american pancakes

it's 8pm and my exhausted kids are messing around - like yoyo's in and out of bed. much as i am desperate for them to go to sleep it warms my heart hearing them creeping out of bed and chuckling together. i even let them try sharing the top bunk at their request only to return to their lamp on, both kids sitting up, and Mr Z giving Little Miss M an earnest "lesson all about shadows". So i separated them on to their own bunks but Mr Z got completely obsessed with Little Miss M sleeping in his bed.... howling so hard and begging on and on.. nothing would quel his desperate soul. I said NO many times, explained Little Miss M was too little and would just keep messing around, said NO, got cross, explained why ... and then i gave in... good parenting lesson #1 - keep saying No and when they've screamed & begged long and hard enough give in and say Yes! i just couldn't quite resist the cuteness of him wanting his little sister to sleep in his bed... and by now it was so late i thought they'd probably pass out. it's all quiet so far..and i can't wait to peek at them asleep together on the top bunk.

i think tomorrow will be a slow pancake morning. american pancakes & bacon is the best start to a weekend. when we were first married Sam and i used to have this every saturday morning. it's nice to keep up the tradition when we have energy for it. my mother is american and used to make these for us all the time.

sift:

1.5 cups plain flour

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

Mix: 

3 tbsp melted butter

1 cup milk (or yoghurt)

1 egg (lightly beaten)

fold the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients. stir very gently and briefly to combine. don't worry if there are big chunks of dry ingredients - the less stirring the better.

heat a fry pan to medium heat and melt a tiny bit of butter. for each pancake pour 1/4 cup of pancake mixture in to the pan. 

 when the pancakes have risen slightly and are starting to bubble, flip them with a spatula 

 do not add any more butter to the pan - just keep cooking and flipping your pancakes on a low/medium heat until they are golden brown

stack them on a plate in a low oven until you have used all the batter

serve in a stack with butter, greek yoghurt, fruit and maple syrup... and bacon if you're feeling adventurous

leftover pancakes are deeeelicious toasted with butter & jam and a cup of tea at 4pm