Chocolate Chip Pancakes

When I was young, we would often make long trips to see my grandparents on the weekends (depending on where we lived at the time, it may have been up to 10 hours!) In late elementary, we lived about 4 hours away from my grandparents. Half way there, we would pass through a town with a Perkins, where we would always have dinner. Before I learned how much I loved their Omelets with a Raspberry & Cream muffin on the side, I was dedicated to my chocolate chip bear pancakes.

I rarely make chocolate chip pancakes, as they seem a little bit too much like dessert for my husband (although I LOVE having chocolate for breakfast). These brought back fond memories of my trips to Grandpa & Grandma's house, even though I didn't shape them into a bear.




CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES (Adapted from All Recipes)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and oil; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Keep warm.

ENJOY!

This recipe participated in Sweets for a Saturday

Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancake

After cupcakes, breakfast foods are definitely one of my favorite things to make. I could easily eat breakfast for any meal of the day. (This started at a young age with Chocolate Chip Pancakes at Perkins and Waffles with strawberries & whipped cream at home.)

I bought my cast iron pan 6 or so years ago, with intentions of making dutch babies. Can you believe that this was the first one I've made!?!? It was so incredibly easy to make - I'm sure I'll be making more now.




BLUEBERRY DUTCH BABY PANCAKE (Adapted from AllRecipes)

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons butter
Blueberries
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting


Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet inside oven and preheat oven to 475F.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light. Add milk and stir. Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and sugar.

Remove skillet from oven and reduce oven heat to 425F. Melt butter in hot skillet so that inside of skillet is completely coated with butter. Pour all the batter in the skillet, and a handful of blueberries, and return skillet to oven.

Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!

Buttermilk Pancakes

Finally another weekend off! I was able to sleep in & make a tasty breakfast. It's been awhile since I've made pancakes, and I had some left over buttermilk in the fridge from some cupcakes I made a week or 2 ago - Perfect opportunity to use it up! While they were good with syrup, I think I would have enjoyed them much more with a few chocolate chips on top, bringing me back to the days of eating chocolate chip pancakes for dinner whenever we went to Perkins to eat.



BUTTERMILK PANCAKES (Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook)
Makes 8-10 3inch pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 beaten egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons canola oil

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder & baking soda in a bowl. Make a well in the center, and set aside.

Combine the egg, buttermilk & oil. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined (there will be small lumps remaining in the batter).

Pour or spread about 1/4 cup batter onto a 3 inch circle onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet (I use a large cast iron griddle on the stove, and need a medium to medium low setting on the gas).



Cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Turn to second side when pancakes have a bubbly surface & edges are slightly dry.

Serve immediately while warm.

ENJOY!