Best Buttermilk Pancakes

I'm not a huge breakfast person, but a good fluffy pancake with some bacon and hot coffee can really hit the spot.  I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Since there is so much buttermilk in this recipe, it's best to go with real buttermilk, but if you're desperately short on buttermilk on a Sunday morning, you can always try this.  This recipe is very very barely sweetened, so I'd recommend you have some maple syrup or fruit topping on hand!

Buttermilk Pancakes

(makes 10-12 large pancakes)

:: 2 cups flour

:: 3 tbsp sugar

:: 2 tsp baking powder

:: 1 tsp baking soda

:: 1/3 tsp salt

:: 2 cups buttermilk

:: 2 eggs

:: 1/3 cup milk

:: 3 tbsp melted butter

Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat.  Mix all dry ingredients together.  Mix all wet ingredients together separately.  Mix wet and dry mixtures when ready to make pancakes.

This batter has butter in it so you don't really need to grease the pan.  I sprayed a bit of cooking spray anyway.  I used a 1/3 c measuring cup to scoop the batter onto the griddle, but you can pour it as well (this can sometimes get messy though). Cook on the first side until bubbles begin to form on top, about 1 minute.  Flip pancake and let the second side brown as well, about 30 seconds. 

Breakfast Crepes

I love crepes.  Not much you can argue with - they're essentially thin pancakes with crispy edges that you can stuff full of different things both sweet or savory. 

I made 2 kinds - one smothered in Nutella, and another (pictured above) with lemon zest, juice, a sprinkling of sugar and blackberries.

Crepes, adapted from Alton Brown
(makes ~18 crepes)

:: blender
:: 8 in nonstick pan

:: 2 eggs
:: 3/4 cup milk (preferably whole)
:: 1/2 cup water
:: 1 cup flour
:: 1 tsp vanilla
:: 3 tbsp melted butter + butter for each crepe
:: 2 tbsp sugar
:: 1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in the blender and pulse for about 15-20 seconds.  Set aside in refrigerator for ideally an hour to let bubbles subside (otherwise your crepes will be delicate and liable to tear).

Heat pan over medium-high heat.  Melt a small amount of butter on the pan for each crepe, then pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the center of the pan.  Immediately begin swirling pan around until it covers the bottom of the pan, let cook for about 40 seconds. 

Flip over (I found a spatula to be the most useful tool for this) and cook an additional 15 seconds.  Lay flat on a plate while you cook the rest. 

Serve with whatever you'd like! This recipe works also great as a savory crepe, but I would probably omit the 2 tbsp of sugar in that case.

Blueberry Corn Muffins with Streusel Topping

The summer is fading fast, and with it disappear the carefree days of not applying for residency and not writing personal statements.  In celebration of my stress and procrastination tactics, I made muffins!  Blueberry muffins are my favorite, and this combines a little bit of the texture of a corn muffin too.  The lemon zest adds just a touch of lemon flavor, enough to brighten the batter, but not enough to be overtly lemon-y.  Frozen blueberries also work just fine, so this is a good year-round recipe.

I am a firm believer in streusel's ability to make anything taste better.  Could you do without the flourbuttersugarstreusel?  Technically, yes, but you would regret it.

Brown Sugar Bacon

Do you love bacon?

Yes.

Do you own an oven?

Yes. 

Then you have no excuse NOT to try this recipe.  Two ingredients + 30 minutes = 1 tasty treat.