Hearty Pancakes for Two Recipe

Kayleigh here. I really love experimenting around in the kitchen and coming out with recipes that are not only great imitations of the regular gluten-filled item, but are just the perfect amount for Jason and I. Cooking for two can get really frustrating when all you can find are recipes that make a dozen, or enough to feed the average family. But more often than not, I find that there's some simple trick or secret ingredient that will let you make a smaller batch without having to toss half an egg or buy heavy cream only to use a tablespoon of it.

While waffles usually end up being our go-to last minute breakfast (boy, I love owning a Belgian waffle maker!), I've found that just using the same recipe for waffles and pancakes just doesn't quite seem to cut it- soft and spongy waffles are great, but that's not what I'm looking for in pancakes. Sure, there's not much of a difference, but it was about time we got to the drawing board and came out with the perfect, small scale gluten free recipe for us.

These pancakes get a heartiness and wholesome texture from the buckwheat flour, but enough leavening from the egg and baking powder to keep it from being too dense and flat. In this batch, I chose to add dried cranberries and roughly chopped pecans to the batter, but add whatever you like! Just don't forget the real maple syrup.

Hearty Pancakes for Two

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 TB Sugar
¼ Cup Milk
Pinch Baking Powder
¼ Cup Buckwheat Flour
1/3 Cup Tapioca Flour
1-2 Drops Vanilla Extract
Pinch Salt
Toppings or fillings (chocolate chips, blueberries, dried cranberries, pecans, etc)

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl, adding any desired fillings after everything else has been stirred together.
2) Butter up a stovetop pan and set on medium heat. For a thicker, fluffier pancake, use a pan with a small diameter so the pancake completely fills it, and put a lid on top so it cooks all the way through. For thinner pancakes, add a bit more milk and use a large pan.
3) Cook on the first side until the top is covered in little bubbles and you can see the sides starting to firm up. Flip, then cook until desired brownness.

Jason here. So to start I should mention I always eat my pancakes with chocolate chips, so on top of the maple syrup this pancake was very sweet. Just how I like it. These pancakes came out with the perfect texture. The outside had a slight crispness to it, and the inside nice and fluffy. I felt the pancakes themselves had a slight sweet taste to them, perhaps from the vanilla extract. I like that the pancakes are quick to make, with little clean up. That and we can make exactly how much we want that morning. I’ve mentioned it before, but I usually like smaller breakfasts so it helps having a recipe that can scale to any number of people.

Enjoy your delicious pancakes, I recommend a nice fresh glass of milk.

Everyday Product Review Part 3

Continuing on our theme, we have moved on to the final part of our product review posts- baking mixes and misc. products! We do tend to mix flours and make our own starchy sides from scratch, but we can't fool ourselves into thinking they taste just like their regular counterparts. And while we have gotten used to the unique tastes and textures that gluten free products take on, we know many of our friends and family still prefer the real deal. All of these products are so close to normal when prepared they are well worth any cost.

Part 1: Baked Goods

Part 2: Snacks

Pasta – Tinkyada - We went through quite a few gluten free pasta brands before settling on this one. We had originally received it as a gift from east coast relatives, but it has since shown up at the Safeway near us, so we no longer need it shipped! The ‘not mushy’ on the front of the package says it all- it doesn’t get soggy and break down over time, like many gluten free pastas.

Jason here. I love the “not mushy” it says on the front. These are a little more finicky to cook then regular pasta, but when done right they come just fine and of course, not mushy.

Brownie mix – Gluten Free Pantry Double Chocolate Brownie Mix - This was actually the first ‘gluten free’ product I purchased- seemed like a quick and easy option. They come out very moist and chewy, with tiny chocolate chips sprinkled throughout to give surprise bursts of flavor. We tend to keep a box in the pantry for last-minute gatherings.

Jason here. This chocolate brownie mix creates really good brownies quickly. The key part for me is that it is nearly zero work to actually make these, and they taste just like regular brownies. For a nice addition, I like to drizzle some chocolate syrup into the brownie ban just before putting it into the oven. This creates some interesting swirls and can sometimes leave chocolate syrupy areas.

Pancake Mix – King Arthur Gluten Free Pancake or Waffle Mix - Fantastically simple to whip up, perfect for a sleepy Sunday morning when you just want to enjoy the peace and quiet a bit longer. They come out fluffy, springy, and slightly sweet- just like what you would find at an old fashioned diner. If you feel like putting in the extra effort, figure out some add-ins like chocolate chips, blueberries, or pecans, or make some sort of fruit compote to top them. Worth the extra effort!

Jason here. One of my favorite breakfast items is chocolate chip pancakes. I don’t know why every restaurant doesn’t offer these, as all you have to do is add chocolate chips to the batter or drop them right in the pancake as it cooks. The pancake mix we used did make fluffy pancake that tasted great. However, making your own homemade pancake mix is fairly easy.