Pancakes 101

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I wasn’t sure what recipe I was going to run this week until I went out to breakfast this morning.  So, the truth is, I have a ‘thing’ for pancakes.  Oh yeah, it’s sort of funny, in more ways than one.  For instance here in the Branson area I have 3-4 favorite places to eat pancakes:  Cracker Barrel, The Floating Café @ Indian Point, Dinky’s Diner off Highway 13, and Suzy’s Café, in downtown Reeds Spring.   So I did say I’m a connoisseur of good cakes.  What makes these locations my top favorites?  In no particular order here are what these different cakes bring to the table.  One is not only great flavor, but outstanding body, another is the use of just a little bit of vanilla, in the batter.  The addition of cornmeal makes one more unique than all the rest.   Last, but not least, one is just a little sweeter than most. (The type of sugar can also have a big effect.)

 

The things we can do with pancakes is like different types of cookies.  There are so many varieties.  My family has two favorites, banana pancakes and sausage pancakes.  The sausage pancakes have fried sausage sprinkled over one side, just as you make the flip.   Any regular batter can have mashed bananas added.  Toasted chopped pecans are very nice with this combination.  Applesauce with extra cinnamon is used with success.  Blueberry, oatmeal, chocolate chip and sour cream are additional great flavors.

 

A bit of a traditionalist, I don’t go for whipped cream and all kinds of ‘foo foo’ stuff added to breakfast pancakes.  I save all those embellishments for crepes, which are made from a totally different batter.

 

White flour or whole wheat flour?  Today most of us realize that whole wheat is processed within our bodies differently.  It’s a slower absorption keeping the blood sugar level lower and more consistent, without spikes.  White flour cakes are amongst my favorites, however as my folks used to say: ‘You’re hungry again in no time.’  The best suggestion is to start slowly with the whole wheat and keep a portion of the all-purpose flour.  You could also play with your brain and use white whole wheat flour.

 

For the liquid portion I most generally use milk or a blend of milk and water.  If fresh buttermilk is handy that’s a good choice too.  Our Kansas family members taught me to use white soda pop, for the liquid portion of the batter.  This will render a very fluffy cake with a light flavor and a tall presentation.

 

For the syrup, to each his own.  My friend, Sharon, used to make hers with mapleine extract.  My mother, Betty, always made fresh blueberry syrup, never commercial.  Our son, Phillip, likes all natural syrup, which I procure at Trader Joe’s.  Husband, Ervin, uses very little syrup because he likes to taste the quality of the cake!

 

Consumed for breakfast or for dinner, pancakes are soul-warming and a great meal.  They’re also very economical to serve, in comparison to other breakfast meals.  Leftovers can be bagged and reheated for snacks or the next breakfast.  Peanut butter and jelly are marvelous spread across the top!

 

The recipe today contains no white flours, making it a pretty healthy dish.  Make in advance and freeze dry ingredients for quick meals.

 

Enjoy the week, see you in Platte City, MO, Saturday morning.  Simply yours, The Covered Dish.  www.thecovereddish.com

 

Healthy Pancakes

 

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup quick oats

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

1/4 cup cooking oil of choice

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar or honey

 

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl, making a well in the center.  In a smaller bowl, mix the eggs, buttermilk, oil and brown sugar.  Combine the two bowls together.  The batter will be rather thick.  Cook on a greased pancake griddle, flipping after the cake has bubbled.  Using 1/3 cup of batter per pancake the recipe should yield 10-12 nice size cakes.

 

Tip:  Consider putting all the dry ingredients together in a bag, attaching the recipe, and giving as gifts. 

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