Summer is here and we’re excited to share some of our favorite things about summer — pancake muffins and great books! This post is sponsored by Horizon Organic. All opinions are my own.
There’s just something special about summer days. We love sleeping a bit and enjoying a slower pace. You don’t have to plan every moment of summer to make amazing memories. Sometimes the simple things lead to some of the best memories. I’m excited to share some of the simple things we enjoy when school is out for the summer!
PANCAKE MUFFINS & SUMMER READING
I’ve always had a love for books. Growing up, I can remember many summer days spent reading book after book. It’s a love I hope to pass on to my children. There’s nothing like sharing a quiet summer morning or afternoon with some good books and a tasty snack! It’s one of the simplest things to do this summer.
Speaking of snacks, we’ve already made a batch of one our favorites!
PANCAKE MUFFINS & CHILDREN’S BOOKS
EASY PANCAKE MIX MUFFINS
Pancake muffins (or pancake cupcakes as my kids call them) are a fun twist on breakfast that we like to make together during the summer. They work great for breakfast but they’re also great for snacks! Baked pancakes paired with Horizon Organic DHA Milk Single Serve size milk boxes are a great snack pairing for relaxing summer afternoons!
We love the Horizon Organic brand because Horizon was the first national brand of organic milk. Twenty years ago, the brand helped the USDA write the organic standards and they continue to work on pushing them forward. As a mom, I feel confident in the Horizon Organic brand.
I also love the convenience factor! Horizon Organic DHA Omega-3 is available in lunch box-friendly milk boxes and half gallons so we have milk that is great for home and on the go! It’s also available in whole, 2%, fat-free, and chocolate. Weston is a HUGE chocolate milk fan so Horizon makes it easy for me!
I love adding it to our summer snacks because it offers 8 grams of protein, an excellent source of calcium, and 32 milligrams of omega-3 DHA per serving! DHA supports brain and eye health for everyone in our family!
The great thing about this pancake muffins recipe is that it makes it so simple to enjoy a pancake breakfast. But you get the portability of muffins so you can enjoy them any time of day or even take them on the go with you. So whether you’re staying at home or headed out on a summer break adventure, pancake bites are a perfect snack!
The ingredient list for these is so simple. If you’re like us, you just might have everything you need in your kitchen already!
- 2 cups complete organic pancake mix
- 1 1/3 cup Horizon Organic DHA Omega-3 Milk
- 1 Horizon Organic egg
- 1/2 cup pancake syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
This will make 18-24 pancake muffins.
We love blueberry muffins so we always make some with fresh blueberries. If you love muffins, making blueberry muffins with pancake mix is something you have to try! If you want to add blueberries (we recommend organic) or other mix-ins, you’ll do that right at the end so you can even make a variety of muffin flavors in one pan!
HOW TO MAKE MUFFINS WITH PANCAKE MIX
There’s no pancake flipping with this recipe! You can pop them in the oven and take care of other things!
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with liners (if using paper liners, I suggest spraying them with cooking spray too).
2. Make the pancake mix and Horizon Organic DHA Omega-3 milk together.
3. Add in the egg, syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix until combined.
4. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
5. If you’re adding blueberries or other mix-ins, drop them on top of the muffins and then use a toothpick to mix them into the muffin batter.
6. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
8. Enjoy with a cold glass of Horizon Organic’s DHA Omega-3 milk for a great (and easy) breakfast or snack option!
(Get a printable copy of this recipe at the bottom of the post!)
FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING
As a former first grade teacher, I have a passion for children’s books so we spend our summers sharing books together. Yes, it’s important for the kids to keep reading over the summer, but it’s also a great way to spend time together.
Carrigan starts kindergarten in the fall, so reading is a huge thing in our house. She wants to learn to read so she can be just like her brother! We’ve bought a few new books to enjoy and we’ve got plenty of trips to the library planned! If you’re looking for some great children’s books to share with your kids this summer, here are some of our favorites!
We have a lot of favorite children’s book authors who have written more than one book featuring some of our favorite characters, so it gives us a lot of great book options!
- Pigeon books by Mo Willems – These are a must read with your kids if you haven’t read them yet! We love Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! a lot but are fans of all of them!
- Llama Llama books by Anna Dewdney – These books are some of my personal favorites and I always enjoyed sharing them with my first graders. My own kids love them too! I’m a huge fan of the original Llama Llama Red Pajama but my kids chose Llama Llama Mad at Mama as their favorite. I’ll admit that it made me laugh.
- Purplicious by Victoria Kann & Elizabeth Kann – We love all of these books. Carrigan fell in love with Pinkalicious first and we’ve collected them all since then!
- Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller – Laurie Keller is one of my favorite children’s book authors. The adventures that Arnie the Doughnut goes on have a special place in my heart, but you should check out all of her books!
Our newest love as a family is the poetry of Shel Silverstein. We only introduced it to the kids recently and now we own four books of his poetry! Where the Sidewalk Ends is probably my favorite because it’s the first one I was introduced to as a child.
If you’re looking for short reads with your kids this summer, definitely consider getting one of Shel Silverstein’s books! They’re perfect for summer afternoons!
Make sure to plan a few quiet days this summer. Make some easy snacks, grab a Horizon Organic Milk Single Serve size milk box or pour a cold glass of milk, and pick out a book to enjoy together. It’s the perfect downtime in the middle of the busy that summer always seems to bring!
Learn more about all of the great Horizon Organic products that can help you snack smarter this summer!
Pancake Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups complete pancake mix
- 1 1/3 cup Horizon Organic DHA Omega-3 milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup pancake syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with liners (if using paper liners, I suggest spraying them with cooking spray too).
- Mix the pancake milk and the milk together.
- Add in the egg, syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix until combined.
- Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
- If you’re adding blueberries or other mix-ins, drop them on top of the muffins and then use a toothpick to mix them into the muffin batter.
- Bake for 14 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool completely before serving.
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