Tasty Tuesday ~ Real Homemade Pancakes

These pancakes say "Saturday morning" to our family. Sometimes they also say "supper." I've been using this recipe since before I thought to write down where recipes came from. They've been served to toddlers, kids watching cartoons, men in plaid shirts, and teenagers sucking them down like sugar in  a dust buster. (Same kids who gave me the Teen Reality Check)

Don't let the "buttermilk" in the name scare you; I've substituted plain milk and even water, depending on where I am in my grocery budget for the month. This recipe is a cornerstone in my kitchen. I hope you'll make it and love it along with my family!

Buttermilk Pancakes
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt (I use Salt Sense to lower sodium)
2 T. sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 c. buttermilk or your sub.
3 T. oil
(Options: chocolate chips, nuts, banana, blueberries ...)

• Combine the dry ingredients and make a slight well in the center. Add liquids and stir well. You might see and leave a few lumps.  
• Heat your pan  with a little bit of oil in it. Don't use much;  you're not trying to fry them. If you use too much oil, the first cake will soak it up and develop crisp, brown edges. Not a disaster ... but you probably won't get requests for an encore. 
• Once the pan radiates heat (not smoke!) from the pan, pour in about 1/2 c pancake batter, depending on the size of your pancake eaters. :) 
• NOW is the moment you want to plop some chocolate chips around the batter IF you want it to be truly "Sanders-ized."  I ALWAYS make my cakes with a few chocolate chips, except for when I make them for Jeff; he likes his with pecans and a little fruit like blueberries or bananas. (I hear "Valentine's Day" in my pancake future.) 
• Wait until the cake looks a little smooth on the outside and the center shows slight bubbles. Gently lift the cake all around the edges, until it's all "free" and you can flip it. If some batter runs out, don't fear. Just use your spatula to "tuck it" back in to the side of the cake, and it will bake right in. If you don't care about a circle shape, just let it run and call it "creative cooking."

The majority of people in our household like their cakes with butter and a sprinkle of sugar, but I go the butter and syrup route. I have not rehabilitated anyone!

These are so light and easy, and they make a great entree morning or night. Long ago, I should've started counting the cakes made with this recipe, but I didn't. The taste is what matters, along with the statement, and these real homemade pancakes definitely say "home!"

Next time you have a craving for pancakes, but no "mix" in the pantry, whip these up in a few minutes and enjoy the real homemade taste!