Pancakes

It seems that whenever I post anything breakfasty, it's usually on Thursdays.

There's a reason for this: When I was a kid, one set of neighbors would frequently let their kids have breakfast for dinner on Thursday evenings. Most dads in the neighborhood dads got paid on Fridays, so the neighboring mom figured that having the kids finish off the boxes of cereal, or maybe stacks of pancakes was a great way to get rid of the last little bit of either cereal or pancakes before Friday's major shopping trip.

This always seemed wonderful to me, especially on the nights when my mom cooked liver and onions. I was never able to convince Mom that cereal or pancakes were a better choice.

Well, here are five yummy pancake recipes (including Cocoa Pancakes and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes), and one recipe for Blueberry Syrup for anyone who'd love to try them for dinner...or any time, for that matter. Enjoy!

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 16 to 18 (4-inch) pancakes.

Ingredients

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons milk

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup picked-over raspberries

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat, stirring. Stir in milk and heat until just warm. Remove pan from heat. In a bowl whisk together milk mixture and egg. Into another bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and stir in egg mixture until just combined. Gently stir in raspberries and chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Heat a griddle over moderate heat until hot enough to make a drop of water scatter over surface. Add 1 teaspoon butter and with a metal spatula spread over griddle. Working in batches, drop 1/4-cup measures of batter onto griddle to form pancakes about 4 inches in diameter and cook until bubbles appear on surface and undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes with spatula and cook until undersides are golden brown and pancakes are cooked through. Transfer pancakes as cooked to an ovenproof platter and keep warm, uncovered, in oven. Make more pancakes with remaining butter and batter in same manner.

Serve pancakes with syrup. Makes about 10 pancakes, serving 2 generously.

Accompaniment: pure maple syrup, heated

PACKSADDLE PANCAKES

This also comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 16 to 18 (4-inch) pancakes.

Ingredients

2 cups sifted flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package yeast

1/4 cup warm water

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Directions

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Soften yeast in warm water. Mix eggs, oil, buttermilk and yeast. Stir well. Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Batter will be thick. Cover lightly and keep in refrigerator overnight.

Bake at slightly lower temperature than usual pancakes. This batter will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator, and it may be thinned with milk. Batter needs headroom as it rises, so use a generous storage container.

BLUEBERRY SYRUP

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 pint (2 cups) blueberries plus an extra 1/4-1/2 cup

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions

Bring water to a boil in saucepan. Add blueberries and return to a boil. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, then add to blueberry mixture, stirring constantly. Simmer until thick. Add the extra blueberries to the syrup and lemon juice. Serve.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM PANCAKES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2 cups buttermilk biscuit baking mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 cups strawberries, sliced

1 can pressurized whipped cream

Directions

Stir baking mix, milk and eggs until blended. Pour by scant 1/4 cupsful onto hot griddle. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. Spoon strawberries over pancakes. Decorate with whipped cream.

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

Directions

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting In a bowl, combine flour, nutmeg, sugar and baking powder.

In another bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, milk, juice and rind; mix with the dry ingredients. Pour approximately 1/4 cup batter onto a hot, oiled griddle and cook pancake until golden, flipping once.

Dust with confectioners' sugar.

COCOA PANCAKES

This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 95), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "Not only does Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI feature hearty vegetarian breakfasts (and bedside cordials in the evening), but the owners try to meet any special dietary needs, especially those of vegans. Their vegan cocoa pancakes are among the recipes most requested by vegan and nonvegan visitors. This recipe makes 18 to 20 pancakes—and they can be prepared in just 30 minutes or less!" Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/cocoa-pancakes/.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups chocolate soymilk

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup carob chips

Preparation

Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into mixing bowl. Whisk in chocolate soymilk and oil until just combined. Stir in vanilla extract. Let batter sit 5 minutes before cooking.

Spray large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. When hot, ladle on 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Sprinkle pancakes with several carob chips. Cook 2 minutes, and turn when tops begin to bubble and edges start to look dry. Cook 2 minutes more, and remove to plate. Serve with maple syrup or vanilla soy yogurt and fresh fruit.