A RIFF ON EDNA MAE'S SOUR CREAM PANCAKES

It’s cold.  It’s snowy.  It’s blustery.  I may look like Winnie-the-Pooh, but I certainly don’t have his temperament.  I’m grumpy.  We’ve had ONE day of sunshine so far the entire month of January.  BLEH.  But my mood changes on a dime when I make these luscious pancakes filled with tangy sour cream, a hint of lemon and blueberries (here comes the sun, do-do-do-dooo, here comes the sun . . . )

I’ve made other sour cream pancake recipes before and they were good but the batter was thin which made the pancake too delicate and a bit airy for my taste.  These are my favorite by far.  A substantial, yet tender, pillowy and moist pancake, they hold all that maple syrup goodness without falling apart.   The edges caramelize ever so slightly giving them a buttery crunch and great texture. And those berries, those beautiful little berries, burst in your mouth doing a little happy dance.  It’s all about finding that balance and these pancakes deliver!

I used frozen wild blueberries that I thawed and drained, then placed them on the pancakes just before I flipped them; if you put the berries on too soon, the cakes tends to either scorch or won’t cook all the way through.  If you put the blueberries into the batter, it turns a blueish-purple that doesn’t look very appetizing.  And believe me, when fresh blueberries are in season this summer, those little orbs of deep purple will top these pancakes – mmmmm . . . my mouth waters just thinking about it!  Of course, you can make them without the blueberries and add fresh strawberries or peaches on top; you can also top them with chunked cinnamon apples or applesauce – whatever tweaks your argyles.  The Professor says these are WAY better than a box!  (he means what’s inside that box . . . )

Ree says she gets approximately 12 4-inch pancakes but I get about 8 5-inch pancakes – you make ’em any size you want.

Now if I crank up my fireplace full bore, turn on every single light in the house and if I squint real hard . . . I can almost imagine sandy beaches and flip flops . . . do-do-do-dooooo . . . everybody sing!

One final bonus?  These little gems come together in about 15 minutes so you can enjoy them any day of the week – winter or summer!

A RIFF ON EDNA MAE’S SOUR CREAM PANCAKES
Adapted from Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond

1 cup sour cream (I’ve used a mix of light sour cream and Greek-style non-fat yogurt too)
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
Blueberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, thaw and drain) – as many as you like
Butter
Maple syrup

Place an iron skillet or griddle over medium heat; it should be hot but not smoking.

Dump flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a bowl – whisk around with a fork just to mix all the dry ingredients; add sour cream and lemon zest and stir together gently.  Don’t mix completely as you really want the pancakes to have a bit of texture – you’re not looking for a smooth batter here.  Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl; add the vanilla and stir to combine.

Pour the egg mixture into the sour cream/flour mixture.   Again, stir together gently; it’s not necessary that the mixture be totally combined.

Melt about a Tablespoon of butter on your griddle or skillet. Pour the batter onto your griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, add blueberries just as tiny bubbles begin to appear,  then flip the pancakes over. Cook for another 45 seconds and remove to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Top with plenty of butter and maple syrup and eat as much as your tummy will hold or your butt will allow!