Get Out Your Griddle!

Pancakes and I go way back. We've known each other since my parents had shag carpet and I had no front teeth. We've been on camping trips and boat excursions together. Over the years we have occasionally met over a restaurant table, but it is fair to say we became best acquainted during the years of my family's ritual Friday night pancake dinners. Yes. We ate pancakes. For dinner. On Friday. Every week. It was wonderful.

How the tradition came about I don't know. What I do know is that pancakes, when done right, are divine. I have eaten and made my share of pancakes in this life. There were buckwheat cakes and wholewheat cakes, cakes flecked with orange zest and cakes dotted with blueberries. There were cakes fortified with wheatgerm and flax and cakes studded with cinnamon scented pears. But the pancake to go down in history was laden with little golden nuggets of granola, offering up at once a sweet, delicious, yet hearty, stick-to-your-ribs breakfast. It was after that life-altering granola pancake experience that I began to ponder further pancake possibilities.

Fastforward to a couple of months ago when I happened to see two fellow bloggers adding pancakes to their repertoires, both of which involved oatmeal. Since I don't live anywhere near here or here or here it was clear that in order to get my pancake fix I needed to take matters into my own hands. It occured to me that a pancake made with oats had the potential to mimick the granola pancake of glory. True it would not be the same, and would best be considered a second cousin once removed, but it just might do the trick.

This pancake is second to none. It is at once fluffy and filling. It is substantial but won't make you leave the table feeling like you just ate a brick. It is best served draped in warm fruit compote, or if you are a purist, with a splash of pure maple syrup.

The only drawback to this pancake is that you need to know the night before that you want to eat it in the morning (or if you happen to have a p.m. pancake ritual you'll need to prepare accordingly the morning of). But, I assure you that once these bad boys have ventured off the griddle, onto your plate, and subsequently into your mouth there is not a single drawback that will keep you from eating them time and again! They have become my one and only pancake pursuit and have accompanied me from Mexico to South Dakota and pretty much everywhere in between that happens to have a kitchen stocked with a skillet and a spatula.

Oatmeal Pancakes
adapted from Orangette

I had been making these pancakes just as the recipe on Orangette states until the most recent batch; it was late at night and my oats were in the bowl waiting for their buttermilk bath when (gasp!) I realized I had only half the amount of buttermilk necessary. This has NEVER happened to me before! I always err on the side of having too much buttermilk standing around in the fridge twiddling it's thumbs just waiting to mold. A quick mental jog led me to think that perhaps a mixture of yogurt and milk might have the same effect as buttermilk. The next morning as I ate the thickest, most light and fluffy oatmeal pancakes ever I don't think I could have been happier to run out of an ingredient!

2 c. Rolled Oats
1 c. Milk
1 c. Plain Yogurt
1/2 c. All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Stick Butter (4 Tbsp), melted and cooled

In a large bowl mix together the oats, milk, and yogurt. Stir well to make sure all the oats are moistened. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge the night before (or approximately 10-12 hours before you want to eat your pancakes).

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. When you are ready to begin cooking the pancakes stir the eggs into the oat mixture, mixing well. Next stir in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter. Mix well.

Scoop approximately 1/3 c. batter onto a lightly greased, preheated (med-low works well on my stove) griddle. Gently flip when bubbles appear on the top and the edges are just beginning to set. Griddle till golden brown and firm to the touch. Serve immediately or, if you are making a large batch, which I often do (this recipe doubles perfectly), preheat the oven to 190 or 200 F and place a casserole dish inside. As you take the pancakes from the griddle place them in the casserole, covered loosely with foil. You lose a little bit of that crunchy crust but you get to sit down and eat with your fellow dining companions without having to hop up every 3 minutes to turn pancakes; well worth the crust sacrifice if you ask me!

Serves 2-3