What's For Breakfast: Oatmeal Pancakes

Oatmeal is a common sight on our breakfast table. In fact, one of the resounding refrains in our household is "It's oatmeal or no meal!"

However, following multiple days of oatmeal in a row, I'm ready to change things up a bit. Over the weekend, I was in the mood for pancakes.

But ... I happened to have some leftover oatmeal in the fridge. And a few days earlier Deb of Smitten Kitchen had posted a photo of oatmeal pancakes from her blog, so I knew immediately what I would be having for breakfast.

These pancakes are surprisingly tender and super filling. I made my batch entirely gluten-free by using a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix, but you could use regular all-purpose flour if that's what you normally use. Be sure to melt plenty of butter in the skillet when you bake them; it makes the pancakes perfectly crispy on the outside. And of course, each serving will be just that much better with a little more melted butter and a generous drenching pour of pure maple syrup over top each pancake.

Oatmeal Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 pancakes

3/4 cup oat flour (~1 cup rolled oats ground in the food processor)
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (regular unbleached all-purpose flour is fine if gluten isn't an issue)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup cooked oatmeal
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (plus extra for the skillet)
1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cooked oatmeal, eggs, melted butter, and maple syrup.
3. Use a rubber spatula to carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until just combined.
4. Melt about a tablespoon of butter in an electric griddle or skillet over medium-high heat (375 degrees). Add about 1/4 cup of batter in rounds to the skillet. Flip the pancakes when bubbles form and the batter looks matte in appearance. Cook for an additional minute or two. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

(adapted from this Smitten Kitchen recipe)

What's For Breakfast: Gingerbread Pancakes

The holidays are quickly approaching ... and my to-do list is not getting any shorter. In fact, if anything, it's getting longer! But there's always time to whip together some holiday fun in the kitchen, because, well, a girl's gotta eat, right?

Yesterday I made a batch of these delicious–and dare I say super-cute–gingerbread men pancakes. My most successful gingerbread men were made by cooking the pancake batter inside a gingerbread man cookie cutter. Albeit, it was a tad dangerous given how hot the metal gets! But the end result was so worth it. (And, uh, you could always use a tool that's meant for the job, like this gingerbread man egg/pancake mold.) The little men puff up in the cookie cutter, so you end up with a really fluffy gingerbread man pancake. You can easily replicate these in your own kitchen with a cookie cutter and a thin spatula (for careful flipping), or you can of course make these as regular round pancakes.

Served alongside some pure maybe syrup, and maybe a little powdered sugar if you want to cover any wonkiness (although I think that any variations just give the little guys some extra character!), and you've got a great breakfast for any winter holiday celebration.

Gingerbread Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsulphured blackstrap molasses
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the skillet

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and molasses.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined. Then stir in the melted butter. Do not over stir!
4. Melt the butter in an electric skillet heated to 350 degrees. Add about 1/3 cup of batter in rounds to the skillet. Flip the pancakes when bubbles form and the batter looks matte in appearance. Cook for an additional minute or two. If you would like to make gingerbread men pancakes, spray a gingerbread man cookie cutter with cooking spray. Set the cookie cutter in the skillet and then spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into it and spread the batter into the head and appendages. Cook until matte and bubbly, then carefully (the cookie cutter will be hot!) flip it over. Cook for another minute or two, then remove from the skillet and let cool for a few minutes before carefully removing the gingerbread man from the cutter. Alternately, you could make a large pancake and cut out the gingerbread man shape from the pancake. Serve the pancakes immediately or keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

What's For Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes

My weekday breakfasts typically consist of one of three choices: scrambled eggs, yogurt with granola, or oatmeal. These options have one thing in common: they're super-quick to make, which is ideal as these days I often hit the ground running with meetings first thing in the morning.

However, when the weekend rolls around, I like to pull out all the stops for breakfast. (After first sleeping in, of course.) This past weekend's chilly mornings called for a hot batch of made-from-scratch pumpkin pancakes.

I used my recipe for the best buttermilk pancakes as the base for these pumpkin pancakes. In addition to a healthy amount of pumpkin puree, these pancakes also get the pumpkin pie treatment with the addition of pumpkin pie spices. (If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can sub in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.) When topped with a pat of butter and a generous pour of maple syrup, you've got yourself a hearty and filling –and dare I say, pumpkin-licious – breakfast to start your day off right.

Pumpkin Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 pancakes

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the skillet

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Stir in the melted butter.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined. Do not over stir!
4. Melt the butter in an electric skillet heated to 350 degrees. Add about 1/3 cup of batter in rounds to the skillet. Flip when the pancakes when bubbles form and the batter looks matte in appearance. Cook for an additional minute or two. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

What's For Breakfast: Strawberry-Rhubarb Pancakes

Looking for a sweet and tangy way to start your day? Look no further than these mouthwatering strawberry-rhubarb pancakes. 

Those ruby-red stalks have finally found their way into the marketplace up here in the Northwoods. And while I typically reach for a dessert recipe when it comes to this tart ingredient, this time around I was in the mood for a breakfast treat.

Enter these strawberry-rhubarb pancakes with strawberry-rhubarb sauce (I'm all in when it comes to the strawberry-rhubarb flavor combination). The base of this recipe is my standard buttermilk pancake recipe. To each round of pancake batter on the skillet I added a teaspoon each of chopped strawberries and chopped rhubarb. Then, right before serving, everything gets slathered in a scrumptious strawberry-rhubarb sauce, still warm from the stove.

What is your favorite way to use rhubarb?

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 pancakes

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the skillet
1/2 cup finely chopped rhubarb, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries, divided

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined. Then stir in the melted butter. Do not over stir!
4. Melt the butter in an electric skillet heated to 350 degrees. Add about 1/3 cup of batter in rounds to the skillet. Top each pancake with about 1 teaspoon each of the chopped strawberries and chopped rhubarb. Flip when the pancakes when bubbles form and the batter looks matte in appearance. Cook for an additional minute or two. Serve immediately with warm strawberry-rhubarb sauce (recipe below) or keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup chopped rhubarb
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Add the rhubarb, water, and sugar to a small sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Continue simmering for five minutes.
2. Add the strawberries and continue cooking over medium-low heat for another five minutes, or until the strawberries are tender. Lightly mash the strawberries and rhubarb with the back of a spoon. Stir in the vanilla. Keep warm until ready to serve.

What's For Breakfast: The Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Me and pancakes go way, way back. Pancakes were almost always on the Saturday morning menu at our house. With Car Talk in the background, my Dad made the batter and manned the spatula for flipping duty, though I would hop in to make a batch of my favorite silver-dollar-sized pancakes before all the batter was gone.

So many years later, and pancakes are still one of my favorite breakfast treats. Although, given our busy weekends, we eat pancakes more often for dinner than for breakfast. But, when a lazy weekend morning beckons, I like to put pancakes on the menu. And when I have buttermilk in the fridge, it's buttermilk pancakes all the way. I've tried a bunch of recipes in the past, and this recipe, which hails from the blog oh, sweet basil definitely is at the top of the list. And no, you don't need to adjust your screen -- our pancakes are typically that yellow. Gotta love fresh eggs from our chickens -- their orange yolks are amazing.

The Best Buttermilk Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 12+ pancakes

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the skillet

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined. Then stir in the melted butter. Do not over stir!
4. Melt the butter in an electric skillet heated to 350 degrees. Add about 1/3 cup of batter in rounds to the skillet. Flip when the pancakes when bubbles form and the batter looks matte in appearance. Cook for an additional minute or two. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

(adapted from this oh, sweet basil recipe)

What's For Breakfast: Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes

Growing up, pancakes were traditionally the Saturday morning breakfast-of-choice as my Dad wielded his spatula over a sizzling griddle. So, it goes without saying that pancakes are often found on the weekend breakfast menu at our house. This week, I decided to try out my gluten-free all-purpose flour mix in a buttermilk pancake recipe, and it did not disappoint. Topped with a pat of butter and a quite-generous drizzle of pure maple syrup, these buttermilk pancakes are certain to satisfy.

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 12-14 pancakes

2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour mix
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups low-fat cultured buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon unsalted butter for the skillet/griddle

1. Preheat an electric skillet or griddle to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and sea salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and (cooled) melted butter.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir vigorously to combine.
6. Melt about 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter on the preheated skillet. Use a 1/4-cup measure to pour the batter onto the skillet. (You should be able to fit about four pancakes per batch.) Flip the pancakes when bubbles form on top.
7. Cook for an additional minute or two, or until the other side is lightly browned. Remove the pancakes from the skillet and place on a plate.
8. Put the plate in a oven set at around 200 degrees (or in a warming drawer) to keep the pancakes warm while you make the rest of the batch.
9. Serve with pure maple syrup add additional pats of butter.

What's For Breakfast: Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Pancake

Our standard weekend breakfast fare includes eggs and hashbrowns, pancakes, or waffles. This weekend I decided to up the ante slightly by making a Dutch baby pancake. Since the batter is made in a blender, it is super-simple to make and even easier to clean up. My only regret was not checking the pantry earlier to make sure we had a little powdered sugar on hand. But, no worries, a generous drizzle of maple syrup more than made up for it.

A Dutch baby pancake is light and fluffy -- its egg-custard-like texture reminds me of French toast, but the flavor is light like a crepe. I chose to make my Dutch baby pancake gluten-free by using almond flour. However, if grains aren't a problem for you, feel free to use all-purpose flour instead. Though this recipe theoretically makes four servings, it is just as easily consumed by two very hungry people. I think a couple of these pancakes, baked up in cast-iron skillets, would make for a stunning brunch presentation. 

Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Pancake (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings (or 2 very large servings)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup organic skim milk
1/4 cup organic heavy cream
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
maple syrup, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add the butter to a medium cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Once  the butter has melted, turn off the heat.
3. Add the eggs, milk, cream, almond flour, salt, vanilla, and sugar to a blender. Blend at high speed for one minute (or until very foamy). Pour the batter into the prepped skillet and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Slice into wedges and serve immediately with maple syrup. (The pancake will fall as it cools.)

(adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe)

What's For Breakfast: Almond Flour Pancakes

I'm trying to reduce my wheat intake just a bit (which is semi-tortuous given my love affair with bread), so I thought I'd give a gluten-free pancake recipe a whirl for breakfast yesterday. Now, don't get me wrong -- these almond flour pancakes taste nothing like my favorite buttermilk pancakes made with all-purpose flour. But ... they aren't bad, either, just ... different. The almond flour gives the pancakes a slightly crunchy texture and a hint of nutty flavor, while the whipped egg whites help to give them a fluffy appearance. Add a generous pour of pure maple syrup on top, and I'm happy to eat them, whatever they are.

Almond Flour Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 four-inch pancakes

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 scant teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup organic skim milk

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
additional unsalted butter (about 1 tablespoon) for the skillet

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and sea salt. Set aside.
2. Add the egg yolks into a large bowl. Whisk in the skim milk, syrup, and vanilla extract. Then whisk in the cooled melted butter. Stir in the dry ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
3. Add the egg whites to a medium bowl. Whisk until very foamy, 1-2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the rest of the ingredients until well-combined.
4. Melt about 1 tablespoon of butter in an electric skillet set to 350 degrees. Use a spoon or small measuring cup (I used a 1/3 cup measure) to pour the batter into ~40-inch circles onto the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles form (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes), then flip and cook until browned on the other side (about one minute more).
5. Place the cooked pancakes on an oven-safe plate in a warm oven or warming drawer until ready to serve.

(adapted from a recipe from The Nourishing Home)

What's For Breakfast: Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

I'm a big fan of pancakes, but since I always make the same buttermilk pancake recipe (though delicious), I was ready to try something new. Cornmeal pancakes keep popping up in my Pinterest feed, so I thought it was time to give it a try. The cornmeal adds a nice crunch and texture to these pancakes; the generous amount of baking powder ensures that they are fluffy as can be. Given our recent purchase of 10 pounds of blueberries, there was no doubt that I would be making blueberry cornmeal pancakes. The tartness of the blueberries complements the slight sweetness of the cornmeal pancake batter quite well. And once you cover them with maple syrup? Pure heaven.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 four-inch pancakes

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus more for greasing skillet
1 cup organic milk
2 large eggs
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat. Remove from the stove and let cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, milk, and eggs.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just incorporated, the batter should be lumpy.
5. Heat an electric skillet to 350 degrees. Grease the skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of butter.
6. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet per pancake. Once the batter begins to set, add several blueberries to each pancake.
7. After bubbles begin to break the surface, flip each pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

(adapted from this The Wednesday Chef recipe)

What's For Breakfast: Blueberry-Cornmeal Pancakes

Truth be told, these pancakes were actually what was for dinner tonight. However, I have some leftover batter (as I also made a batch of buttermilk pancakes), so there's quite a good chance they will be what's for breakfast in the morning, after all. These pancakes are perfectly flavored with just a hint of cinnamon and bright blueberry flavor.

Blueberry-Cornmeal Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings (about eight 4" pancakes)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white cornmeal
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + enough skim milk to make a cup, let sit for five minutes before using)
1 cup fresh blueberries

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk and egg.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg mixture.
4. Stir until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Carefully fold in the blueberries.
5. Spread about 1/4-cup of the batter onto a hot, lightly buttered griddle. (I set our electric skillet to around 350 degrees.) Bake until bubbles form in the batter, about two minutes. Flip and cook for an additional two minutes.
6. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Note: If cooking up a large batch, place the cooked pancakes into a warm oven (set to about 250 degrees) until ready to serve.

(adapted from a recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook)

What's For Breakfast: Gingerbread Buttermilk Pancakes

These gingerbread buttermilk pancakes were actually what was for dinner tonight, though pancakes are traditionally a breakfast meal. To make these pancakes, I just added some gingerbread-y spices to my usual buttermilk pancake recipe -- kind of a no-brainer, that. Now, if only I had a gingerbread latte to sip on, then I think this would be the perfect winter meal.

Gingerbread Buttermilk Pancakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 2 servings

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 t aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat an electric skillet to 350 degrees. Melt about 1/2 tablespoon of butter in the skillet.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
4. Combine the beaten egg, buttermilk, and vanilla.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Add in more buttermilk to thin out the batter if necessary.
6. Pour the batter onto the prepared skillet to make the pancake size you prefer. Flip the pancakes when bubbles form on top.
7. Cook for an additional minute or two, or until the other side is lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.
8. Put the plate in a oven set at around 200 degrees to keep the pancakes warm while you make the rest of the batch.
9. Serve with a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar and pure maple syrup.

What's For Breakfast: Blueberry and Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

D requested pancakes for breakfast on Saturday, and I gladly obliged. I opted to make a batch of plain, blueberry, and banana buttermilk pancakes. The banana pancakes brought me down memory lane, as I used to make them all the time in Chicago when D would come down from Madison to visit for the weekend. For some reason, bananas went from green to overripe in a matter of days in my old apartment, so I always had mashable bananas at the ready. If you'd prefer blueberry pancakes, just sub in a cup of fresh blueberries for the banana.

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes (printer-friendly version)

makes 2 servings

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon raw sugar

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup organic nonfat buttermilk

1 cage-free egg, lightly beaten

1 ripe banana, mashed

1. Preheat an electric skillet to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

4. Combine the beaten egg and buttermilk in a small bowl.

5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Add in more buttermilk to thin out the batter if necessary.

6. Pour the batter onto the prepared skillet in the to make the pancake size you prefer. Flip the pancakes when bubbles form on top.

7. Cook for an additional minute or two, or until the other side is lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.

8. Put the plate in a oven set at around 200 degrees to keep the pancakes warm while you make the rest of the batch.

9. Serve with pure maple syrup.

What's For Breakfast: Eggnog Pancakes

I picked up a carton of organic eggnog the other day, and in addition to drinking it, I wondered if I could incorporate it into some recipes -- say, pancakes for example. A quick Internet search confirmed my suspicions, and I decided to give eggnog pancakes a whirl. The end result is a fluffy pancake with a delicious eggnog-y taste -- subtle, but not overpowering. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg, and you've got a pretty fantastic holiday breakfast!

Eggnog Pancakes (printer-friendly version)

makes six pancakes

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon raw sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup organic eggnog

2 tablespoons clarified butter

1 farm egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup organic skim milk

nutmeg

1. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

3. Add in the eggnog, clarified butter, egg, and skim milk. Stir to combine. Continue stirring until the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated into the batter.

4. Heat an electric skillet to 350 degrees.

5. Lightly grease the skillet.

6. Cook the pancakes, about 2 minutes per side, or until bubbly on one side, then flip.

7. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve with warmed pure maple syrup.

(adapted from this recipe)

What's For Breakfast: Buttermilk Pancakes and Scrambled Eggs

After a night out on the town in Fort Collins, I was ready for some carbs and a bit of protein to combat the after-effects of a black russian and rather strong (but quite delicious) Long Island iced tea I had imbibed at The Drunken Monkey. Since I had a big carton of lowfat buttermilk in the fridge, I decided to make some buttermilk pancakes. I also used the buttermilk in my scrambled eggs, substituting the buttermilk for the tablespoon of milk I typically add to my eggs before cooking them to keep them nice and soft. Both dishes turned out rather well, tasted delicious, and did the job!

Buttermilk Pancakes (printer-friendly version)

makes 2 servings

1 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T raw sugar

1 t aluminum-free baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t fine sea salt

1 C buttermilk

1 cage-free egg, lightly beaten

2 T organic canola oil

1. Preheat an electric skillet to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

4. Combine the beaten egg, buttermilk, and canola oil.

5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Add in more buttermilk to thin out the batter if necessary.

6. Pour the batter onto the prepared skillet in the to make the pancake size you prefer. Flip the pancakes when bubbles form on top.

7. Cook for an additional minute or two, or until the other side is lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.

8. Put the plate in a oven set at around 200 degrees to keep the pancakes warm while you make the rest of the batch.

9. Serve with pure maple syrup or fresh fruit.

Buttermilk Scrambled Eggs (printer-friendly version)

makes 2 servings

3 cage-free eggs

1 T buttermilk

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Whisk together the three eggs and buttermilk.

2. Pour the prepared eggs into an electric skillet heated to 350 degrees.

3. Use a spatula to constantly move the eggs around the skillet to scramble them and avoid any overcooking.

4. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.

5. Serve immediately.