Sunday Is Pancake Day!

Or at least it was supposed to be.  We had a pancake breakfast to go to after mass this morning, but since most people cannot get out of their homes, nearly every church in the city has cancelled services.  Damn.  No pancakes.  So what's a girl to do?  Why, make pancakes at home of course!  And I decided that sharing with you was the only nice thing to do!


I used this recipe from allrecipes.com.  Please go there if you need to adjust the serving size.  

Good Old Fashioned Pancakes  
8 servings, if you make them according to directions.  I don't so this makes 4.  

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder (don't have baking powder? see this post by Chiot's Run for how to make your own to use)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. sugar 
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted ( I suggest using butter, since I found that once the melted butter hits the cold milk it starts solidifying in a way that spreads amazingly throughout the mix)

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  I skipped my sifter and just used a metal whisk to make sure it was well blended.  Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, and melted butter.  Mix until smooth (and resist eating the batter.....if you do, yay for you, I never am able to).  You can add a splash of vanilla or cinnamon if you want, we normally would, but we are low on vanilla, I have a cake to make this afternoon, and it turned out divine without it.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.  This is where I differ.  I used our lone non-stick pan over medium heat (I think medium high is too hot, but I have a gas stove).  Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 c. for each pancake.  I used the 1/2 c measuring cup I had used to measure the flour, hence why I got half the pancakes twice the size.  Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Now, if you are like me you don't like pancakes cold, and making a lot means usually they are.  I think I have talked about this before, but a cookie sheet in a 200F oven, transferring each pancake to it once done will keep these warm and not dried out.  

We try and make plenty so we have leftovers to heat up the next day.  Don't like them microwaved?  Try heating them on low heat on the stove.  

Now, since it is still Natural Week, let me share that I don't do Mrs. Buttersworth.  I used to love this as a kid, but once we stopped eating high fructose corn syrup this did not work, it made us gag.  We actually planned to bring our own syrup to the pancake breakfast.  This is how I make mine:

Buttery Maple Syrup Goodness

• 1 to 2 Tbsp. Butter (yes, more butter)
• approx. 1/4 c. real maple syrup

Place in a heat safe pitcher and microwave until butter is melted and syrup is heated through.  Watch it though, it can quickly bubble over causing a non-delightful mess!  Easy peasy!  This is delicious on pancakes and waffles.  

I know many people think maple syrup is too expensive, and I will admit for some it is.  But for the average person, it's not.  Thinking about it this morning we began discussing how one bottle can last us months!  The flavor is concentrated, you don't have to use much, and really compare it to going out for pancakes.  Even doing what we normally would do, eating this breakfast with some fruit, a wine glass of OJ, and a small glass of milk, we're estimating that to serve 4 people this breakfast would cost about $5!  That isn't even enough for one person (well, maybe 1 kid) to eat at a place like IHOP.  

You could also give this recipe a whirl.  Haven't tried it yet, but bookmarked it in my recipe box.  It uses white and brown sugar, water, vanilla and maple flavouring.  Hey, getter than high fructose corn syrup laden syrups any day!