banana pancakes

Here's something else to do when you have over-ripe bananas and don't want to make banana bread or muffins. Take your favorite basic pancake recipe (this should work with pancake mixes too) and mash up 1 or 2 bananas (I did 3 the first time and it was super banana-y, so if you like that, go for it). Add mashed banana to the liquid. Mix together liquid and dry ingredients and cook pancakes as usual. The pancakes turn out very tender and so delicious. I've had a little problem with the very middle not being cooked all the way, so be careful of that. These are good with fruity toppings-syrups or jams or just cut up fresh fruit, honey and butter, maple syrup, ginger syrup (I bet, I don't have any right now to try, though) or ice cream.

banana pancake with blackberry sauce

Here's the exact recipe I made, in case you don't want to experiment with your own. (Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens "Buttermilk Pancakes")

Banana Pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon and/or other favorite spices
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. cooking oil (optional)
1 or 2 over ripe bananas
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar

Mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices) in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

Mix together egg, milk and oil. Mash bananas, sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar, stir it around, add it to the egg/milk/oil mixture. I do this all in my pyrex liquid measuring cup so I don't have to wash another bowl, and it all fits.

Start heating up your griddle, when it's just about warm enough, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir gently, getting to the bottom, but don't over mix. The batter might be lumpier than usual because the bananas don't always get mashed completely smoothly. Cook the pancakes like normal, eat with your favorite toppings.

banana pancake with vanilla ice cream and blackberry sauce