Banana Pancakes with Toasted Pecans

Pancakes, you gotta love them, but a little history first! A pancake is a thin cake, considered a quick bread. There are yeast raised, fermented or sour batters. Depending on the area or region you live in pancakes are eaten at most any meal with a variety to toppings or fillings like, of course syrup, jellies or preserves and even different meats. The french make crepes, a thinner version of our traditional pancake. Germans make their pancakes out of potatoes and the Italians will fry theirs and fill them with ricotta and chocolate for the cannoli. There are so many recipes for a pancake. I have seen them with cottage cheese in the batter, folding stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter for a lighter pancake, using different flours like whole wheat, buckwheat and rye for a more savory pancake for fish and meats. However you decide to make them sweet or savory, they are delicious so make them often! Enjoy.......


Ingredients


1 1/2 cups AP flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg beaten
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp. banana flavoring
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 bananas
1/2 cup of toasted pecans


Method



Sift dry ingredients together. Add beaten egg, buttermilk, melted butter, flavorings and 1 mashed banana. With a few quick stirs with a wooden spoon mix batter just until incorporated. Drop batter, about a quarter cup at a time onto medium hot griddle. Cook until small bubbles form on top of pancakes and bottom is golden. Flip pancakes and cook until done. Top with butter, toasted pecans and plenty of maple syrup! Yum!



(Note: Over mixing of the batter makes for a tough pancake, and only flip your pancakes once!)