Pancakes are one of those foods where unless they are perfection they are just not worth the effort and/or the calories. I don't love them from a box (too baking soda tasting). I generally don't like them at a diner (too thick and heavy). But these, homemade and adapted from a recipe in The Commonsense Kitchen, I love.
- nearly 2 C milk (we use skim because that's what we buy)
- juice from one lemon
- 1 C white flour
- 1/2 C wheat flour
- 3 T wheat germ (this is added to cut the bitterness but keep the flavor of wheat flour)
- 1/4 C sugar
- 1/2 T baking powder
- 1/2 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 T butter, melted
- vegetable oil for cooking the pancakes
- optional berries (a good handful)
Squeeze the lemon juice into a measuring cup and then add the milk until you have 2 cups of liquid toal. (This is a substitute for buttermilk but works just fantastically.) Let that sit for about 10 minutes (you'll notice the milk takes on a slightly thicker consistency from the lemon juice acid - that's great).
In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, wheat germ (can be purchased at health food stores and is super cheap. If you don't have this, no big deal, but it helps make for great flavor, I promise), sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a larger bowl, beat the eggs then add in the melted butter and lemonmilk.
Add some vegetable oil to your pan and begin heating (medium high is great).
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined, but don't over mix. Check the consistency of your pancake mixture. Is it super runny like cupcake mix? Add a bit more white flour. Is is more like cookie dough? Add a bit more milk. We like to throw in washed blueberries or strawberries at this stage.
When your pan is hot and your pancake constancy is right, turn the stove down to medium and pour the pancake batter into the pan (we use a 1/3 C measuring cup and don't fill it all the way).
Flip your pancakes when bubbles start to appear on the surface. They are done when the second side springs back to the touch. (You'll get the hang of "done" after a few.)
This recipe makes about sixteen 5" pancakes or more than enough for Paul and I to have breakfast and then breakfast for dinner later on in the week. We eat them with peanut butter and maple syrup. So great.
