cooking @ home

©2008 Harry Kenney

Alright I know what I said before. And I’ve changed my mind. I’m allowed to do that. I said when it came to making waffles it has to be from scratch — and that still holds true. But for pancakes I said get lazy and usually just grab the pre-made mix with the big “B” on the yellow box. Well, I’ve changed my mind.

You see, here I am baking cookies around the Holidays time — rats, I’ll have to remember to get those recipes up here. Where was I? Ah, the cookies and cakes like the lava cake, cave-in cake and the banana Boston cream pie and puffed pastries too … after that how can I justify saving myself a mere 3.5 seconds by grabbing a premade mix instead of just making my hotcakes from scratch? So I played around a bit then came up with the mixture I like best.

Now there’s one thing about pancakes that I have always done, be it from scratch or box, and that is “have fun with them”. What mean by that is … why ever go with just plain pancakes? There’s just no reason for it. So I like to try different things. Make some “IHOP” at home, if you know what I mean. That’s one thing I have always done, said why go out for something because they make it special when you can do the same thing at home.

I remember 10-15 years ago my folks must have gone out of the house twice a day to McDonalds or wherever to pick up two cups of coffee. It was their “treat”. I bought them their first automatic drip coffee-make and said, “Here, have a treat everyday — all day long. Oh yeah, and save that money you’re spending at McDonalds.” Ok, so Ronald the clown did put a contract out on me, but then again Mr. Coffee became my best friend. (No I haven’t lost it. Just having a bit of silly fun.)

Here’s my tips or observations for making pancakes. First, no matter what you do, the second (and third, etc) batch you make will always get done very quickly compared to your first batch. I don’t care how hot you make the pan or the griddle or what you do, your first batch will take x amount of time, and the next ones you must –repeat, must — start checking the bottom of them no longer 10-15 seconds after you’ve put it down. Doesn’t matter how many times I do these, it still surprises me. Though it no longer catches me off guard.

Next tip, in between batches, stir the mix you have in your bowl with your big pouring spoon as it will have settled during the time you cooked that previous batch. Finally, this a tip you may or may not want to use. At my house, each batch I make gets placed on a “holding” plate and then I give each finished pancake a buttering. Some folks get really weird and territorial about their food and even though you are the cook they don’t want you to touch or butter their pancakes for you. LOL. Odd but true. I find they taste better when buttered (or margarine I should say) right as they come off the pan or the griddle and let that just sink right in. Again though in my house no one minds. Your mileage may vary.

Last but not least, a normal pan is going to take forever and you’ll only be able to do two or three normal-sized pancakes at a time (and that means four to six batches). I either do my pancakes on the two-burner cast iron griddle that is the flip side of my grill or I do them in my large 13″ non-stick frying pan. Seriously both of these are must-haves in your kitchen. The first is obvious, the second you can make four pancakes at a time, you can do 7-10 full strips of bacon, you can make a paella in it. If you don’t have one of these, get one and you will wonder how you ever got along without having one. Same goes for the cast-iron grill-and-griddle where you can make 6-8 pancakes at one time easily and 10 if you force it. They are major time savers so think about getting yourself them.

Basic Pancake Recipe
©2008 Harry Kenney

2 cups flour
3 tbsps sugar
2 tsps baking powder
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

vegetable oil (for the pan)
margarine (or butter)
pancake syrup

Chocolate Chip Pancakes
©2008 Harry Kenney

Add to the above:

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
2 tbsps chocolate liqueur (Creme de Cacao recommended; Godiva Chocolate if you’re feeling rich or just want to use it up)

Put dry ingredients into bowl and mix well with spoon. Add in wet ingredients, use electric beater or whisk and mix until well incorporated. For chocolate chip pancakes: add chips and liqueur into mix.

Spoon onto well-oiled medium-high large frying pan or griddle with a large spoon (so as to make similar sized pancakes), about 1/4-1/3 cup. Turn when see bubbles. Also do a visual peek of pancake bottoms with flipper to know when to turn. You should turn just once, though no problem with multiple flips. When each pancake or batch is done, place on holding platter. Butter each, optional.

Stir batter at start of each new batch before pouring into pan. Also regrease (oil) pan each time. Serve with side of bacon or sausage and pancake syrup. Makes roughly one dozen pancakes.