From their forgotten spot on the counter, a couple of overripe bananas called to me recently. And they seemed to aspire to something more than my usual banana bread recipe. So I decided a little kitchen experimentation was in order. For a while now I have wanted to try making banana pancakes, and these turned out really well. The consistency of the pancakes falls somewhere between a pancake and a crepe, so I presented them rolled and filled. My original idea was to serve them with toasted walnuts and maple syrup, but strawberries seemed to better complement the flavor of the pancakes. So I made strawberry cream and piped it onto the pancakes. Delish!
The photo above shows Joe's serving. He finished about half of the plate, but said it was too sweet for his tastes. I asked him if it was the recipe itself, or the fact that I delivered it to him on a pink, heart-shaped doily plate while dressed in all pink. He laughed and said he wasn't sure. This is a sweet dish, for sure, but perfect for a romantic morning. The children gobbled up their banana pancakes and have asked that I serve the strawberry cream with scones.
Banana Pancakes
A change of pace from traditional banana bread.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup ripe banana, mashed (about 2 medium)
Margarine
Heat a griddle to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, stir egg, milk, cooking oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, and stir until blended. Add banana, and stir until incorporated. Lightly grease the griddle with margarine, and pour the batter on the skillet with a 1/3 cup measuring cup for each pancake. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on top and the edges begin to brown, then flip the pancakes to cook through. Serve with defrosted frozen strawberries and strawberry cream. Yields 10-12 pancakes.
Strawberry Cream
A delicious accompaniment to pancakes, scones, strawberry shortcake and more!
1 pint heavy cream
Carton of frozen strawberries, defrosted
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
Pink food coloring
Beat cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add 4 tablespoons juice from the defrosted strawberry container, sugar and a little pink food coloring, and beat until stiff. Refrigerate until use. Pipe onto pancakes, or serve with fresh fruit, scones or desserts.
"The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours. No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there." ~ Monica Baldwin
