Serving Up {Breakfast}: Buttermilk Pancakes

At any given time if you were to open my refrigerator you would find at least one, if not two, containers of fresh buttermilk.  It is a mainstay for breakfast at our house.  Buttermilk Pancakes and Buttermilk Waffles are each on our menu at least once a week.  I grew up thinking that you could substitute the dry buttermilk powder for the real thing.  I guess technically you can, but the end result knows that you cheated.  Promise me that if you have never used real buttermilk that you will try it.  I am convinced that you will be converted just as I was.

I used to think that making pancakes from scratch took too much time out of our busy morning routine.  Not the case.  This recipe comes together in minutes.  If time really is the issue, you could combine all the dry ingredients the night before in one bowl and the wet ingredients in a bowl left in the fridge.  Then you would have no excuse.  Personally, I think there is no excuse for NOT making these regularly.  I hope you agree.

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES     

printable version

2 cups flour

2 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs and oil and whisk together.  Pour liquid into the bowl with the flour and mix until just combined, being careful to not over mix.  Pour 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto a heated griddle, flipping when bubbles begin to form.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Chunky Monkey Pancakes

I admit that we eat breakfast foods at our house frequently for dinner.  I love breakfast foods, but at times it's hard to find time in the hectic morning routine to try out new (often complicated) breakfast recipes. That and, well let's admit it, kids like breakfast foods. Try out a new dinner entree and everyone complains! Try out a new pancake variation and they line up with plates in hand.

This recipe was truly stumbled upon in error. I had made a menu list for three weeks out and bought all the ingredients. In my hurry to prepare dinner one night I glanced at my list and saw "Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Waffles" written.  But somehow between reading the menu and getting to my computer to find the recipe it had become "Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes". I didn't even realize my mistake until halfway through making the pancakes when I couldn't figure out why I had bought chunky peanut butter when the recipe I was making didn't even call for chunky peanut butter. (The waffles do call for for chunky peanut butter and can be found here).  It turned out to be a lucky error for us because these were really good. Make that REEAALLYY good!

CHUNKY MONKEY PANCAKES     Pin It

{Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup}
(Recipe from Our Best Bites)
printable version

1 1/2 cup flour
3 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk (buy the real stuff - SO much better)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 egg
2 small-med ripe bananas
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (or regular chips roughly chopped)
Cooking Spray or butter for pan

1 C maple syrup
1/2 C peanut butter

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined. Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Fold into batter. Add the chocolate chips and stir.

For syrup, heat peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine. Heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds, whisk, and then set aside.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with little butter and then pour on pancake batter. Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Reheat syrup if necessary and pour over warm pancakes.