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With the holidays behind us (booooo), I tend to get a little down 😦 so I came up with a fun, new Winter tradition to pick up mine and my family’s spirits … The Snowflake Breakfast!

STEP ONE – look for a metal, snowflake-shaped cookie cutter. I just found a 4-pack at Wal-Mart for $2.88 that’s probably on sale now (woo-hoo!). The reason you need a metal cutter is so it can withstand the heat of your frying pan or griddle.

STEP TWO – dust off your favorite recipe to whip up a batch of pancake batter. Mine is chocolate chip! 🙂

STEP THREE – spray your frying pan or griddle AND the “inside” of a large snowflake cookie cutter with non-stick cooking spray.

STEP FOUR – Spoon some pancake batter into the snowflake cutter, spreading it evenly into each arm of the snowflake.

STEP FIVE – Brown the pancake on 1 side and use a spatula and the side of your pan to help you flip the pancake AND snowflake cutter (together) to begin browning the opposite side of the pancake.

STEP SIX – While the opposite side of the pancake is browning, use a knife to begin loosening it from the side of the snowflake cutter.

STEP SEVEN – Gently remove the snowflake cutter, and when done, remove the pancake from the pan.

STEP EIGHT – Make an inexpensive snowflake tree to use as a centerpiece on your Snowflake Breakfast table! Gather branches from outside and spray paint them white. HINT: Leave any berries or buds on the branches for added texture and detail. Cut a piece of styrofoam to fit in the bottom of a vase you have on hand. Arrange the painted & now dry branches in your vase to create a winter tree, using the styrofoam to hold them in place. Disguise the styrofoam with inexpensive Epsom Salts to simulate fresh fallen snow.

STEP NINE – Hang snowflakes in any windows and on the branches of your new winter tree and place in the center of your breakfast table.

STEP TEN – Years ago, I was lucky enough to find snowflake plates at J.C. Penny (on clearance.. whoo-hoo!) and snowflake glasses at Target, but you can use paper plates with a snowflake theme to duplicate this look on a budget. I found the over-sized white snowflakes at a dollar store…. they make great place mats! Finally, I recycled my snowflake pillows, lantern and snowflake candle (used in the family room at Christmas) to create more wintry ambiance on the side table underneath my window of snowflakes.

Check out the entire Snowflake Breakfast setting… it’s festive and happy and because it’s “the unexpected”, it will provide everyone in your home with the perfect prescription for the post-holiday, winter blues!!