How to make delicious pancakes...

...And make people love you.

The fiance and I have Pancake Sunday every week. It used to be Cinnamon Roll Sunday, but they are just too packaged and processed for us to buy.

NOW, before we start, let's talk spatulas! Unfortunately, you get what you pay for. This baby cost me sixteen bucks, but let me tell you why it is so great. Silicone or plastic is easier to get under your cake than metal. Metal doesn't bend or warp (as much) over repeated use/dishwashing. This one is a metal spatula with silicone on the outside! WORTH THE MONEY! If you are going to make flip-necessary food, invest in a good spatula!



Step the First: Ingredients!



1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick of butter (we won't use all of it)
1/3 - 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Step 2: If you don't have buttermilk, start by making yourself some sour milk. Measure out 1 1/4 cups of milk and add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Let it sit on the counter for ten minutes and get all gloopy and gross. The reason I tell you to use less milk than buttermilk is because buttermilk tends to be a lot thicker and make a thicker batter than plain milk.

Step 3: Grab a large frying pan. If we were a super fancy blog, we would tell you to pull out a saute pan. But in my house, it is a frying pan. Be sure to put it on the range at medium-high heat so it's nice and hot BEFORE you start trying to put pancakes on there. This way you'll have pancakes that are consistently cooked throughout all the batches.

Step 4: Using a whisk or fork, beat eggs until smooth.


Step 5: Add 1 cup of the milk and the vanilla and whisk that in until combined.


Step 6: Add dry ingredients and beat in. For the love of Pete, do not overbeat this. A few small lumps here and there are totally okay in pancakes.


Step 7: Take a look at your batter. It's probably too thick, so slowly whisk in the remaining milk until it looks to be the right consistency, like a slightly too-thin cake batter. You may need to add a little more than called for. The reason the batter should be so thin is to get a nice evenly cooked pancake. Not to mention that if you have kids, you can do what my mom did when my brother and I were munchkins; make freehand pancake shapes. Pumpkins, apples, and round little baby chicks were our favorites! Here's how it should look:


Step 8: Butter! Use about this much:


Step 9: Gently pour 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan. It'll make a 4" - 5" pancake. If you are using pecans (or blueberries, or grated apple, or CHOCOLATE CHIPS) sprinkle them on now.


Step 10: Watch for bubbles. When there are some nice-looking bubbles happening, and the edge is golden-brown...flip!



Step 11: Serve with a big glob of butter and whatever other toppings you like.


Step 12: Bask in the compliments of your family and friends.