Quick & Easy Pancakes

Whenever I'm able to steal away to the kitchen for about 15 minutes, I usually can find something that needs to be done. If our meals for the day are done, if I'm not in the middle of freezer cooking, and if I don't have any other baking to do, I usually make pancakes.

Pancakes are one of my favorite things to have on hand in the freezer for quick breakfasts. (Muffins and French toast are my other favorites.) They freeze wonderfully and reheat quickly. They're also versatile enough that we can eat them for lunch.

They also make a quick snack. We like to cut them into strips, warm in skillet with some butter, and then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon while still warm. This is a favorite treat with the kids.

Here is the recipe I use for our freezer pancakes. When I'm making special breakfasts I sometimes use a more elaborate recipe, but this one is perfect for everyday.

Pancakes

• 4 t. baking powder
• 1 1/2 c. white flour
• 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2/3 c. dry milk powder
• 1/2 t. cinnamon, optional
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 c. water
• 2 T. oil, melted butter, or applesauce
• 1 t. vanilla

1. Whisk together baking powder, flours, salt, sugar, dry milk powder and optional cinnamon.
2. Whisk in eggs, water, oil, butter, or applesauce, and vanilla.
3. Pour about 1/4 c. of batter on a hot, greased griddle for each pancake. Makes about 2 dozen pancakes.

The nice thing about this recipe is that it is easily halved, doubled or tripled. Also, after step 1, you can put the mix in jar or container and keep on hand for last minute preparation.

This mix is also friendly to add-in ingredients. I've successfully added chocolate chips, bananas or blueberries to the pancakes.

To freeze them, I stack as many as we'll need for breakfast in a plastic freezer bag. If you want to be able to use just a few at a time, freeze the pancakes on a cookie sheet before putting in the bag so that they don't stick together.

To reheat, I usually just defrost and warm them in the microwave. You could also thaw the pancakes in the freezer over night then warm for a few seconds on each side in a skillet, or on a cookie sheet in the oven for a few minutes.

If this is your first time to my new blog - welcome! I hope you'll spend a few minutes looking around. (You may be familiar with my two other blogs - A Simple Walk and Happy To Be At Home.) I'm still getting things settled here and trying to keep up with the posting. I hope to have it all fixed up and working like clockwork, with a new recipe daily and at least 3 full game plans weekly, within the next week or two.

You can find more Frugal Friday over at Crystal's blog.