The French have crêpes, the Dutch have puffy pannekoeken, the Russians have blini, and the Japanese have okonomiyaki, and here in America, we have the good old flapjack, short stack, hot cake, and griddle cake. Whatever you want to call them, nothing beats waking up to the scent of a fresh batch of pancakes cooking on a skillet.
Top pancakes with real maple syrup (or some good old Aunt Jemima or Log Cabin - doubtless some scream "blasphemy" at this point, while others cry out in nostalgia), fresh fruit, whipped cream, or jam, and they're the ultimate breakfast or brunch treat for kids and adults alike - that is, unless one is inclined toward that other breakfast-food camp (ahem, waffles).
The funny thing is, though, pancakes really aren't just for breakfast. Oh sure, IHOP always has ads on TV declaring that pancakes are for any meal - but they're still serving breakfast-y pancakes with syrup at dinner. And breakfast for dinner gets pretty old.
RELATED: Tips for Making Better Pancakes
Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Pancakes, chocolate, bacon - "there's nothing wrong with that situation," as one taste-tester commented. This happy marriage of vices is a great option when you're craving a sweet-and-savory breakfast-for-dinner dish.
INGREDIENTS
4 strips bacon
1 3/4 cup buttermilk pancake mix
1 cup water
1 egg
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Butter, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat until crisp (we're talking super crisp here, you want the texture to stand out when they're mixed into the pancakes). Once cooked, set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
While the bacon is cooking, combine the pancake mix, water, and egg in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together until there are no more lumps.
Crumble the bacon into small pieces and add to the batter, but make sure to reserve a couple pieces for garnish (or to snack on while the flapjacks are cooking). Add in the chocolate chips and mix everything together.
Pour a ladle-full of the batter (about a 1/4 cup) on to a non-stick pan over medium heat. You can cook more than one pancake at a time, just make sure not to crowd the pan or let the pancakes touch. Cook on one side until you start to see little bubbles, about two to three minutes. Flip and cook until the reverse side becomes golden brown.
Repeat until all the batter has been used or reserve in the refrigerator for later. To serve, garnish with a little bacon crumble and a pat of butter.
Recipe Details
Makes about 8 palm-sized pancakes.
Servings: 4
Sweet Potato Feta Pancakes
Feta and sweet potato pair beautifully in this dinnertime pancake recipe, which is the ultimate marriage of sweet and savory. The best part? You don't even need to roast the sweet potatoes, you just grate them right into a bowl and mix them up with the other ingredients. These pancakes taste great with some thick Greek yogurt.
Click here to see the Sweet Potato Feta Recipe.
Honey Oat and Blueberry Pancakes
Homemade, from-scratch pancakes with a healthy kick - these Honey Oat and Blueberry scratch-Pancakes are definitely worth the effort. I even used 2-percent milk in these instead of the traditional buttermilk and they turned out delicious. One of my favorite things about these pancakes is that all of the ingredients are ones you probably already have in your cupboard. Can't wait to make them again for breakfast!
Click here to see the Honey Oat and Blueberry Pancakes Recipe.
Mung Bean Pancakes
Mung beans may not be a familiar ingredient to many cooks here, but these legumes are popular throughout much of Asia, and are becoming easier to find here. They can range in color from green to yellow to black, taste a little sugary, and are sold whole, split, or hulled. Opt for the hulled variety, which means you can skip the soak.
In India, they are commonly used in curries like moong dal. Here, they are utilized in a popular and traditional Korean dish, often served at Seollal, the Lunar New Year.
Click here to see the Mung Bean Pancake Recipe.
Carrot Scallion Pancakes
I present you with what I hope is healthier fried fare (if such a thing is possible) with these healthy and delicious Carrot Scallion Latkes.
Click here to see the Carrot Scallion Pancake Recipe.
-Will Budiaman, The Daily Meal
Click here to see more creative ways to enjoy pancakes at any time of the day
