Walking and Flipping

So, my oldest son asked me this morning..."What are you going to blog about today?" I replied "baby steps and pancake cooking." Strange look from child followed by "Uh yeah Mom that will be great, talk about walking?" He kinda laughed and shook his head at me. Bah, almost- teenagers what do they know.
This blog opened up a lot of conversation at the dinner table last night, much of which was filled with hilarity, and much of which was a balm to my Mommy soul.
See, I have recently pretty radically changed what I will and will not buy to feed my family. For example when I told the family there would be no more high fructose corn syrup in our house, aforementioned child (who at the time was uuuuhhhh let's see, YES 11 and a half) burst into tears. No, really I am serious. The child loves his high fructose. That meant no more pop-tarts!! GASP (ok, yes I fed my kids pop-tarts and thought nothing of it) It also meant not having many other things which up to that point I had never actually read the label on.
This child last night spoke loud and proud recalling the dismal time which he thought he would never overcome. "This eating healthier thing is like, really working out fine Mom!" "I mean, like I stay like fuller longer and like feel like I have like more energy." (That probably wasn't an exact quote, but as close as I can remember)
Sooooo, I said all that to say...I want to be walking in a healthier direction for myself and for my cherished family. I sure don't know all there is to know about much of anything, but I do consider myself one who is seeking knowledge. I want to know better and healthier and kinder and more loving and more than anything else to be more like Jesus.
So, come and take baby steps with me as I walk along on a road fraught with hazards. If I am not walking and messing up then I am not growing...and either are you! Well, I suppose I will talk more about that later.

Now, there were some questions about this recipe. I chose to write out the one that I thought would be most kid friendly and easily used. Any of you out there who cook up a storm, well you just feel free to do with it what you want, after all that is what I did...taking the bits and pieces of recipes that were interesting and combining them to make this one. So these were the talking points that deserve more attention.
*You are more than welcome to use a full 2 cups of buttermilk should you have that on hand and want to put that in. I made 3 batches of pancakes....one like that and 2 with the curdled milk water combo. There was not enough difference in the batter or outcome to make me want to choose to do it that way only. Give it a try either way and see what you like.
*If you don't have a food processor or only have old fashioned oats.....HA good luck getting your kids to eat them. Oh wait, I didn't mean to say that. I meant to say that is a perfectly fine option though the outcome will have more "tooth", which frankly my kids would whine about so why fight that battle.
*The addition of corn starch was an effort to mimic cake flour which I never have on hand. It is an attempt at light and fluffy. I did think it aided in this!

On to pancake cooking! Now, if you are a pro at this and have made plenty of pancakes and don't care to hear detailed instructions then please by all means move on. This following is meant to be a tutorial for the pancake newbie and is not meant by any means to belittle you grand chefs out there; that is why I put the meat of the post at the top! So bye now to some... and step right over here and pay close attention to others.

Ok so pretend we just finished making our pancake batter. There it is in the bowl ready to hit the griddle, or flat pan, or whatever you happen to have that will hold pancakes. I set my temp to 6 (out of 10) and let my pan heat up. Now... I have a non stick griddle pan. I HIGHLY recommend a non stick pan for this. I have found that I only have to spray my pan for the very first round of cakes then I am good to go.

I used a 1/4 cup measure to scoop my batter onto the griddle pouring it and then spreading it out a bit so that the final outcome wasn't too puffy. I don't like to take the chance on the middle not being done because they are too fluffy.

Ok now see here it is on the pan. Notice that it is shiny all over, that is important! It is thinking about beginning to do this cute little bubbling trick. I am serious....look at the next photo....


Just look at all of those cute little bubbles. You are tempted to turn the pancake now because you are panicking thinking the other side has got to be burning while you are just standing there watching cute bubbles burst. Fear not pancake maker...it is not time to turn. Ahhh ha ha, I can so hear my husband doing his Yoda impersonation here "Flip not the pancake young padawan"
So, let those initial bubbles burst and wait for some more. Not all of them will burst. That is not your signal to turn. Move on to the next picture though and look closely.
See the pancake to the left. Do you see how the edges are no longer shiney? I know it is a fine subtlety but it is there. Do you know you can click on a photo to see it bigger....go ahead and do that and look closely. I will wait for you...go ahead.

Did you see it. That little bit of dullness in the batter just around the edges. THAT is your signal to flip. Just look at his friend right next to him....gorgeous pancake perfection!!!

You are on your own for the other side! Sorry but that is the truth. You just give it a bit then pick up the little edge with your spatula and give it a little glance. A little practice and you will be a pancake pro!!
Let me know about your trials and successes! Oh, I forgot to mention...Yes, the pancakes were eaten and liked here! Trial 1 Success 1 good score don't ya think!