The Many Uses of Frying Pans

Do you ever wonder why there are some people that come back into our lives, like seasonal hives or allergies? Anyways, I was using my favorite frying pan to make pancakes this week and it got me thinking about  how it really would have come in handy at a certain point in my life and with a certain person...

My apologies, friends... tough transition (I just couldn't resist the frying pan metaphor and visual).

Ok, so lovely PANCAKES are the featured topic for today. I made these pancakes that my daughter deemed worthy to make recently and so I've made them again and again over the weekend. Delicate looking, yet hearty. Crispy, lacy, honey toned on the outside and warm comfort hot cake inside. Is there anything that speaks more of a home style breakfast than a plate of pancakes?

I tend to forage other food blogs and scan hungrily at the food pics, but for some odd reason, don't often try out the recipes. Too many great recipes and too little time? I think it's a mood thing too and lately I've been on the Japanese cooking route. But for some reason, the idea of this pancake recipe tickled me pink - the two part recipe in which you blend the oats and buttermilk overnight sounded, well ... intriguing. I ran to the store and bought some buttermilk - and cooked the most amazing hot cakes the next morning.

Oatmeal Pancakes
Adapted from Orangette recipe

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. table salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted but not hot
Vegetable oil or spray, for greasing the pan
Maple syrup, for serving

The night before:
Combine the oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Stir to mix. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

The morning of:
Take the bowl of buttermilk and oats out of the fridge. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Add the eggs and melted butter to the oat mixture, and stir well. Add the flour mixture, and stir to blend. The batter will be very thick.

Warm a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, and brush (or spray) with vegetable oil. To make sure it’s hot enough, wet your fingers under the tap and sprinkle a few droplets of water onto the pan. If they sizzle, it’s ready. Scoop the batter, about a scant ¼ cup at a time, onto the pan, taking care not to crowd them. When the underside is nicely browned and the top looks set around the edges, flip the pancakes. Cook until the second side has browned.

Re-grease the skillet, and repeat with more batter. If you find that the pancakes are browning too quickly, dial the heat back to medium.

Serve hot, with maple syrup.

Yield: about 12 pancakes, or 3 to 4 servings