It doesn’t look like April. That’s probably because it isn’t, yet. It’s March 7th. I am really looking forward to spring this year. It has been a severe and difficult winter here in Central New York State. We have had snow almost every day, here in the boondocks, and we lost power a few times, and the heat once. The telephone was out, too. Great fun. Snow drifts over my head, doors frozen shut, trees breaking from the load of snow and ice. The people down the road lost their front porch to an avalanche from the main roof of their house.
Then, just about when we thought it was safe to let some optimism show -- that would be almost two weeks ago -- our car, without warning, caught fire on the highway. My Mom and I put the fire out with snow. One man stopped to help us, but his fire extinguisher was frozen, so we continued to fling snow at the blazing air cleaner. Or whatever you call the gizmo that was burning. Two more people stopped, (folks up here are so nice) and ultimately we got it towed into the nearest town, and our neighbor, Mariann, picked us up and gave us a ride home. As I said, that was nearly two weeks ago. We still have not got the car back. This means, as we are 5 miles outside of the village, that even to go to the general store, we have to hitch a ride. Mariann has been very good about this. Yesterday, however, she could not get her car, studded tires, 4-wheel drive and all, up our driveway.
We wound up carrying 80 lbs. of cat food, 35 lbs. of dog food, 10 lbs. of bird food, and Heaven knows how many lbs. of people food up the icy hill to the house. We got it all put away, and fed the troops and ourselves, and went to bed. It was a difficult day.
I am learning to make pancakes. Mom says that they taste is wonderful, and then she mutters something about presentation. She can be a cramp, but I do love her.
Last week, both of our dogs had birthdays. Lorelei, the Shepherd, was 3 (March 6) and Baxter, the Lab-Shepherd, was 2 (March 3). They never complain about presentation.
And anyway, my piecrust is terrific. Even Mom said so.
Give these pancakes a try. And don’t get upset if they fall apart. Mine did at first, too. My Grandmother always said, "If you can read, you can cook."
Nutmeg Pancakes
- 1/4 cup butter (not margarine)
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cups milk
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Powdered sugar
- Nutmeg
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the butter in a 10-inch iron (must be iron) skillet. Allow the butter to melt in skillet placed on middle rack in the preheated oven. While butter melts, mix batter quickly. Put eggs in a blender and run on high speed for 1 minute. While motor is running, gradually pour in milk. Slowly add flour and continue whirling for 30 seconds.
Remove skillet from oven and pour in batter. Return skillet to oven and bake until pancake is puffy and well browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Dust pancake with powdered sugar and nutmeg. Pancake may be cut into wedges and served with lemon slices to be squeezed over each slice. Two alternate toppings are sliced fresh peaches, sweetened to taste, or fresh blueberries with a dollop of plain yogurt that has been sweetened and flavored with vanilla extract.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: about 45 minutes
Bread Crumb Pancakes
- 1-1/2 cups fine, fresh white bread crumbs (Use a home-style white like Pepperidge Farm.)
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
The night before you want to make the pancakes, scald the milk, melting the butter in the milk. Pour milk over the breadcrumbs, cover, and let stand until morning. When ready to bake, sift the flour and baking powder together and stir into the crumb mixture along with the eggs. Use a 1/3-cup measure to pour batter onto a hot, buttered griddle. If desired, sprinkle a few fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries on each cake before turning. Serve with maple syrup.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: about an hour, not counting the setting overnight
Traditional Pancakes
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup margarine, melted
Blend together first four dry ingredients. Beat the eggs, add the milk and beat again. To the dry ingredients, add the egg-milk mixture gradually while beating thoroughly to avoid any lumps. Finally, stir in the melted shortening. Preheat the griddle to 400 degrees. Pour or spoon the batter onto the hot griddle. When bubbles appear on top, turn and bake other side. Serve with warmed maple syrup and softened butter. Fresh fruit or berries may be added to this batter.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: about half an hour
Oatmeal Pancakes
- 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
- 1-1/2 cups skim milk
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
- 3 tablespoons reduced-calorie maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Vegetable cooking spray
- Maple topping
Combine oats and milk in a medium bowl; let stand five minutes. Add eggs, pumpkin, maple syrup, and oil to oat mixture, stirring well.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, spice, and cinnamon in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. Add oat mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
For each pancake, pour 1/4-cup batter onto a hot griddle or skillet coated with cooking spray. Turn pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Top each pancake with 1 tablespoon of maple topping.
- Yields: 16 servings
- Preparation Time: about half an hour
Sour Cream Pancakes
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 cups milk
In large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs, add sour cream and mix well, and then add milk and melted butter. Add liquid ingredients to dry, mixing lightly. Mixture will be very thin. Bake on 375-degree griddle. Serve with fresh fruit (hot or cold). Add whipped cream just before serving.
- Yields: 20-24 3" pancakes
- Preparation Time: about half an hour
Buttermilk Pancakes
- 2 cups buttermilk (add more as required for proper consistency)
- 2 eggs, not beaten
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1-1/4 cups unbleached flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir together buttermilk, eggs, and oil or butter. Sift together flour baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Combine all ingredients. Stir gently with a wire whisk. Ladle onto a pre-heated, buttered griddle (hot enough for a drip of water to bounce.) Turn when golden brown. Cook other side to golden brown also.
Keep warm until a stack of aromatic pancakes causes a rising chorus of eager anticipation from the family at the table. Best kept warm by stacking the pancakes in a deep bowl, wrapped in a clean, dishtowel. Serve with heated maple syrup, diced fruits and berries.
- Yields: 12-14 pancakes
- Preparation Time: about half an hour