7 Days of pancakes

Monday: Harvest grain pancakes

Makes 4 servings

For the more health-conscious among us, these pancakes are made with whole wheat flour, very little sugar and all kinds of nuts.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup quick oats
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Lightly oil a skillet or griddle and preheat it to medium heat.
2. Combine oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
3. In another bowl combine buttermilk, oil, egg, sugar and mix until smooth.
4. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, add nuts and mix until all ingredients are moistened.
5. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot skillet and cook the pancakes for 2 - 4 minutes per side or until properly browned.

Tuesday: Elvis Presley pancakes

Makes 4 servings

If you've never tried peanut butter on your pancakes, you're in for a treat with these. The combination of bananas, bacon, maple syrup and peanut butter make magic in the mouth. Elvis was really onto something!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1-1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Garnishes:

• 2 bananas, sliced
• 8 strips of bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:

1. Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
2. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients (but not the garnishes).
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk them together until just combine, making sure not to over mix.
4. Bring a skillet to a medium-high heat.
5. Lightly butter or oil the skillet and pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan.
6. Gently place 4 or 5 slices of bananas onto the batter immediately and sprinkle with chopped bacon.
7. Allow the edges of the pancake to brown lightly and then carefully flip it to cook the other side.
8. To serve, spread each pancake liberally with the peanut butter while warm.

Wednesday: Spicy jalapeno and cornmeal pancakes

Serves 4

These spicy and savory pancakes are perfect for folks who shy away from really sweet breakfast goodies, but the option of having some marmalade syrup on top makes them appealing for those people as well!

Ingredients:

For the toppings:

• 1 (12 ounce) jar marmalade
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

For the pancakes:

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for griddle
• 2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, finely diced and seeded
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. First, make the syrup: Heat the marmalade, orange juice, scallions and jalapeno in a small saucepan over low heat. Add more orange juice if the syrup is too thick. Keep warm.
2. To prepare the pancakes, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
3. Stir in the egg, milk and oil, until just combined.
4. Fold in the diced jalapeno, Parmesan and scallions.
5. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and lightly oil it. Ladle 2 to 3 tablespoons batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until the tops are bubbly, then flip and cook until golden on the bottom.
6. To serve, drizzle with the orange syrup.

Thursday: Cottage cheese pancakes

Makes 4 servings

This 5-ingredient batch of pancakes comes together with as much rapidity and ease as one could hope for in the morning. The result is light, fluffy and fantastic!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/3 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula and cook until browned on the other side.

Friday: Lemon poppy seed pancakes

Makes 4 servings

The beloved lemon-poppy seed combination is perfectly suited for a batch of pancakes. The citrus is bright and refreshing, while the crunch from the seeds is fun and exciting.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:

1. Stir the milk, vinegar and lemon juice together in a bowl. Let stand 10 minutes to curdle.
2. Whisk in egg, butter and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and lemon zest until well combined.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk a few times until the batter is mostly free of lumps.
5. Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
6. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes.
7. Flip the pancakes over with a spatula and brown the other side, about 2 more minutes.

Saturday: Dutch baby pancakes

Makes 2 servings

Who doesn't love these big puffs of pancake? The fact that they're doused with powdered sugar after coming out of the oven is the icing (sugar) on the (pan)cake!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet inside oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until light.
3. Add milk and stir.
4. Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and salt.
5. Remove skillet from oven and reduce oven heat to 425 degrees F.
6. Melt butter in hot skillet so that the inside of skillet is completely coated with butter.
7. Pour all the batter in the skillet and return skillet to oven.
8. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes.
9. Remove and promptly sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sunday: Potato pancakes

Makes 2 servings

I can't think of a better way to use leftover mashed potatoes. The golden, crunchy cakes are so tasty and comforting, and they're open to any kind of seasoning you want to use!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup flour, or possibly more or less
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Other seasonings (rosemary, paprika), as desired
• Oil, butter, or some combination thereof

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and add a proper dose of fat.
2. Add the flour, salt, pepper and other seasonings into the mashed potatoes and incorporate well.
3. Form patties a bit smaller than the size of hockey pucks and let them sit for a few minutes to set up.
4. Gently place the cakes into the hot skillet and let them fry until brown.
5. Carefully flip the patties and then extract them when the other side has browned.

More pancake ideas

The best blueberry pancakes
Shaped pancakes!
Gluten-free pancakes