Pancakes and other things

Ha, that title got you, didn't it??!!  Well my sweet daughter who is back in college is the pancake maker in the house ... her friends all refer to her by name and add -cakes to the end of it!  She uses a mix, and I always have.  Have tried a couple different recipes, but never found one I loved.  In my neverending quest to be healthier and to be more domestically inclined (be quiet Jayne!), I tried a recipe last week that was good, but tried one today that was even better.

These pancakes are as easy to make as a mix is ... really, it takes five minutes.  They were described as fluffy pancakes ... the secret incredient is vinegar.  Now don't make a face ... think buttermilk ... think yummy fried chicken, think delicious biscuits ... that vinegar does something and makes everything it touches more tender.  I have a delicious recipe my grandmother used to make ... sour milk chocolate cookies with raisins (right, cousin "C"?) ... delicious ... so I knew the pancakes would be too.  I made them and tried three different varieties ... plain, chocolate chip, and my favorite, chocolate.  One of the only culinary yummies that my mom is responsible for is chocolate chip pancakes.  She used to make them for us at home after she discovered them at IHOP.  I love to make one or two ... using just a few chocolate chips for a little flavor but not too much chocolate ... my daughter and I really differ on this because she much prefers more chips!  I occasionally do chocolate ... a little bit of the batter, mixed with a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder ... you get the delicious flavor of the chocolate but not the fat of real chocolate.  Imagine a couple of chocolate pancakes with strawberries or raspberries, a little butter, and a little drizzle of honey!  Delicious!!

Don't they look good?  They puff up quite a bit when you cook them ...

It didn't seem to affect them in the cooking department, but I did flatten them out a little when I dropped them onto the griddle ...

And by the way, speaking of griddles ... there are not a lot of things I feel really strongly about in a kitchen, but here is something I do ... my electric griddle!  My darling son loves to cook and kill the inside of my pans (since the new ones are not nonstick) ... the griddle is great ... it heats up quickly, much more of a surface so you can cook more food, and clean is a breeze.  I just run my dishrag wet with a little soap over the surface, then rinse and repeat and dry ... couldn't be easier.  That is why sweet son got one for Christmas!!

Here's the recipe for the pancakes ... enjoy!!  =: ~)

Fluffy Pancakes (Allrecipes.com)

3/4 cup milk
2 tblsp. white vinegar
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tblsp. white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I only used 1/4 tsp. and it was perfect)
1 egg
2 tblsp. butter, melted

Combine milk with vinegar in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour."  Combine dry ingredients in bowl.  Whisk egg and butter into soured milk..  Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.  Supposed to make 8 pancakes.