Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

When the weekend rolls around, my husband and I love to slow down and have a breakfast that is made up of more than cold cereal, or muffins and fruit. We love waffles and pancakes, and this recipe for blueberry pancakes is one of our favorites. I've been making this recipe for years, with and without the blueberries. Either way, the pancakes are delicious. Thawed frozen berries can be used and are wonderful, but I prefer fresh when I can get them because they are plumper and maintain their shape better for cooking. I hope you are able to slow down and enjoy breakfast with your family this weekend, blessings...

Recipe:

3 eggs
1 cup unbleached flour
3 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsps. sugar
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsps. butter, melted
1 pkg. (12 oz.) thawed frozen blueberries or 1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat eggs until light and fluffy-about 2 minutes.
2. Into eggs, add flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and sugars; beat until smooth.
3. Stir in buttermilk and butter just until combined; do not over mix.
4. Stir in blueberries and pecans with a large spoon.
5. On a heated griddle, using 1/4 cup batter per pancake, cook until bubbles form on surface and edges become dry. Turn; cook 2 minutes longer, or until nicely browned on underside. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Yield: 12-14 pancakes
Tip: When using thawed frozen blueberries, it is helpful to drain the berries on a paper towel-lined plate while you prepare the batter so there is not excess moisture added to the batter.

Apple Pecan Pancakes

We love pancakes in our home. I have several very good recipes that I use on a regular basis, all of which include some wonderful ingredients such as chocolate chips and blueberries. This recipe was adapted from a Taste of Home recipe and is the only one that I make that has apples and cinnamon in it. The combination is perfect for a weekend breakfast in the fall. Making pancakes from scratch takes a little longer than making them from a mix, but the variety of ingredients is fun, especially for children. The wonderful fragrance will bring your hungry family to the kitchen, if they are not already there helping.

Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsps. brown sugar

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 cup plus 2 tbsps. milk

2 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1. In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2. In a measuring cup, combine milk, egg yolks and vanilla; stir into flour mixture. Add apple and pecans.

3. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.

4. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle or skillet. Turn when bubbles begin to form and the edges are golden brown. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

Yield: 12 or 13 pancakes

Note: I've substituted dried cranberries for the apples.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This past Sunday I made these pancakes for our breakfast and I was reminded of how good they are. When I first heard of chocolate chip pancakes, I thought, YUK. But, then I found this recipe in a "Taste of Home" cookbook and decided to give it a try. We really like them, and they are very easy to prepare. In fact, the recipe is so simple that I would encourage going to the kitchen with a child or grandchild to do some cooking together. I hope you will give them a try when time allows in your schedule. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. In another bowl, using a fork, mix eggs, milk and oil until combined.

3. Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. 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.

6. Serve with butter and maple syrup

Yield: 6 servings

Note: the recipe can easily be cut in half for 2 to 3 servings.

This recipe was written with a Cinnamon Honey Syrup that I will pass along, but I will also admit that I have never made it as it looks way too sweet for our tastes. We love pure maple syrup.

1 cup honey

1/2 cup butter or margarine, cubed

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Combine the syrup ingredients in a 2-cup microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high until butter is melted and syrup is hot, stirring occasionally.