Saturday, April 13, 2013

Pancakes!!!

I am not a huge pancake lover, and because of this I don't really think to make them all that often.  Well, my boys DO like them and are starting to ask for them more and more.  So, I make them, and they LOVE them, and they ask me to make them almost every day!  I still limit it to Saturdays and special occasions...but today is Saturday so I am going to share my recipe for making pancakes! So easy, so yummy and I bet you have all of the ingredients in your pantry or fridge right now!  The following recipe makes about 18 pancakes, they store wonderfully in the fridge or freezer!

Pancakes
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 TBL baking powder
1 1/2 TBL sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2 stick butter, melted

Cherry Syrup
1 pound pitted cherries (I used a bag of frozen cherries, check ingredient list it should just say cherries...no sugar or anything added!)
1/4 cup water
1 TBL sugar
1/2 tsp lemon zest

In a mixing bowl mix flour, baking powder and sugar together.  Make a well in the center and put your eggs and milk in the well.  Stir together, just until combined...there will be lumps!  Finally pour in your melted butter and stir that in as well.  Now its time to cook them!  I like to use an electric griddle because its non-stick and easy!  The key to super fluffy pancakes is to cook them slowly and whatever you do DO NOT press them down with the spatula!!  I always have maple syrup in the house, but my favorite way to serve them is with a fresh fruit syrup/puree'!

While you are making your pancakes put all the ingredients for your cherry syrup in a saucepan and cook over high heat until cherries are boiling.  Now, put in a blender and blend until smooth (I used a stick blender which didn't get rid of all the cherry skin, a traditional blender will make it completely smooth!)  That's it!
 
PS.  Want to be a super cool mom and make SPRINKLE pancakes?!?!  I thought you might!  Just add in a handful of sprinkles to the flour mix before you add in the wet ingredients.  Then top with more sprinkles!  This is a great birthday treat, or way to celebrate special days!  Use red and green sprinkles at Christmas, red and pink for Valentine's Day, or even the colors for your kid's sports teams!  So fun!  Here is Braydon on his 5th birthday loving some sprinkle pancakes!!