National Pancake Week! Or is it...?

So I've been hearing rumblings and reading postings all about National Pancake Week, a holiday indeed that should be celebrated by all.  Funny thing is, when I googled this auspicious holiday, I got at least 3 separate weeks designated as National Pancake Week: 2/14, 2/21, and the week of 3/1.  The conclusion?  You better eat pancakes for the next three weeks folks, because the internet wants you to.  And hey, there are worse things you could have to do.

You may be thinking, Hey Suz, aren't you Gluten Free?  Why yes I am, dear reader, but as you know, that doesn't stop me from making anything, especially not fluffy, moist, delicious pancakes.  Pancakes!  Sorry, but I just get so excited thinking about them ;)

Also different about my pancake habits, other than being GF,  is that my favorite time of day to eat pancakes is at night.  I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner, and yes, even dinner for breakfast and I don't care who thinks it's weird.  Breakfast just tastes better at night; it clearly has something to do with the lunar placement and the tides.  But I digress...

There are many tricks and tips to good pancakes, but the number one thing you must remember is that if you want fluffy pancakes you absolutely CANNOT smush them with your spatula after you flip them.  It's not meat- you're not trying to put a sear on it folks.  When you push the plump pancake further down onto the griddle or pan, you are essentially squeezing out all the air.  Air = fluff, and you now have a flat pancake, bringing you back to the painful memories of pre-pubescent times.  Grow some, erm, pancakes and don't squish them.  Be proud and let your fluff puff up.

Now for a personal pancake preference, I don't like to make big pancakes.  I'm a petite pancake kind of girl.  I find that they have more fluff, they're easier to flip, and you can have a couple more than if you're eating Uber Pancake, the distant and lesser known cousin of Sasquatch.

The below recipe is adapted from here and can easily be made dairy-free or even vegan with a couple of small substitutes (coconut milk would probably taste awesome in pancakes!)

Gluten-Free 

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

 

Ingredients:

1 cup GF sorghum mix (or any GF all purpose mix)

1 tbs evaporated cane sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg (or egg replacer)

3/4 cup milk (or milk sub)

1/4 cup Earth Balance Soy Free, melted

Allergy-Free Chocolate Chips to taste (yay Enjoy Life!)

Directions:

Mix together all dry ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to dry slowly, and mix well (do not overmix!)

Fold in chocolate chips by hand.

Scoop desired size batter onto a greased hot griddle or pan.

When pancakes start to bubble on the edges, then all over, flip 'em.

Cook until slightly mushy or golden brown (whichever you prefer) and then put them on some plates or...
To package and freeze pancakes, let cool.  

Arrange a large piece of foil and place a small rectangular cut of parchment down the middle.  

Place as many pancakes as fit on parchment, layer with another piece of parchment and continue until all pancakes are gone.  Close the foil around them and freeze.  

The parchment keeps the pancakes from sticking to each other so you're not stuck trying to pull them apart in the morning before you dash out the door.  Simply reheat in the oven, microwave or toaster oven and they're still delicious.

So whether it's National Pancake Week or not, do you really need an excuse to make these?  I think not.  Your turn now :)