fluffy pancakes/waffles

One of my fondest memories growing up is of weekend breakfast. The school week was hectic, so our family usually didn't eat breakfast together (but family dinners every night were sacred). The weekends were different. There was time to sit together as a family around a table laden with all sorts of breakfast treats. My favorite was Mom's homemade pancakes. She never used a mix, although I do vaguely recall seeing Bisquick in the cupboard. I can not quite remember what she used it for. Anyway, Mommy's pancake recipe came from her old, green Good Housekeeping Cookbook. She used to double it so that it would make enough for our family of five. I always remember the black speckled pan that she used to melt the butter. There was a whole lot of butter in that recipe! The pancakes were rich and delicious.

When we visited family on The Hill (as we called the old homestead) in Roanoke, Virgina, Mommy would make pancakes for all of us. And there was always fresh sausage and bacon, courtesy of the pigs that my Uncle Herman kept on the farm. Eating pancakes in Virginia was a different experience from eating them in New York. In Virginia, we didn't use syrup. We used Karo Dark Corn Syrup!

I still love pancakes, but I no longer use Mom's recipe. I try from time to time to save calories. I found a great recipe a few years back in Cooking Light that has become a trusted easy-to-make favorite. I use the recipe for both pancakes and waffles and serve it with maple syrup. I make it every 3 days or so and keep it on hand in the refrigerator. I add mashed, ripe bananas when I have them on hand.

You can get about 10 waffles out of it.

Light AND Delicious Pancakes
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup low-fat milk
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

Sift the dry ingredients together.

Beat the egg in a separate bowl. Add the milk, oil and extract. Stir. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Stir just until mixed.

Cook on either a pancake griddle or waffle iron. Serve with butter and maple syrup.