4 Kinds of Pancakes and 2 Homemade Syrups

Pancakes are always a hearty breakfast but sometimes morning is hectic and serving a hot breakfast is nil and void.

If you take an hour on a weekend day once in a while to make breakfast for the freezer, it will solve the problem. Make a batch of pancakes, cool, then freeze. For reheating, just pop the frozen pancakes in the toaster and you are good to go!

If you use a pancake mix, you know it's 1 cup mix, 1 cup milk, 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon oil.

My recipe is similar. Easy to remember! I mix 1/2 whole wheat flour, 1/2 all-purpose unbleached flour.

So here is the recipe:

1 cup (1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 unbleached flour) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Whisk these dry ingredients together.

Then beat your wet ingredients together.

Wet ingredients are:

1 cup milk (I use almond milk)

1 egg

1 Tablespoon oil (I use canola oil)

Add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until well blended.

I use a griddle and wipe the oil on it with a paper towel. The temperature should be about 375- 400 degrees F.

Fill a 1/4 measuring cup with batter. This makes about the right size after it spreads. Of course, you can make the pancakes bigger or smaller according to your taste.

Cook the pancakes until bubbles appear on top and the edges start to get solid. Turn and cook another minute and you are done.

If you can't eat wheat, these pancakes are exactly for you! Add fruit or nuts.

1 cup soy milk

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

3/4 cup oat flour (you can put quick oats in your blender until finely blended)

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg yolk

1 Tablespoon canola oil

2 egg whites

Heat milk in microwave until hot (30 second intervals). Stir in oats. Set aside for about 5 minutes.

Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. Add oat/milk mixture. Add egg yolk and oil.

Beat egg whites in small bowl until stiff peaks form, then fold into batter.

Makes 8 pancakes.

This recipe takes a little time, but is well worth it. Ingredients have to sit overnight, so allow a day in advance to prepare them. After they are cooked on the griddle, they are baked in the oven with cheese-apple filling. Then garnished with apple slices. Yum!

Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup less 1 Tablespoon buckwheat flour, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gradually add 1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F.) Stir until smooth. Cover and let stand in a warm, draft-free place overnight.

Next day, stir in 2 teaspoons melted butter, 2 teaspoons molasses and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. This will make a thin batter.

Preheat griddle to 375 degrees F. Spray griddle with non-stick cooking spray or spread 1 Tablespoon canola oil onto griddle. Pour batter on with 1/4 measuring cups. Cook until lightly browned on each side.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a blender or food processor, process 2/3 cup cottage cheese, 2/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, 1 Tablespoon pancake syrup and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, until smooth. Stir in 1 small green or red apple, cored and shredded.

On a plate, arrange 1 pancake, spread with cheese filling to 1/2 inch from pancake edge. Stack another pancake and repeat, ending with a pancake. Make 4 stacks. Bake 5 minutes. Garnish with 1 small green or red apple, sliced and tossed with lemon juice, to prevent browning of apple. Serves 4.

This recipe makes 2 dozen pancakes. You will need that many, especially if you have kids. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 cups milk

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Gradually stir flour mixture into beaten eggs. Add peanut butter and milk. Beat until smooth. (It's ok if you have a few lumps.)

Oil skillet or griddle. Place over medium heat, 350 degrees F. until hot. Pour about 1/4 cup batter into heated pan. Turn with a spatula when top is bubbly and edges look dry. Brown other side.

Sprinkle peanuts on top.

Enjoy!

Have you ever made pancakes and thought you had syrup, only to find that you used it all? That's what happened to me, so i had to find a way to make syrup and this is what I came up with!

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon vanilla or maple extract (optional)

Combine sugar, salt and water. Boil for about 5 minutes. Add flavoring, if you like.

2 cups apple juice

1/2 cup apple jelly

3 inch cinnamon stick

Boil ingredients in a large saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup.