Mother’s Day [Buttermilk] Pancakes

Sunday morning breakfasts evoke such a great feeling in me.  To me, when we’re not rushing around doing errands or going to church, it’s such a treat to pull out a great breakfast recipe, brew a hot pot of coffee, and languish the morning away.  When the mercury starts rising, we’ll spend hours on the deck reading the paper, drinking coffee, drinking in the sunlight.  It’s such a treat to push away our often harried lives for some sunshine and time together.

Oftentimes, we’ll be joined by Wilma, our kitty, as she sniffs around trying to angle for the best spot on the newspaper. It’s inevitable.

I’m sharing these Mother’s Day Pancakes with you today, not to get a jump start on posting early Mother’s Day recipes, but to remind you that sometimes it’s ok to slow life down.  Turn down a play date.  Take a few hours off on a Friday afternoon just for the hell of it.  Forgo the PTA meeting.  And make these pancakes soon for your loves.  They are super fluffy and the buttermilk adds the perfect amount of tang.  I’m in love with these pancakes and I’m even more in love with the time we spend making and eating them together on those lazy Sunday mornings.

This is a way old Project Pastry Queen recipe and was chosen by Katy.  Unfortunately, the recipe isn’t posted there so I’m posting it here now.  The things a blogger has to do… 😉

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The Pastry Queen’s Mother’s Day Buttermilk Pancakes
source: Rebecca Rather, The Pastry Queen

There is an infinite amount of mix-ins you can add to pancakes – bananas, chocolate chips, pumpkin, strawberries, blueberries, oats, raisins, etc.  Add what makes you happy.  Rebecca Rather does mention that the amount of buttermilk is up to you.  It’s a personal thing.  If you want thicker, fluffier pancakes add less buttermilk (closer to 3 1/2 cups for a full recipe); if you like your pancakes thinner, more like flap jacks, add more buttermilk.  You get the idea.  For the record, this recipe yields 15 large pancakes – adjust the proportion of the recipe according to your needs.

2 large eggs
3 1/2 – 4 cups buttermilk (shaken well)
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 tbsp butter, for frying

Whisk together the eggs and buttermilk in a large bowl.  Add the baking soda and whisk until combined.  Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; whisk until just incorporated.  Stir in the melted butter and vanilla.  Pour the batter into a pitcher.  (The batter will keep 2-3 days, covered and refrigerated.)

Set a griddle or frying pan on the stove over medium heat.  Add some of the butter for frying; when it begins to foam, pour some of the batter into the pan to make pancakes of whatever size you wish.  When bubbles form on top of the pancakes, flip them and cook until the bottoms are golden brown.  Serve immediately.

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