Overnight Pancakes!

My boy is turning 4 today. I am sad and happy and excited for him! And hoping he likes the bike we got him. He is kinda scared of stuff (thanks to big sister), so hoping this will toughen him up. =) He's a great kid! Full of energy and life and excitement and fun all around. And manipulative as they come. I couldn't ask for more! I asked him what he wanted for his breakfast and he said pancakes. (I let them choose the whole day's menu.)

Now, my boy is off to his preschool by 7 am. I am nice but not nice enough to get up at 6 am to make pancakes. I refuse to make them from a mix. After you have had homemade, you just can't go back! So, I found this super great recipe. And boy is it yummy! And I dyed it green because it is my boy's favorite color.

Here is where I got the recipe: Overnight Pancakes

All-weekend buttermilk pancakes

1 teaspoon (about ½ package) active dry yeast

2 tablespoons lukewarm water

2 cups flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons tablespoon honey

Butter, as needed

Dissolve the yeast in the water. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, oil and honey. Add the yeast and buttermilk mixtures into the flour mixture and whisk to combine (the batter will not be completely smooth). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To cook pancakes, heat a griddle or nonstick skilled over medium heat. Lightly butter the griddle and let melt. Stir the batter and pour 1/3 cup into the skillet, lightly spreading out the batter into a circle, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes.

Flip and cook until the bottom is lightly golden and pancakes are springy to the touch. Keep warm in a low oven and repeat with remaining batter, buttering the griddle each time. Makes 10 to 12 large (6-inch) pancakes.

Note: Pancake batter will keep for 3 days, refrigerated. Little black dots may form on the batter’s surface on days 2 and 3 — they’re a harmless result of oxygenation. Just stir to combine. Add mix-ins such as nuts, fresh or dried fruit, or chocolate chips to the batter just before cooking.

Cheesecake Pancakes

My kids being in school has kept me busier running around than them out of school! But life is good. They are happy in school and having a great time. I love watching them learn and grow. They are so great! I made these a few weeks ago.

When I was pregnant with #2, husband and I went to IHOP and yes, they had CHEESECAKE pancakes. Wow, I can still taste them. I am not an IHOP person, but I am a cheesecake person. And they only had these pancakes one time a year, in the summer and now, not even then. Sad story.

So, I got on a mission! Scoured the internet for an awesome cheesecake pancakes recipe. The bad thing was that I had to have actual cheesecake chunks in them, which I didn't have. And since "making a cheesecake" is on my list of things to do, I wasn't about to venture out and make one for pancakes. So, I found this recipe which has cream cheese pieces throughout and it was really good. I added a 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs to it to try something new.

2 cups self rising flour
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter (melted)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 to 8 Tbsp of cream cheese (at room temp)

1/2 cup graham crackers

Blend all ingredients together with a spoon. Pour on a hot griddle that has been prepared with a little butter. Once the batter bubbles it is time to flip! Allow it to cook a few minutes on the other side. Serve with strawberry sauce (recipe follows) and some fresh whipped cream if you like!

Put on strawberries, put on this vanilla cool whip topping that is pure heaven!

cool whip

vanilla pudding

MIX!

Banana Split Crepes

These originally began as strawberry crepes and I wanted to make them pretty, so I started adding more stuff. When we tasted them, they tasted like banana splits!! I am serious! I was pleasantly surprised and so were my kids who had 3 each. (Won't even mention how many my husband had!)=)

This crepe recipe comes from a woman in my church who is pretty much the most amazing woman/mother/person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing! 7 chilren, homeschools, seemingly endless patience and on top of that, cute as a button! So, I knew this recipe had to be great!!

1 cup flour

1 1/4 c. whole milk ( I have used 1% and it is fine.)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

2 T powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 heaping tablespoons heaping butter, melted

Mix and mix and mix except eggs and butter, until there aren't any lumps. Add the eggs and butter and mix again. Chill in fridge for half hour.

While it's chilling, cut bananas and strawberries and make the SECRET WEAPON! Yes, this is the secret weapon that makes these crepes taste like banana splits. I had this dip at a playgroup 3 years ago and we make it every summer. It is heaven. It is easy! It is perfectly perfect!

Mix large cool whip and large vanilla pudding. Have also used sugar free everything and it tasted exactly the same!

Heat skillet to medium heat. Spray. Spoon 3 T of batter onto pan and swirl around till coats pan. Let it cook 1 minute until the top isn't wet anymore. Flip and cook for about 30 seconds more.

This is so easy! Your kids will love it! I am on a mission to fill with more fun stuff.

Add mini chocolate chips and a bit of syrup and a bit of cinnamon. You can use anything you love on a banana split, nuts, chocolate syrup, powdered sugar, but please no cherries!!!

If you have even read down this far, let me know what you like in crepes?!

Pumpkin Pancakes

I found this recipe and my family has loved it ever since! For Halloween we had these pumpkin pancakes and with a little bit of mini chocolate chips, they are a yummy treat. Almost taste like pumpkin bars! I dyed the whipped cream so it would be "monsterish". They are great all year round. We had them a few weeks ago and made me wish it was Fall!!

This recipe makes alot!! Like, if you double it, probably 40-50 pancakes. Make sure to smooth them out when you put them on the griddle so they cook evenly through.

1 1/2 cups milk

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 c. mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.