A Special Raffle and Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes
Yes, these pancakes taste as good as they look. But before I get into them, I want to talk about something special I’m working on.
After a two year absence from the running/workout scene, I had decided to come back to honor two very special people. In September 2000, I lost my Aunt Sandra, then just 35 years old, one month after she was diagnosed with leukemia. The loss struck me at the core on multiple levels. When she came to this country from the Dominican Republic, she lived with my family and was more of a sister than an aunt. And her death was not only my first experience with cancer, but it was the first time that I watched someone wither away. Every now and then I close my eyes and see her in her hospital bed with tubes sticking out of her barely able to move.
So six years ago, I joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program to train for the Marine Corps Marathon in DC and raised a few thousand dollars for the organization. Training and fundraising was no doubt tough but no where near the pain Sandra experienced the last month of her life. I ran a few more races over the years and raised more money all the while keeping her spirit alive.
In May of this year, leukemia struck again in my family. This time taking the life of my cousin Nina, a 30-year old mother of two just two weeks after diagnosis and a day after her chemo treatment started.
With Sandra and Nina alongside, I signed up with Team in Training this year again. This time I will be running the Chicago Marathon in October and have pledged to raise $3500 for the organization. Here’s where you come in.
With the help of some special foodie and book publishing friends I have made over the last year and a half, I have gathered a collection of cookbooks that I will be raffling here to raise much needed funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So here are the rules -
- For every $10 you donate via my fundraising site, you will get your name entered once in the raffle.
- To be entered in the raffle, donations must be made by midnight (eastern time) on Saturday, August 21.
- On Sunday, August 22, I will pick (at random) 5 winners to receive 4 books each. The first winner will have their choice of 4 books, the next winner chooses 4…and the last winner, will win the 4 remaining books.
- Please make sure to fill out the contact form via the fundraising site completely, as that is how I will contact you and the address list is where I will send the books.
- Books will be shipped by Tuesday, August 24. Books can only be shipped to addresses in the U. S. (sorry)
- I have a total of 20 books up for grabs – a mix of both sweet and savory.
- A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg
- Ad Hoc by Thomas Keller
- Amy’s Bread by Amy Scherber, Toy Kim Dupree, and Aimee Herring
- Artisan Bread Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois
- Baking Bites Cookbook by Nicole Weston (2 copies)
- Bitchin Kitchen Cookbook by Nadia G.
- Cupcake Heaven edited by Jennie Milson
- Cupcakes by Pamela Clark
- Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night by Daisy Martinez
- Healthy Bread Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois
Check out this great video put together by the authors of this book. - Lucious Berry Desserts by Lori Longbotham
- More of America’s Most Wanted Recipes by Ron Douglas
- Pig by James Villas
- The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Allysa and Jennifer Appel Torey
- The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook by Mireille Guiliano
- The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond
- Unforgettable Desserts by Dede Wilson
- Whoppie Pie by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell
- You Made That Dessert? by Beth Lipton
All of the books are brand new. I donated a number to the cause but this raffle would not be possible without the support of Beth Lipton, Nicole Weston, Justin Schwartz, Jessica Sciambra of Simon and Schuster, Angelique Picano of Bitchin Lifestyle TV and Monica Katz of St. Martin’s Press.
Thank you in advance to all of you for your support.
Putting together pancakes from scratch really takes no time at all. These took me 5 minutes. I left the batter to rest while I showered and fried them up in a matter of minutes along with some turkey bacon. An excellent reward for a good workout.
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled (I added a bit more to make up for using lesser sweet chips)
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips (depending on how chippy you feel) (I used bittersweet chips)
oil or cooking spray (for cooking)Directions:
In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, butter and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and let batter set for a few minutes.
Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, if or when the drops start to dance its hot enough.
Pour 2 Tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.
Share
hungrysofia — August 1, 2010 @ 4:41 pm
So proud to be your teammate and thanks for the recipe!
vanillasugar — August 1, 2010 @ 7:04 pm
good for you chica! very inspirational. i wish you the very best of luck sweetie. i can definitely see you finishing this race with no problem–you are a strong woman.
Stephanie — August 1, 2010 @ 11:42 pm
These pancakes look great! Definitely the perfect thing to have after a long run. I wish you all the luck with the race and raising money. I'll do whatever I can to help
Pamela — August 2, 2010 @ 1:06 am
I'm so sorry that tragedy has struck your family so hard. Those women were so young. It's a fabulous thing that you are doing!! I'll be checking into the raffle. And what a treat after that long run! These look delicious.
Shandy — August 2, 2010 @ 2:56 am
You are an amazing lady. Determined with such a caring heart. I am sorry for both of your losses and I wish you strength in your goal! What a great idea for everyone to donate towards. Thank you for posting and anyone who gets these cookbooks will know they have cookbooks to cherish because the books were offered to help support an important cause.
Damaris — August 2, 2010 @ 4:08 am
good luck with your long run. that is amazing. when i was in college i had chocolate chip pancakes for the first time. they are my fave.
Tracy — August 2, 2010 @ 12:55 pm
I'm so sorry for your losses. Best of you luck to you in raising money for your run!
Michelle @ Brown Eyed Baker — August 2, 2010 @ 3:57 pm
Eliana, A big THANK YOU to you for your dedication to training and raising money. I am so sorry to hear about your losses. I lost my dad to leukemia 11 years ago – he and my mom traveled out of state for 4+ months so he could undergo a bone marrow transplant. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was wonderful, helping my mom with costs for flights and helping her find lodging while in Boston. They are a wonderful organization. I have always thought about joining Team In Training to do something in my dad's memory, but I'm not much of a runner. I'm thinking maybe a walk/run 1/2 marathon… In any case, THANK YOU AGAIN! I will definitely be contributing.
Apples and Butter — August 3, 2010 @ 5:02 am
Congratulations on a great decision to return to running for such a great cause. I am so sorry for the losses you have experienced over the years. What a wonderful way to honor those members of your family. Good luck with the training and I can't wait to hear how everything progresses!
Joanne — August 3, 2010 @ 11:23 am
Go you! I did Team In Training last year to run the Nike Women's Marathon in SF and I'm actually mentoring with them for their winter season (Walt Disney World Marathon). I will definitely be donating. Such a great cause!
Flourchild — August 3, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
What a touching story, so sad. Your amazing! I want to donate too.
Jessica of My Baking Heart — August 3, 2010 @ 3:45 pm
Eliana, I'm so sorry to hear about your aunt and cousin. What an amazing thing you're doing – I know they're looking down on you and are so proud!! Your pancakes look beautiful, too!
Katrina — August 4, 2010 @ 2:35 am
Cancer stinks. A co-worker (very close one) of my husbands just died from leukemia. (He made it almost a year after diagnosis and was in his 50's.) I will head over to your donation site and join in on the raffle!Good for you, Eliana.
Your Fellow Bakers — August 4, 2010 @ 4:30 am
Eliana, I'm sorry for your losses, but reading this and how much you care is simply inspiring. I can see that you truly care for this cause. Best of luck on the run, and can't wait to try those pancakes- they look amazing!
Mary — August 4, 2010 @ 2:26 pm
How terrible to have lost two members of your family to this dreaded disease. I hope your fundraising efforts go well. Your pancakes look delicious and the chocolate in them will make them a great hit with the children. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Jaime — August 4, 2010 @ 6:34 pm
those pancakes look fabulous! i'm sorry that your family has been affected by leukemia but glad that you're working towards a good cause
Dee — August 5, 2010 @ 10:09 pm
These pancakes remind me of my grandma making them for me when I was growing up. I will have to make these Sat for my kids. I am new to your blog and love it.
Ingrid — August 6, 2010 @ 3:53 pm
I'm sorry to hear of the passing of two family members.Wishing you the best of luck on your run. I admire what you are doing.~ingridOh, and I was just thinking I wanted breakfast for lunch….your pancakes look like an excellent choice.
pendulumswing — August 11, 2010 @ 9:42 pm
How tragic your losses and how brilliantly you've honored their memories! Absolute best to you as you reach for your goal. Thank you for your dedication.
Josie — August 14, 2010 @ 1:20 pm
I am a sucker for a stack of pancakes and these look deeeelishh! so sorry to hear about your loss though!
Bren — August 16, 2010 @ 3:45 pm
amazing pancakes and a remarkable story behind your cause! I’ll be sure to support and forward on!
Lori — August 18, 2010 @ 3:28 pm
Fantastic! So awesome of you to devote your training and race to this cause. And what a great idea with the cookbooks. I’m off the spread the word. Oh and I would gladly take some of these pancakes on my long run days. Mine are Saturdays too, but I’m training for 1/2s. I let my hubs do the marathons. Best wishes for your training!
Jamie — August 23, 2010 @ 9:55 am
I recently lost my brother to ALS, a horrifying disease that also took my dad away. I know how these tragedies push us to get involved and help others and you are doing a truly fabulous thing running for the great cause! Good luck and eat loads of these delicious pancakes to keep up the energy. Sending you a huge hug!
Biz — August 23, 2010 @ 5:24 pm
I won’t be able to donate until I get paid – but I get paid on the 31st – woot! I am a cookbook whore and would love any one of those – and you know especially the Thomas Keller one!
A Chica Bakes » Loaded Oatmeal Cookies — October 14, 2010 @ 10:23 am
[...] to run the Chicago marathon, which took place this last weekend. And throughout my training I was raising much needed funds for blood cancer research in memory of my Aunt Sandra and Cousin Nina whose lives were cut short over a battle with [...]