#13: Buttermilk Pancakes!

Dear Tiffany,


I'm back from vacation! (Well you already know this, I saw you at church Sunday.  But I'm now back to the blogging world too!)  I figured since this blog is titled "Breakfast at Tiffany's" I should probably eventually post a breakfast recipe, so here you are!  Except, I've rarely made this for actual breakfast time, because I'm kind of silly about breakfast foods.  I don't believe they should be restricted to the AM hours, so these were lunch for Stephanie and I on Monday!

There's nothing wrong with pancakes from a mix...but the thing is, the mix actually doesn't really save you any time, since you still have to mix everything up.  And these just taste better. I borrowed this recipe from somewhere on the web a few years ago...and scribbled it onto a piece of paper that's been stuck to my fridge since then.  But unfortunately, I can't remember where I found it.  So if the owner of this recipe ever reads this blog, please let me know so I can give you credit!


The Basics:
Prep time: About 5-10 minutes to make the batter, then about 5 minutes-ish for each batch you cook.
Good for leftovers: of course!  This recipe makes a LOT, so I'll list some suggestions for how to use the extra at the end of this post.
servings: supposedly 12
cost: less than $5.

Ingredients:
5 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups milk
5 eggs
6 TBL butter or margarine (one stick)
5 cups flour
5 tsp sugar
5 tsp baking soda
5 tsp baking powder
pinch salt


The Process:
Melt the butter.  For me, the easiest way to do this is to unwrap the stick of butter and put in a bowl in the microwave for a minute or so.  Two warnings:  make sure to cover the bowl with plastic wrap so you don't get butter splatters all over your microwave, and be CAREFUL taking that bowl out of the microwave.  It will be very hot.


While the butter is melting, crack your eggs and dump them into a very large mixing bowl, and whisk until lightly beaten.  Add milk, buttermilk, and butter and stir.


Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder) in a separate mixing bowl.  Add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients in thirds (by pouring in one third at a time and mixing before adding the next third).  I learned this tip from my friend Jennifer when she was at culinary school, and it makes it much easier to get everything mixed well, without clumps or dry spots. Stir until just blended, but no more- over-stirring will make your pancakes come out flat instead of fluffy.

Can you see the bubbles?

Spray a griddle or flat skillet with non-stick spray and heat it up (If you're using a griddle, set it for about 350 degrees).  Ladle your pancake batter onto the hot surface, each pancake a few inches apart because they will expand. You can make them as big or as small as you want.  In a few minutes, you'll notice the top of each pancake getting bubbly- this means its about time to flip them over.  Cook on the other side until it turns a nice golden-brown color, then remove to a separate plate.  (If it looks like you turned it over too soon, you can flip it back at the end to brown the other side)


Top it off with your favorite syrup, or go IHOP style: whipped cream, fresh fruit, and maybe chocolate syrup!


Leftover Notes:
This recipe serves 12! That's a lot, and if you noticed, its not in measurements that are easy to cut in half.  If you're not feeding an army (or the whole worship team), you have 3 choices.  
1. If you're going to have a chance to make pancakes again in the next few days, just refridgerate your extra batter.  It will keep for 2-3 days at least; when you pull it out you'll need to stir it again.

My cooking buddy, Stephanie T.

2. You can freeze your batter until your next pancake venture, and it will keep for a few months.
3. (My favorite) Go ahead and make the rest of the pancakes, and freeze them in ziplock bags.  Then, next time you need an easy breakfast, pop a few pancakes in the toaster!  My aunt likes to put hers in the microwave.


Variations on a Theme:
Blueberries, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, or chocolate chips go great mixed in with this pancake batter.  Since the recipe makes so much, separate a smaller bowl full to add extras to, so you have some of the plain stuff just in case.


Enjoy!  (we did.)
-Joy