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.

Breakfast

For anyone questioning a post dealing with breakfast, there's a method (or two) to my madness.

First off, if you've ever gotten tired of the same-old-same-old for your morning meal ("Ah, heck, I'll grab a bagel and coffee before I head out" or "Let's see what cereal's on the shelf."), then today's post is for you.

Secondly, when I was growing up (a whole long time ago), two of my friends lived next door. (Actually, in this particular family, there were four kids, two boys and two girls. I was friends with the older boy and girl.) I'd frequently run over to their house while my mom was fixing dinner. (This got me out of the "could you set the table" routine.)

Thursday evenings at their house was when their mom would set them at the table with boxes of cereal or plates of pancakes, with the realization that the next day, she'd be shopping and replenishing a week's worth of food. I frequently envied them, especially if I got back home and discovered Mom had fixed liver-and-onions. Yuck!!!

"Can't we have pancakes?" I'd ask. "Maybe cereal with bananas?" (I'd always add the bananas part to make it seem more nutritious.)

But no, no such luck.

Well, since having my own family, I've been known to occasionally fix breakfast for dinner.

For anyone with me on this - or for those looking for something else to fix in the morning - today's post is for you. Check out the Black Bean Breakfast Burrito with Plantains and Mango Salsa, the Summer Berry Buckle, or any of the other yummy breakfast food in today's post. Enjoy!

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.

CHICKPEA AND CHERRY FRITTATA

This is from the February 2014 issue of Runner’s World. It begins, “All runners (not just diabetics) benefit from the abundant carbs, protein, and antioxidants in this tasty dish. ‘It's big and bold-flavored,’ says (Sam) Talbot,” a runner, surfer, and type 1 diabetic who “makes this dish for a hearty pick-me-up breakfast after a morning workout.” Serves 4 to 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 eggs, lightly whisked

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped fresh cherries or 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup loosely packed, torn fresh mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, mix the eggs, chickpeas, cherries, goat cheese, almond milk, thyme, agave nectar, and cream of tartar. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook for 2 minutes without stirring. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake till the eggs are puffed and set in the middle, about 20 minutes. Let the frittata cool for 5 to 10 minutes. With a rubber spatula, gently work the frittata out of the pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve garnished with the mint. Serves four to six.

Nutrition Information: Calories Per Serving: 395; Carbs: 25 g; Fiber: 4 g; Protein: 22 g; Fat: 22 g

PIRATE EGGS

When my sister and I were kids, my mother used to fix this for us on a regular basis, except that she called them Gypsy Eggs. Once my brother came along, though, they became Pirate Eggs. The name stuck. Most people from the Northeastern U.S. tend to call them Eggs-in-a-Hole or some variation of that. But whatever you call them, they're good.

The instructions are for one person. Adjust for the number of people you're feeding.

Ingredients

1-2 eggs

1-2 pieces of bread

margarine for the pan

Directions

Melt the margarine in the pan over medium heat. Take the bread and cut a round hole in the middle. Place bread in pan, then crack the egg and dump onto the bread so that the yolk is in the hole. If you prefer non-runny yolks (my preference), crack the yolk with the corner of a spatula. Cook on the first side for several minutes, then flip over and cook the other side. You can flip it several times until the egg looks cooked. Enjoy!

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.

BLACK BEAN BREAKFAST BURRITO WITH PLANTAINS AND MANGO SALSA

This comes from the March 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Ripe plantains have a starchy consistency like potatoes, but with more fiber.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups sliced ripe plantains (2 medium)

1 lime, juiced and zest grated (2 Tbs. juice and 1 tsp. zest)

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup prepared mango salsa, plus more for serving, optional

4 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed

Directions

Combine plantains, lime juice, and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover pan, and simmer 20 minutes, or until plantains are very soft. Mash with fork or potato masher, and stir in lime zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Combine beans and salsa in small saucepan; warm over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spread heaping 1/4 cup plantains on bottom half of each tortilla, leaving 2-inch border. Top with 1/2 cup bean mixture. Fold sides of tortilla over filling, then roll from bottom up. Serve with additional salsa, if using.

nutritional information Per Burrito: Calories: 349; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 72 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 779 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan

SUMMER BERRY BUCKLE

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, "Softer and more fruit-filled than a coffeecake, but with a higher percentage of buttery batter than a cobbler, buckles are harder to classify than they are to make. This one is tender, moist and filled with sweet summer berries. But feel free to substitute any other juicy fruit that you like: peaches, nectarines, figs, plums or pineapple. If your fruit is very sweet (figs, pineapple), reduce the sugar by a couple of tablespoons, while tart fruit (plums or tart blackberries) may need an extra tablespoon. Buckles are best eaten on the same day they are baked. But since they come together so quickly, you don’t have to plan ahead."

Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "The Buckle Makes Great Use of Summer Fruit", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017644-summer-berry-buckle.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan

1/2 cup granulated sugar, more for sprinkling

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

4 1/2 cups summer berries (a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or use any one kind)

Cinnamon, for dusting (optional)

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest and vanilla and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg and baking powder, and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix until just combined.

Gently fold berries into the batter, then spread batter in pan and sprinkle lightly with more granulated sugar. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until top is golden and cake is cooked through.

Allow cake to cool, then sprinkle with cinnamon, if using, and confectioners’ sugar.