"Mommy, will you make me pancakes for breakfast?" These are the words I hear almost every weekend. That plus a pair of sweet, big brown eyes looking up at me waiting for me to answer pretty much guarantee a stack of fluffy pancakes for breakfast at the Jolly household on the weekend. Our favorite recipe is the classic...buttermilk pancakes.



What I love about them is that you can flavor them with a little bit of vanilla or throw in a handful of blueberries or even better--chocolate chips. You can play with the recipe and add whatever flavorings you are in the mood for. Also, here's a tip--if you don't have buttermilk in the house and I rarely do--then just sour your own milk by adding white vinegar to it and allowing it to sit for 5 minutes.





Buttermilk Pancakes


Ingredients

• 1.5 cups buttermilk (OR 1 1/4 cups milk soured with 1/4 cup white vinegar)
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)

Directions
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and buttermilk (or soured milk). Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Whisk until most of the lumps are gone.





Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes and do NOT mix the batter any more at this point. It will thicken as it rests and you'll see little bubbles forming.




Heat a greased skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until golden brown on the other side.