By Sarah Lagrotteria

My morning tradition consists of propping myself up amongst the pillows and reading the news on my blackberry while Angus showers.  And by news, I mean Facebook.

This Saturday what a “friend” was doing was enjoying pancakes, coffee and some Otis Redding.  Inspiration indeed.  I immediately dispatched a  freshly-showered Angus  to the market for some maple syrup, which in my pancake dreams is always served hot in a little pitcher (see photo, below), and these blueberry lemon pancakes were born.

Serve with coffee and your favorite radio station.

xoxosl

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

1-1/2 cup AP flour

3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1-1/4 cup milk (or 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup buttermilk, if you have some on hand)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 tablespoons melted butter

Zest from 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup frozen (or fresh if in season) blueberries

1. Sift together the dry ingredients, flour through sugar.  Sifting is key here as baking powder tends to clump and harden, especially if it’s been in your cupboard awhile.

2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, vanilla, egg, butter and lemon zest.  Whisk until homogenous and only slightly lumpy.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

3.  Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Use a 1/4 cup scoop to add the batter to the hot pan and cook until the edges form a crust and the top bubbles.  Flip and cook until the second side is also golden brown.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Yield: about 10 pancakes

A little tip–I keep the finished pancakes warm in a 250 degree (toaster) oven while I make rest.  Just wrap the stack in some tin foil and keep adding each finish pancake until you can sit down and enjoy them all.