1/4-inch thick on flat, greased pans. Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 15 minutes or until crisp and a golden brown. Let cool thoroughly and grind through a food chopper. Crisp in oven just before serving.

Pioneer Mom's Notes: This is great to replace store-bought cereals if you like to have cold cereal on hand. Any health conscious mom knows those boxed cereals are not-so-good, even if they claim to be. And they are expensive. This tastes sort of graham-y, a flavor I love in cereals! 

Pancake Mix

10 cups flour

1 1/2  cups sugar

1 T salt

2 T baking powder

4 tsp soda

2 1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder

(or 2 1/2 cups dry milk powder)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together to blend well. Put in a large airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place. 

To make the pancakes:

1 3/4 cupful of pancake mix
1 egg 

1 cup water

1/4 cup cooking oil

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a pan with a nonstick surface or apply a little nonstick spray.

In a blender or with a mixer, combine all of the remaining ingredients until smooth.

Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles. When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be light brown. Cook on the other side for same amount of time, until light brown.

Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.

Breakfast Sausages

3 lbs meat = 20 patties

 3 Lbs. ground pork, turkey or chicken
1 Tbls. brown sugar
2 tsp. dried sage
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. thyme    
1 pinch ground cloves (optional)                                 

1/2 tsp. ginger (optional)                                                 

1/2 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

Combine all ingredients by hand in a bowl. Form mixture into 1/4" thick patties. You may also form them into small sausages by rolling a small handful on a sheet of plastic . Brown patties in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes on each side.

You may also mix the ingredients and store in freezer in small bags to have it handy to make sausage gravy for biscuits, or for boiled potatoes.

Pioneer Mom's notes: In Tennessee we learned to like breakfast patties. But, they can be costly if you want to stock store-bought ones. Eventually I looked into it and realized they can be home-made too! I have made them often since. We are meat-lovers at our house, and we like to include some in our breakfasts now and then.  

Pancake Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup raw or brown cane sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

a pinch of salt

1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Bring all ingredients to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes or to thicken slightly, then take off of heat and let cool. 

Pioneer Mom's note: This syrup usually gets rave reviews because it simply tastes great! And it costs so little compared to what you have to pay when you buy it. You could make this maple flavored if you prefer, but I think this is so good there is no need to add anything.