A Snowy Morning is perfect for Apple Oatmeal Pancakes!

I woke up early on yet another snowy morning.  Snow makes me want to mix batter, stand by a warm oven, and eat comforting food.  Perhaps this comes from a tradition that I have on snow days off from teaching -- baking cookies or biscotti is mandatory.  Although today's snow didn't pile up to create a snow day, I celebrated the snow by utilizing the ingredients I had in my pantry to make some delicious Apple Oatmeal Pancakes.

Apparently my desire to warm up and fill up with pancakes is an ancient one -- according to the fabulous wikipedia, archaeologists have found pancakes to be one of the oldest and most popular way of eating cereals.  Imagine being the first on your continent to come up with the idea of combining grains with eggs and milk and cooking the batter up on a skillet?  Talk about a breakfast upgrade!   Speaking of skillets, making pancakes is so much more fun with a cast iron skillet.  We were trying to make them in a regular cast iron pan, but it's hard to get our spatula in there to properly turn the cake over.  Now we can even make two at once, which is a great time-saver in the morning.  

I jotted down this recipe as I mixed ingredients by feeling.  Next time you bake, see what ingredients you can get locally.  Here in Maine, I have access to local buckwheat flour, milk, oats, eggs, apples, honey, and applesauce.  We also have an abundance of maple syrup, but I thought applesauce and honey would match the flavor of the apples baked into the pancakes.  In case you couldn't tell, I love sneaking apples into breakfast foods and treats.  Apples make everything seem healthier, and with their antioxdents and fiber, hopefully they keep the doctor away, too.

• 1 apple, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons applesauce
• 1 egg if you don't want to use eggs, mix 1 tablespoon of flax seed with 1 teaspoon water with a mortar and pestle until ground well and add that to your batter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup light buckwheat flour & 1/2 cup millet flour or whatever flour you have on hand
• honey and applesauce, for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• oil or butter, for greasing your skillet

Grease your skillet well, with about 2 tablespoons of butter or oil, and place it on a burner at medium-low heat.  While things are warming up there, combine the dry ingredients -- flours, salt, baking powder, oats, cinnamon, ginger, and apples.  Then, while whisking, add in the milk, egg, and applesauce.  When everything is combined nicely, it should be smooth and the only lumps should be from the apples.  If it's too thick, add more milk or applesauce.

By now the skillet should be nice and hot.  Adjust the heat as necessary, and use an ice cream scoop to pour the batter onto the skillet.  When bubbles start to form on the top of the pancake, use a spatula to flip it over, and let it cook for another minute or two more.  Use the spatula to place your pretty pancake on a oven-proof plate in the oven at 200 degrees to keep warm while the other pancakes are being made.  Top with applesauce and honey.  Makes 8 hearty pancakes.