I love pancakes. I ate them all through my childhood. When my mom first became a wife at sixteen she memorized this recipe first and made it for the whole family whenever breakfast needed to be quick and hearty.
My Mom’s Pancakes aren’t her original recipe, she may have got it from Betty Crocker or from either of my grandmas. I have it memorized, too. It made me a hit with my friend Erika’s daughter when I used to go to their house early in the mornings to car pool. The recipe is as follows:
Pancake Batter
1 cup flour (all purpose, white)
1 tablespoon sugar (white, granulated)
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
¾ cup of milk
Mix the dry ingredients first and then add the wet. Cook the batter on a hot griddle or in a waffle iron. I usually add a little extra water or milk to the mix so they don’t get too puffy.
I usually just make silver dollar sized pancakes, because that’s how Joseph likes them, but they can be made into any shape. I used a cookie cutter to make a heart, but that is nothing compared to my mom. She fully embraced life as a wife and mother and she applied all of her talents to the tasks. So when she asked me what I wanted for my pancake I usually told her “Snow White” or “Cinderella.” She would then take one of my story books, and would copy a picture of one of my favorite princesses in pancake batter using a little spoon (a technique I have yet to master). After the outline had a chance to brown, she’d fill the rest of the picture in and when it was flipped over a perfectly princess-shaped flapjack was revealed! I used to get frustrated with my Aunt Jenny because she could only achieve Pac-Man for me.
You can eat them with syrup or fruit, but the true Frank and Frank’s Mom’s way goes as follows in this order: butter, peanut butter, and syrup. Those are the best pancakes, and the peanut butter makes them good and hearty.
Enjoy!
