Perfect Pancakes

This is my own recipe. It is better than Bisquick, I promise! Plus it's very easy, never chewy, always fluffy - the perfect pancake! The purpose of the spelt or buckwheat flour is to prevent the pancakes from going chewy if you happen to stir the batter too much. Spelt and buckwheat have very little gluten, and gluten is what is responsible for the chewiness of bread. You can use any gluten-free flour in place of the spelt or buckwheat in this recipe.

Preheat a non-stick griddle to medium heat. Make sure your griddle is completely heated before you pour your pancakes.

Combine in a large bowl:
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. spelt or buckwheat flour
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder

Combine in a large measuring glass:
2 eggs, whisked
2 c. milk + 2 tsp. vinegar (or just use buttermilk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. oil

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix with a fork until just combined (but not if there are still large lumps of dry flour throughout the batter - stir the batter till the bigger lumps have broken up). Spray the griddle with oil, and pour 1/4 cup portions of pancake batter onto the hot griddle. Fry them until you see lots of bubbles surfacing on top and are a deep golden brown, and then flip them over. Cook the other side until it is also a deep golden brown. Serve the pancakes immediately with butter, syrup, jam, or whatever tickles your fancy. They can also be kept warm on a stoneware plate in the oven set on the coolest temperature.

I like to make large batches of pancakes. This recipe yields about 20 - 25 pancakes. Halve the recipe if you desire. I like to eat the morning's cold pancakes for lunch with cheese and lunchmeat on them, popped in the microwave for a few seconds. Not sure why. I just like them that way.

Eesti Pannkoogid - Estonian Pancakes

This is my great aunt's recipe! These are delicious, they are like crepes more than pancakes. Enjoy with your favourite jam, particularly lingonberry or blackcurrant, with sour cream, or filled with ground beef and onions!

1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs

Whisk ingredients together until very smooth. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes or longer before you begin to cook these.

Heat up a round fry pan, non-stick is easiest, on medium heat. Melt a chunk of butter and spread to all edges of the pan. Ladle in a spoonful of pannkook batter and tilt your pan until the batter has reached the edges. Since these are thicker than the traditional French crepe, the amount of batter you add to the pan is greater. Let the batter cook until the edges of the pannkook start to curl up, and the underneath is white and brown. Then, tactfully if possible, flip the pannkook over and cook for just a minute or two, until the unerneath is white and brown as well.

Repeat this procedure until all of your batter is used up. If you're coordinated enough, you can have two or three pans going at once to speed things up. My aunt serves me each one as it comes fresh off of the pan. Don't be fooled by how thin they are - they will fill you right up! They keep very well in the fridge, stacked, and reheat in the microwave beautifully.