Pancakes

I make pancakes every Sunday morning for my family, and on  rare occasion I make them for dinner. Although my family would be happy to eat plain pancakes each week, their mother gets bored easily. Pancakes are so versatile, I love that about them. If you aren't someone who makes them from scratch you can still add so much tot the batter, and have new exciting pancakes whenever you or your family get bored. So are you in a pancake rut? I've collected some ideas and recipes from some of the moms on Cafemom.com  and included a few of my own.

First, let's start with basic pancakes. If you have an aversion to making them from a box, but can't seem to find a good recipe you are not alone. Believe it or not, good pancakes are hard to find. This is the recipe I use, and quite honestly, I think they beat my favorite pancake house's best efforts.

 Pancakes

3 table spoons butter (softened)

2 eggs (room temperature)

3 table spoons sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add one egg at time mixing between each. In a separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Add milk and dry ingredients to butter, sugar and egg mixture. Alternate between the two adding them in thirds and mixing between. Let mix stand for 5 minutes before pouring on to your skillet. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot
This is where I have had a little fun. A cup of thawed frozen blueberries added to the mix at the end, is delicious or a cup of chocolate chips, or blend in 2-3 mashed bananas. Last Sunday I whisked in 1 heaping tablespoon of cinnamon in with the dry ingredients, oh...they were heaven.


Here is another great one.


Apple Pancakes

Before you start on your batter, preheat your oven to 375. Take 2 apples, peel and dice them. Put them on to a cake pan. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped butter and 2 table spoons of brown sugar to the apples. cover the top in cinnamon and place in the oven for about 5 minutes.
 
Take the apple out and stir them well, place them back in the oven and start on your batter. (if you are using box pancake mix then let the apples cook about 20 minutes)

3 table spoons butter (softened)

2 eggs (room temperature)

3 table spoons sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add one egg at time mixing between each. In a separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Add milk and dry ingredients to butter, sugar and egg mixture. Alternate between the two adding them in thirds and mixing between. 

Stir contents of baking pan in to your pancake batter at the end of the process. 
THEY ARE SO YUMMY!

Let mix stand for 5 minutes before pouring on to your skillet. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 egg
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cups whole weat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of fresh nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix together 1 cup of milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Add remaining milk and mix.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Here is a great recipe from the blog http://cookinwithsuperpickle.blogspot.com
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

It came to me within a dream!  I had a dream about making cinnamon
 rolls and pancakes. I woke up with an idea. I googled a few ideas and made
 my own modification.




Pancakes:
2 cups flour
1 TB baking powder
2 TB sugar
2 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 TB oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup loosely packed raisins(optional)

"Filling":
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon


Frosting:
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1 TB melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
milk to thin
(if you want you could add a little heated cream cheese to this too for an
 extra treat!)



Pancakes:
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. 
Mix wet ingredients and add to dry
 mixing until just moistened. Fold in 
raisins.






Filling:

Combine melted butter, brown sugar 
and 
cinnamon. Mix well and place into a ziplock bag with the tip cut off.



Frosting:(sorry no picture)
whisk powdered sugar, butter and vanilla and slowly add milk until it is
 desired consistency, set aside





Preheat your griddle to 350 and scoop
 batter by 1/3 cup full(make sure to give
 it a good stir because the raisins will 
settle). Immediately swirl the filling over
 the top. Cook until the edges are dry and
 bubbles form. Flip and cook for several more
 minutes.

Place on a plate and top with frosting. Enjoy!

I can't wait to try these suggested by a mom on Cafemom.com

Eggnog Pancakes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 heaping teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
1 1/3 cups Eggnog
2 eggs
Butter, for frying pancakes
Best-quality maple syrup

In a large, wide-necked measuring cup, measure out the flour and add the baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir to combine.
In another cup, measure the Eggnog, beat in the eggs and then the slightly cooled butter, and pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking as you do so. Or just put everything in a blender and blitz.
Now, heat either a griddle or nonstick frying pan, smear with a small bit of butter and then start frying. I just pour small amounts straight from the cup (but you could use a 1/4-cup measure if you prefer) so that you have wiggly circumferenced disks. When you see bubbles erupting on the surface, turn the pancakes over and cook for a couple of minutes, if that, on the other side.


Gingerbread Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl; set aside. Beat the egg in a separate mixing bowl with the vanilla and molasses until smooth. Whisk in the water until completely incorporated. Stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined -- a few lumps are okay.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

If that doesn't keep you busy for a while, here are some other great suggestions on how to spice up your favorite pancake recipe.

Cinnamon and a hint of chocolate

Pecans

Sausage and cheese

Beer

Butterscotch

Vanilla extract and raspberries or strawberries