Basic Scratch Pancakes plus Tasty Variations

Don't be intimidated. I'm very specific and these things are amazing. This is really the easiest and most frequent food I cook, hands down. I've included some variations, but once you have the base recipe you can add just about anything. Make a big batch. Double it. Tripple it! Freeze it!

Tools:
Griddle or skillet (I use a giant electric griddle so I can do 6 cakes at once)
Dry measuring cups
Liquid measuring cups
Teaspoon & Tablespoon
Spatula
gallon freezer bags
waxed paper

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached, unbromated all-purpose flour (I use King Aurthur)
4 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
2 cup milk (whole milk is best)
2 tbsp vegetable oil

butter or cooking spray to grease your griddle

Do not preheat your griddle or skillet
1. Combine the first 4 (dry) ingredients in a large mixing bowl
2. Combine last 3 (wet) ingredients in a separate bowl
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside.
The batter is supposed to be a little lumpy.
4. Start heat up your griddle to 350ºf or skillet to medium
Let your batter rest while it heats. Your batter will start to bubble and puff up. Avoiding over working the batter and giving it some time to rest and fluff up will give you perfectly risen delicately textured pancakes. Forget the 1/8" Bisquick flatties.
5. Once heated, oil your griddle or skillet with a fat pat of butter or a spray of cooking spray.
6. Using a 1/2 or 1/3 measuring cup scoop the batter onto the griddle or skillet about 3 inches apart. If you haven't mastered the flip, give yourself some extra space.
7. Cook the cakes until the edges appear slightly dry and bubbles are starting to rise in the centers. FLIP! Continue cooking the other side until golden. The second side will take significantly less time that the first. Remove from heat.
8. Serve or store. If storing, cool cakes completely in a single layer on a wire rack. Layer pancakes in freezer bags, separating layers with waxed paper. Don't squish them in too tight, or they'll be ugly when reheated. Date the bags and stick 'em flat in the freezer where they can live for up to 3 months.

Reheating:
Toaster Oven: Place on a single layer directly on the rack use the medium toast setting or until heated through.
Microwave: Arrange in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel. Cook in 30 second increments, flipping occasionally until heated.


Variations!

Vanilla Cinnamon
Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and 1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract to the wet ingredients and proceed.

Multi-Grain
Substitute the all-purpose flour with a combo of 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 cup quick-cook rolled oats and 1/2 cup all purpose flour. Increase oil to 3 tbsp. Use brown sugar.

Banana Nut
Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Once the batter is mixed, fold in 1 mashed ripe banana and 1/2 teaspoon chopped walnuts or pecans.

Blueberry
Fold in 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter.


More to come... Maybe even some photos!