My Favorite Pancake Recipe

I love making food that makes my family feel good and breakfast is a perfect time to serve feel good comfort food like a big bowl of Steel Cut Oats with blueberries or my favorite ~ buttermilk pancakes with peaches.

Breakfast is such an important meal of the day because it's the one that has the potential to start the day off right. There's something good that happens when the senses of morning come alive with freshly ground brewed coffee along with signs that the griddle is heating up for my favorite buttermilk pancakes. It not only stirs the physical senses but the heart ones too - it says, "Someone cares for me."

At least once a week I make a double batch of my favorite buttermilk pancake recipe. I've tried many different ones, and always come back to this one that one of my daughters found in Martha Stewart's Comfort Food Recipe Cook Book.

In case you want to make some comfort food and see a big smile on your families face - here's Martha's recipe from her Comfort Food Cookbook.

Martha's Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

Whisk together:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbl. sugar

Combine:

2 eggs lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

Tbl. + 1/2 t. unsalted - melted butter. ( I tend to use either salted or unsalted.)

Then, combine the dry and the wet ingredients. This is key: don't whisk the batter until it's smooth - leave lumps and un-moistened dry stuff.

Add a thin covering of butter to your pan. This batter makes about 9 6" pancakes. I always double this as left over batter refrigerates well for a few days.

What's your favorite comfort food? Read this: The Power of the Table.

My Favorite Pancake Recipe

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-favorite-pancake-recipe.html

Good Enough to Eat Pancakes

Breakfast is my very favorite meal to prepare, eat and share with family and friends. I think there's just something so good about starting the day being around the people you live with and you love. to me, the day just goes better when loved ones gather around the family table over a hearty and yummy breakfast.

Besides our traditional steel cut oats, I change up the menu with Martha Stewart's buttermilk pancake and waffles and occasionally I'll make these crepes and these Danish pancakes.

While in Spain, my daughter Jenni made these Good Enough to Eat Pancakes.

Good Enough to Eat Pancakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/04/good-enough-to-eat-pancakes.html

breakfast in bed - creating sanctuary

Creating sanctuary - making breakfast in bed for the one you love.

I'm gonna make my husband breakfast in bed next week. {grinning big } Sh....don't tell him OK? It's a surprise.

Speaking of breakfast, I'd say that, for our family, it's just about the most important meal together. That simple connection of eating together - being nourished together - starting the day God's giving together is of great value. Eating breakfast has this way to pull the day together and make it go better.

It helps that breakfast is my favorite meal to prepare and to eat. My grand kids always ask me to make my buttermilk pancakes. Some get chocolate chips, others get and blueberries and my favorite are banana's with walnuts - all with grade B maple syrup.

On special occasions I'll bring out the Aebleskiver pans and make those little Danish pancakes.

This morning one of my daughters grabbed out this book off my cookbook shelf. I've had Breakfast in Bed Cookbook forever and absolutely love the recipes in there. They tout the Best Bed and Breakfast recipes from Northern California to British Columbia and I think they could be right!

This granddaughter loves my buttermilk pancakes.

Eating a meal at the table - one that has been planned for and prepared with care has power. The table has “centering” power that gives structure and stability, love and security in a world that offers little of. Would you consider creating sanctuary - reclaim the power of the table and make your family breakfast? What's your favorite breakfast to eat and prepare?

breakfast in bed - creating sanctuary

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/01/breakfast-in-bed-creating-sanctuary.html

start a new christmas tradition - aebleskivers

Twenty three years ago, I served Aebleskivers for the first time and thirteen years ago, they became our family tradition for Christmas morning.

Aebleskivers are a danish "pancake" made in a cast iron skillet. We love them so much and because of the size of our family we use two on Christmas mornings.

I'd say one of the joys of Christmas is definitely making Aebleskivers. This is what you'll need: flour, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, butter, one big honkin' jar of apple butter and a pint or so sour cream.

Let's get started making these awesome little balls!

To begin, separate 4 eggs - whites in one medium sized bowl and yolks in another. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry. Set them aside.
Combine 2 of the egg yolks together - discard 2 yolks or find some other creative use for them. Measure out 2 cups buttermilk and . . .
add your two egg yolks to the buttermilk, stir gently and see what kind of fun swirls you can make from the colors. When you're done playing add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Set this aside and melt 1/4 cup of butter - on a low heat. After it cools a bit . . .
Pour it slowly into your buttermilk & egg yolk mixture - and of course stir it around. Now it's time for ...TA DA...the dry ingredients . . .

In a large bowl . . . dump . . .2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour and add 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Use a whisk to stir it together.
Add your buttermilk, egg yolk and melted butter mixture to your big bowl filled with your dry ingredients. Whisk this around - mixing it somewhat well - lumps are OK though.

Remember that little bowl of stiff egg whites?
Fold them into your batter mixing it well.

Now that your Aebleskiver batter is mixed and ready, it's time to heat up your iron Aebleskivers pans to a medium heat. Next, and place a bit of butter into each indentation in your Aebleskiver pan. My favorite is the one with the wooden handle. As the butter is starting to bubble, you'll want a plate, and a couple extra spoons a long with a fork. These are your "tools" to turn - or rotate the little pancake balls. Take the lid off your big jar of apple butter and have a teaspoon ready to use. You'll add a "dollop" of apple butter for each little pancake.
When the butter is just starting to bubble, add just less than a 1/4 cup of the batter into each bubbling buttered indentation. You basically want each round to be about 3/4 of the way full. Then add a dollop of apple butter. When the batter starts to get bubbly around th edges, turn each round upside down with a spoon or two forks. This is the tricky part and takes some practice, but oh, it's so worth it. You just want the ball to be turned over once to cook both sides. Continue cooking for about 1 minute. You'll know it's done because the ball will come away from the sides of your pan.

In case you're thoroughly confused - for your viewing pleasure here's my how to video clip. Let me know what you think.


Making Aebleskivers from lylah ledner on Vimeo.



Because these are so yummy, you'll have to tell the little ones to wait.



Buy your Aebleskiver pan here.


Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
Powdered sugar
big Jar of Apple Butter
sour cream for the table

Instructions:

Combine 2 egg yolks (discard the other 2 egg yolks), buttermilk, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, vanilla extract, and melted butter in a bowl, and mix until smooth. Fold in the beaten egg whites.

Pour about 3/4 teaspoon butter into each round of an Aeblekiver pan and heat over medium-high heat on top of stove. Add a heaping tablespoon of the batter, or enough to fill each round about three-quarters full. Take a good sized tea spoon of the apple butter and put it in the batter.

When bubbly around the edges, turn each round upside down with a spoon or two forks. This is the tricky part - to try to get the ball turned over. It takes practice.

Continue cooking, turning until done, about 2 minutes. You’ll know it’s just about done because the ball will come away from the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with sour cream and more apple butter.
I’ll warn you—it’s a bit messy to make, but absolutely worth it. We genernally serve eggs and bacon, fresh orange juice.

start a new christmas tradition - aebleskivers

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/12/start-new-christmas-tradition.html

martha's buttermilk pancakes & more

I believe in the power of the table and think breakfast offers a double power for the family. For me, having a leisure breakfast with pancakes, bacon, OJ and coffee is just about as close to heaven on earth as it gets. No, not really, but it's my favorite morning time experience.

While in Spain, Jillian and I made these Good Enough to Eat pancakes. Loved them! But lately, I've switched back to my Martha Stewart Buttermilk Pancake recipe. Give both a try and let me know which ones are your favorite. And, when you do, bless your family with a pretty looking table.

Martha's Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

Whisk together:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tabl. sugar

Combine:

2 eggs lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

Tabl. + 1/2 t. unsalted - melted butter. ( I tend to use either salted or unsalted.)

Then, combine the dry and the wet ingredients. This is key: don't whisk the batter until it's smooth - leave lumps and unmoistened dry stuff.

Add a thin covering of butter to your pan. This batter makes about 9 6" pancakes. I always double this as left over batter refrigerates well for a few days.

While cooking - I embellish these yummies with chocolate chips, frozen blueberries and my favorite - chopped walnuts and fresh banana slices.

Try both pancake recipes and cast your vote here on the Lylah Blog. If these choices aren't enough, Ali at Divine Domesticity joined Simple Mom as a guest blogger and posted some (I've got to try them) amazing looking Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes. Ali writes that she doubles this batch and freezes half - which she says "freezes beautifully and tastes amazing."

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes with Honey Syrup (source)

4 servings, about 16 pancakes
2 cups water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups pancake and waffle mix (recommended: Krusteaz)
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2/3 cup frozen blueberries

Melted butter
1. Stir 1/3 cup of water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey. Set aside and keep the honey syrup warm.

2. Using a rubber spatula, stir the remaining 1 2/3 cups of water and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the pancake mix and stir just until moistened but still lumpy. Stir in the ricotta into the pancake mixture, then stir gently to incorporate the ricotta but maintain a lumpy batter. Fold in the blueberries.

3. Heat a griddle over medium heat. Brush with the melted butter. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with the honey syrup.

martha's buttermilk pancakes & more

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/09/marthas-buttermilk-pancakes.html

Banana Crunch Muffins - The Simple Home - Breakfast

Banana Crunch Muffins
Barefoot Contessa

3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 extra-large eggs 3/4 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas) 1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana) 1 cup small-diced walnuts 1 cup granola 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Banana Crunch Muffins - The Simple Home - Breakfast

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/03/banana-crunch-muffins-simple-home.html