Blueberry Pancakes

Have I told you guys that we’re heading off on vacation in a few days?  If not, we are, and man am I excited!  We haven’t been away since our honeymoon 4+ years ago and though we’ll be gone less than a week, I am so looking forward to it.  Our plans mostly consist of eating good food, soaking up the sun by the pool and taking in the sites – all the hallmarks of a good vacation in my book.  I won’t lie and tell you I’m not dreading the 6 hour flight just a little bit because I am.  I don’t have a fear of flying, but I really dislike being cramped in a tiny seat for such a long time (though this will certainly be easier than our overnight flight to Iceland many years ago – poor Shane, I was the worst. companion. ever).  Before our plane takes off, there are of course a million and one things last minute things to do – shopping for clothes and reading material, cleaning up a bit (because I hate returning from vacation to a messy house), and packing, to name a few.

Instead of checking items off the to-do for the trip, however, I’ve been in the kitchen cooking and baking up a storm.  Mostly, I’m trying to clear out as many of the odds and ends as possible so things don’t go bad.  In the case of these blueberry pancakes, it was all about satisfying a craving.  I haven’t been able to stop thinking about blueberry pancakes since Deb over at Smitten Kitchen posted about them a few weeks ago.  I was going to make her recipe, but for the life of me I can’t seem to remember to buy yogurt when I’m at the store.  Even when it’s specifically on my list.  

Fortunately, I did have everything I needed for this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated – well, mostly.  I substituted frozen blueberries for fresh since there was only a handful left in my fridge.  They worked perfectly – just dump them into a strainer, rinse until the water runs clear and dry on a paper towel-lined plate.  These pancakes would be perfect for a lazy weekend morning – whipping them up is as easy as combining dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another, and then mixing them both together.  The pancakes are thick and fluffy with sweet pops of flavor in each bite from the blueberries.  They definitely satisfied my craving, and added bonus – there were leftovers to stick in the freezer for another day!

Blueberry Pancakes
from Cook’s Illustrated

1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups milk
2 cups (10 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, rinsed and dried

{If you aren’t going to serve the pancakes until you’ve cooked all of them, preheat oven to 200 F. Spray a wire rack with cooking spray and set it inside a baking sheet then place the baking sheet in the oven.}

Whisk the lemon juice and milk together in a measuring cup. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients. (Alternatively, you can use 2 cups of buttermilk in place of the milk/lemon juice.)

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Add the egg and melted butter to the milk and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk gently just until combined (the batter will be lumpy, that’s fine).

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Once the oil starts shimmering, use paper towels to wipe the pan so only a thin, even coating of oil covers the bottom and sides. Use a 1/4 cup measure to portion the batter into the pan. Top each pancake with about 1 tablespoon of blueberries. Cook on the first side until the edges are set and bubbles form on the surface, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown and cooked through. {If not serving immediately, transfer the pancakes to the wire rack in the oven.} Repeat with remaining batter, adding the rest of the oil to the pan if necessary.

Makes about 16 pancakes