Preparing ahead for pancakes

There's a lot to do on a daily basis and, in my opinion, anything to help reduce and simplify the daily routine, the better.

Here in our apartment in Poland, we don't have our customary conveniences of a dryer, dishwasher or access to pancake mix. Also, I don't know about you, but I do not feel like cooking breakfast when I first get up (okay, I generally never feel like cooking, and I bake on rare occasion). On the other hand, I notice my family and I are more irritable when we have cereal instead of something with more substance like sausage, eggs or even pancakes.

So I started preparing ahead for pancakes. Maybe it is an idea that will do that little bit to ease some strain for others.

First, I take the dry ingredients of my favorite pancake recipe and put one recipe's worth into a single honey or peanut butter jar. The jars here are small and just the right size.

I then beat the egg, milk and oil I need in a large measuring cup (I rarely use it for measuring, because I hardly ever cook in metric).

Then the pre-mixed dry ingredients are poured in and everything is mixed together. Not only do I not have a large mixing bowl to clean, but I have a measuring cup with a spout, therefore no need for a cup just for scooping.

It's quick and by the time I'm done, I've dirtied a pan, a spatula, the large measuring cup, a fork, a spoon, the jar and a regular measuring cup for the milk and oil.
 

Starting from scratch, I would have used a mixing bowl, several measuring spoons, some more measuring cups and flour all over the place. That would be each time I made pancakes instead of just one day where I made a handful of dry batches.

Paul's favorite breakfast is pancakes, so it works out well.