Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Grandma's Buttermilk Pancakes with Peanut Butter Sauce

I found this recipe in mom's old green cookbook, The Encyclopedia of Cooking (copyright 1947).  Remember how, when we were kids, it was held together with that "green tape" dad used to get from Pressed Steel Tank Co.?  Well, several years ago, Greg had to put duct tape over the "green tape."  Sad to say, duct tape can't hold a candle to the green tape.....

But I digress.  Matthew LOVES these pancakes.  But my problem is I can't use up a full carton of buttermilk before it goes bad.  It just kills me to have to throw a half carton down the drain every few weeks.  So, now I'm using (gulp) buttermilk powder.  But it works.  And I'm OK with that.

I mix up about 8 packages of dry mix at a time.  Then, on Saturday or Sunday morning, its a breeze to put together. 

For each batch, you need:

1 cup flour (The old green book says to sift three times.  Right.  Like THAT'S gonna happen)
2 teaspoons baking powder (greenie says "double acting" but nowadays its all double acting)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use kosher)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tablespoons buttermilk powder, if you're not using regular buttermilk

Mix all that up.  Mix it well or the buttermilk powder gets cakey and hard to mix in later.  I mixed it up in baggies.  The one container of buttermilk powder gives you 8 batches. (Each batch will make 6-8 8-inch pancakes)

OK, now, if you're using the dreaded powder, simply mix up 1 cup water and 1 beaten egg.  Add that to your dry ingredients in a bowl, pour over a half stick of melted BUTTER (not that nasty margarine stuff), and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. 

If you're using real buttermilk, do the same, but omit water and substitute 1 cup buttermilk.

Sometimes, I find this a little on the "too thick" side, so I add a few tablespoons of regular milk.  Kinda depends on the humidity level that day. 

Now, just go away.  I mean it.  Don't touch it.  Don't stir it.  Don't even look at it for 20 minutes.  Go start the laundry.  Read the paper (does anyone get the newspaper anymore?).  Watch SpongeBob.  Keep changing channels 'til you find him.  SpongeBob is ALWAYS on.  Its an FCC regulation. 

This will let all those wonderful little bubbles form.  You need those bubbles.

Now, (and this is IMPORTANT), you must cook these on a preheated, well-seasoned, cast iron frying pan.  Preheat it during SpongeBob.  If you do not use cast iron, Grandma Koszuth will come back and haunt you, and you don't want that to happen.  Trust me.

I always use just a teeny weeny bit of butter for frying these up. 

This a 'lunch' sized plate,
lest you think I'm making pancakes that are larger than my head.

Sometimes, if I'm really creative, I make bears, aliens, etc. out of the batter.  Matthew loves them.  He ate them before I could take a picture of them.  Which is probably good.  I'm not that artistic.

Oh, and don't forget the peanut butter sauce! 

2 Tbls. creamy peanut butter
1 Tbl. real butter
1 Tbl. honey

These measurements are only estimates.  I never measure.  I just eyeball it to where I've used about twice as much PB to butter and honey.  Microwave on high in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between each one,  just to warm things up enough to combine them.  Don't boil!  This will keep in the 'fridge forever.  Just rewarm as you need it.

I like to use syrup AND peanut butter sauce together.  Killer. 

Try warmed PBS and chocolate syrup on ice cream sometime.  You can thank me later....

Bon Apetit!

2 comments:

  1. Have you considered making your own Buttermilk? It's pretty easy. Make what you need and don't throw anything away... Here it is:
    1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.

    2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.

    3. Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

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  2. I'm going to try that. Thanks! The powdered buttermild cakes up in the mixes I made and I had rocks of dry buttermilk in my pancakes on Saturday. I assume whole milk is best for this? Can I use skim?

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