(Light and Fluffy) Buttermilk Pancakes

It's snowing here.

I suppose that shouldn't be news considering I live in the Midwest, but we haven't gotten a really big snowstorm in a couple of months. We're supposed to get about a foot over the next couple of days.

(In current East Coast terms, we're getting but a dusting! And, I hear you're getting MORE!)

When it snows, we LOVE having big breakfasts. Pancakes, waffles, french toast - there's just something about a snow day that calls for a good old-fashioned, homemade breakfast.

Or at LEAST, a good old-fashioned, homemade breakfast for dinner. (A favorite here at our house!)

It took me a couple of years to come up with this recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes. In all the recipes I'd tried, I'd just never found one that was right.

Too bready.
Too dense.
Too thick.
Too thin.
Too chewy.
Too dry.

I wanted a melt-in-your-mouth pancake that was light and fluffy and bounced when you pressed on it. Like the kind of pancake they serve at your favorite late-night diner.

The buttermilk in this recipe, along with the number of eggs is what makes these pancakes the perfect consistency and flavor. The eggs provide the bounce, and the buttermilk gives them a richness and depth of flavor that you can't get without it.

You can, however, substitute 1 cup of milk + 1 tablespoon of vinegar for each cup of buttermilk if you don't have it on hand. The flavor won't be the same, but it will be close.

SO, if you're snowed in, and want a new, really delicious pancake recipe to try (for breakfast OR dinner), here's one for you.

They're melt-in-your-mouth good and sure to give you all the energy you need for shoveling, shoveling, and more shoveling!

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes

3 cups flour
4 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, vanilla, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.

Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan over medium heat.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until just blended together. Do not overmix! Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/3 cup for each pancake. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Serve with butter, syrup, and powdered sugar or fruit preserves.