Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

When the weekend rolls around, there's nothing like winding down from a long week, sleeping in and kicking back with a leisurely breakfast...except, I'm up making the breakfast for the lollygaggers of the house! At least I get to decide what we are having...and one family favourite is blueberry pancakes!

I won't lie, I like the boxed mix because I don't need to add eggs ( if you aren't familiar with my aversion to egg yolks, I'll just say, for the sake of the egg farmers of Ontario, that it's a long story!)...but the rest of the household isn't as disturbed as I am in the egg yolk department, and they love these!

To make these flapjacks, griddle-cakes, tall stacks...(man, I've been holding that in...I always wanted to call them that!)...you will need, all purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, vanilla and not pictured, blueberries (a little hard to make "blueberry" pancakes minus the blueberries!!)

In a large bowl, sift in 2 cups of all purpose flour...

2 &1/2 tsp's of baking powder...

..1/2 tsp. of baking soda,

...1/2 tsp. of salt...stir together until combined and set aside.

In a separate bowl...combine 2 cups of buttermilk,

...a 1/4 cup of vegetable oil,

...a 1/4 cup of granulated sugar,

...2 tsp's of vanilla extract,

...and 2 eggs.

Whisk to combine.

Next, add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients (you may notice that I had just mixed the wet ingredients in the brown bowl that the dry ingredients are now in...I messed up the first batch of batter and some of the photos are from the first time around before the big screw up!...nobody's perfect, okay?! Lol! )

Stir until all ingredients are incorporated (James pointed out that I use that word a lot...I like it, "incorporated"...rolls off the tongue!)...if there are lumps, that's okay...you don't want to overwork your batter and create tough pancakes!

Let mixture sit for about 15-30 minutes (by letting the batter "rest", it allows any gluten that has been formed by mixing the liquid into the flour settle down and the air bubbles will work their way out, creating a lighter pancake).

Place a skillet over medium/low heat for about 1-2 minutes...you can tell the skillet is ready, when a couple drops of water added to the pan sizzles...next add about 1-2 tbsps. of vegetable oil (I like to use oil, as butter burns and browns quickly)...scoop out a 1/4 cup of batter and pour into prepared skillet.

I like to add my blueberries to the top of each pancake before flipping...I find that sometimes, the pancake doesn't cook through as well when I add them to the batter...and ain't nobody got time for that business!

Fresh or frozen berries may be used.

Flip pancakes when the bubbles in the batter start to pop, the edges have set and cakes are golden brown...continue to cook the other side, until they are also golden brown.

Add a pat of butter, some maple syrup and dig in!

I don't really eat pancakes in a stack, this was strictly for photo purposes only...but they look good like that, don't they?!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

2 cups of all purpose flour

2 &1/2 tsp's of baking powder

1/2 tsp. of baking soda

1/2 tsp. of salt

2 cups of buttermilk

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp's of vanilla extract

Fresh or frozen blueberries

(I don't add the blueberries directly to the batter...instead, I drop a few berries onto the pancakes as they are cooking in the pan before flipping. The batter seems to cook more evenly around the blueberries this way)

1. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt...mix together until combined...set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla...whisk until thoroughly mixed.

3. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated, leaving a few lumps if necessary...do not overmix!

4. Let batter sit for 15-30 minutes.

5. In a skillet set over medium/low heat, add about 1-2 tbsp's of vegetable oil...when the pan is hot enough, add 1/4 cup of batter to the skillet for each pancake, drop some blueberries onto each pancake before flipping. Flip when the edges are set, the bubbles on the top begin to pop and pancakes are golden brown...continue to cook until the other side is also golden brown.

Serve hot with a pat of butter and maple syrup drizzled over top...Enjoy! :)

* Note: makes approximately 15 (4 inch diameter) pancakes...wrap cooled leftovers in waxed paper, store in the fridge and pop in the toaster for a quick weekday breakfast...or recipe can easily be cut in half.