M&M Pancakes for the Young at Heart

This past week – perhaps full of the most stress I’ve ever experienced in a seven day time period – has really put things in perspective.

And the weekend, for which I’m always ever so grateful, has allowed me to step back from it all.  The two-day retreat that is Saturday and Sunday has renewed my hope for the upcoming week.

What I’ve learned?

It’s so, so important to stay young at heart.

By no means am I implying we should all act like perpetual five-year-olds.  The world is certainly no playground.  However, we all need time to play.  We all need time to act like goofballs.  We all need time to take a vacation from young, middle, or late adulthood and remember what it’s like to be a kid again. 

Most people look back fondly on their childhoods.  Ah, to be a kid again!

Guess what?

At any time, at any age, you can relive your youth.

With M&M pancakes.  It’s never too late!

M&M Pancakes

Yield: Eight to ten 4.5-inch pancakes

• 1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups skim milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
• Red, blue, yellow, and/or any other hues of food coloring

1. You’ll need at least one large circular cookie cutter, about 4.5 inches.  You may need more if you’re crunched for time and plan to make several at once.  Tape two toothpicks to the exterior of two opposite sides of the cookie cutter.  Grease inside of cookie cutter with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. With an electric mixer, beat together eggs, milk, and oil until foamy.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients.  Mix until the ingredients are well-combined and the batter has no lumps.
5. Pre-heat electric griddle to 350 degrees or place a heavy frying pan over low to medium heat.  Lightly grease frying pan or griddle with vegetable oil.
6. Spoon 1/2 cup batter into a plastic ketchup bottle.  Cut off a very small piece of the ketchup bottle top.  Set aside.
7. Divide remaining batter amongst several bowls (i.e. however many different colors you plan to use).  Stir different food colorings into each bowl of batter until the desired hue is reached.
8. Take ketchup bottle filled with plain batter and draw a small, backwards, bold “m” on the griddle.  Wait about 20-30 seconds for it to cook.
9. Place cookie cutter around “m” so that the letter is evenly centered.  Pour one of the batter colors over ”m” and let it spread evenly within cookie cutter.
10. You’ll want to flip the pancake a little early since you don’t want the decorated side to brown too much.  Therefore, don’t wait for bubbles to rise and pop in the center of the pancake.  Once bubbles have risen and popped on the outer inch of the pancake, gently rotate and lift cookie cutter away from pancake.  Flip pancake and cook until done. 
11. Repeat with remaining colored batters.  If there’s any remaining plain batter in ketchup bottle, feel free to draw and cook other fun pancake pictures/shapes. 

Share/Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tagged as: Breakfast, eggs, food coloring, pancakes