Good morning everyone.... I am half awake, coffee is brewing and the critters are hungry. So here it is...the one thing that I know my husband can't live without; er, wait...I know there's a few things under that category; so I'll rephrase it...the one thing that I can cook AMAZINGLYthat my husband just can't resist. BananaPancakes!! YUMMO! I came across my talent for seducing these little round discs with toppings and different ingredients a few years back; but allow me to tell you these things rock. The current soundtrack for today is a mixed Jack Johnson's album (quite fitting I think) and I have the three little critters with me armed with aprons, spatulas, at our family table. Together we will whip up a batch in no time! This is also going to be the meal that gets us through the market and other shops along the way... Ingredients List: 1/2 - 3/4 c. buttermilk 2 tsp. melted butter 1 egg 2/3 c. white flour 1/3 c. whole wheat flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tbsp. sugar (use normal white sugar not the sugar listed below) 1 tbsp cinnamon (or to your own taste) 5 bananas 1/2 tsp. salt Ok, so here is my tip of the day! Have your milk at room temperature. This really helps keep everything consistent and really fluffs up these babies. So you're gonna beat the milk, melted butter and eggs gently. Then you mix the flour, soda sugar and salt in a separate bowl (much as you would do wet with wet for cookies)...mmm chocolate chunk cookies! I am drooling....ok, sorry I'll stop... Anyhow you add the dry stuff to the mixture and stir it just enough to dampen the flour. Ok, now for the best part, take your bananas and slice them up into whatever shape you like. I prefer to use the mandolin for simplicity and also it's a job that when the critters are supervised, they can do also. The other thing I have to point out is that keeping the bananas sliced to a mid thick size, gives a great texture within the pancakes. Then add most of them (I'd say the amount of 3 bananas - the rest is for later). Gently fold them into your mix. I like to make BIG pancakes...it really is just the image that you think when you hear "stack of pancakes". This recipe makes about 20 so I like to double it up when we have our friends and family over (they like them too!) NEXT: Let's accessorize these puppies! So you can do many different things to top of your am masterpiece; I love to make whip cream (fresh) with different flavours and then make it look all pretty. What you'll need for this: 1 carton 35% cream 4- 6 cups Sugar (depending on amount making) 1 1.2 oz Baileys Liqueur or White Crème de Cacao (I know it's 10 am, but it's for the flavour not to get a buzz...that's what the Caesars are for at lunch!) *****Just a quick note: The sugar I use is something that my husband taught me long, long ago...I take my jar of sugar and add vanilla to it. Take your pod of vanilla, slice it down the side, and scrape out the inside perfection, the inside of Pandora’s box, the GOLD! Put it in your sugar. I like to mix it up as much as possible and then keep the pod for extra effect. I also keep my sugar in a glass container with a seal on the lid. I tried to use a ceramic container, but the vanilla flavour didn't taste as fresh... In a food processor (I love my cuisinart for this), pour the cream in (please don’t fill your mixing container, you'll have to eyeball it and also think about how many people you are doing this for...I have a family of 5 who eat 2 helpings each so...if you need to adjust you can...if not, then you can store it in the fridge and use it on top of your coffee, or hot chocolate or dessert tonight. Next, you are going to add your booze. Turn on the machine or blender or handheld, whatever makes you comfy...and start to add your sugar in. Most times this take me about 4-5 cups to get the whipped cream to the best whippieness. Again, this is not an exact science.so you have to watch it to see what your preference is....and voila, the job's a snap! (Mary Poppins) Now here is my favourite part...plating! I get everyone's plates ready in the warmer (oven) and start with one pancake at a time.....I butter them each (this is not calorie conscious food folks, I am not claiming this at all-- it is Damn Good Food though) Anyhow, then we put some syrup on it and a few more slices of banana, top it with another pancake and add your syrup. Dollop on the whip cream and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar... There you have it. A great breakfast for your family or just for yourself. Simple guilty pleasures on a plate...I hope you like them and I can't wait to hear what you think. I am off to the market now, hopefully something inspiring will come about...after all it is Sunday! My entire family is home for dinner, and I love it. The husband works a lot at the restaurant, so for us, it's really great when he can be home, in the kitchen with us all and sit down for a family meal. I think it's just what the doctor prescribed! I just want to also note, that images are coming soon for each of my little delights and dissasters. I am waiting for a new battery for my camera and it will be here soon. I will also be sure to post these primary posts with the images as soon as I get it back. Thanks for sharing..the coffee is ready and my stomach is shouting at me!