Pregnant Lady Cravings

I woke up last Sunday with a craving for pancakes.  This was no ordinary craving, it was a craving of such epic proportions that I call them pregnant lady cravings aka...

"I need it, I need it by the truckload, and I need it NOW!" 

To meet my tummy's irrational hunger for pancakes, I sought out a recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers, Smitten Kitchen.  With her blogger-street cred and pancake snobbery, I could be sure that her recipe would fill my fix.

The easiest, most delicious, better-loosen-up-your-belt-so-that-you-can-have-two-more banana pancakes.

Smitten Kitchen's original recipe calls for blueberries, but a big hug and a smooch is owed to Mr. Jack Johnson for the sweet tunes and inspiration!  XOXO!  All wet and dry ingredients were not-so-carefully dumped into a bowl, a few big stirs, generous helping of banana, and a couple flips of the spatula later... I had the most golden, fluffy, and perfect pancakes I'd ever made.  I'll also have you know that the original recipe lists butter as an option.  Uhh... not in my house, people.  Butter is not an option, it's a necessity!  I paired my banana pancakes with a few slices of Spam, fresh fruit, roasted brussel sprouts, and a sunny-side up egg.




These pancakes were so seriously satisfying that I made a second batch as an afternoon snack.  This time, I swapped the maple syrup for a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a drizzle of Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce.

Oh, who am I kidding?  I drowned each banana pancake in that sticky sweet sauce, and shamelessly devoured my plate of rich caramelly whipped heaven.  I implore you to do the same and make these pancakes this very weekend.  The recipe couldn't be any easier!  So easy that your kid sister could make 'em, and so delicious you'll never touch that nasty B...isquick again! ;)


Banana Pancakes
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Yield: 9 6-inch pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups of non-fat milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, not melted for greasing the pan
2 large Bananas, sliced

1. Place a pan over medium heat.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons melted butter, and whisk to combine.  The batter should have small to medium lumps.
2. Test the griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it.  If the water bounces and spatters, the griddle is hot enough.  Grease pan with butter.
3. Using a measuring cup, pour about 1/2 cup of batter in pools 2 inches apart.  Immediately place 4-5 slices of bananas so the batter oozes slightly over the fruit.  When the pancakes bubble  on top and  are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over.  Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.
4.  Repeat with the remaining batter, adding butter as needed. You can keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven at 175 degrees, while you cook the remaining batches.  Serve warm.