Kitchen Focus

Welcome to the first installment of the Kitchen Focus column. You can visit this spot each month for a look at everything from using seasonal ingredients to building elegant menus on a budget -- and everything in between! If you ever want to see something specific covered, send email to and I'll see what I can do. As the months go by, different topics will become our focus, but I'll always strive to touch on timely topics that can be useful to home chefs everywhere.

We begin as we should all begin every day: with a good breakfast! For me, that means anything from a poached egg on toast to fresh fruit topped with granola and yogurt. But, when I want a really special start, I opt for pancakes. And these aren't just any pancakes ... they're made from my own whole wheat pancake mix.

I start with a basic mix that forms the base of all my pancake adventures. Then I add one or two other dry ingredients to the mix and a carefully chosen mix of wet ingredients to make a batter that can range from wonderfully sweet to rich and savory.

I always make my pancakes the same way. I preheat an electric griddle to 400 degrees. (I think using the stovetop makes temperature maintenance too difficult.) Then I lightly spray the griddle and add the batter in 1/4 cup increments to make consistently-sized pancakes. I wait for the bubbles to form on the top and then I flip and cook until set. It's a method that's always worked for me and I'm sticking to it!

As for toppings, they are as varied as the people who make the pancakes! For sweet pancakes, I often prefer fruit toppings or real maple syrup or both! For savory pancakes, I like slightly creamy toppings with other ingredients swirled in. For example, simmering a can of evaporated skim milk with garlic, salt, pepper and a touch of parmesan and then tossing in some freshly chopped spinach can make a delightful addition to savory pancakes like the Cheddar Chive Pancakes below or even ones that have a few tablespoons of crumbled bacon added to the batter. It's really all up to you.

Before I leave you to explore the recipes, I want to say for the record that, while pancakes make a fantastic breakfast dish, they are by no means meant to be served only in the morning. Some of the simplest and most enjoyable dinners I've had have been built on a foundation of pancakes. Plus, they are among the most freezable food items I know. Simply make a big batch (which should always happen when making pancakes!) and place a square of waxed paper between the pancakes before popping them first into a resealable plastic freezer bag and then into a chilly freezer. Then when the mood strikes you, simply remove as many of the pancakes as you want and either microwave them for a moist end product or pop them in the toaster oven to get something a little crisper. Yum!

I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Keep those creative juices flowing!