Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

I've been waiting a few years now for weekends like this. For the chance to sleep in with a puppy curled next to my back and a husband under my arm. For a side by side comparison of espresso, drip, and French pressed coffee because we have the time. For a long debate on pancakes which finally ends in peanut butter banana. For beach days involving elaborate picnic rituals with no mind to the time or the cell phone gods.

I'd cruised many a weekend solo as my industrious other half ran a business. I'm happy to tell you my weekends are revived now that said business is sold. We are beyond ourselves with relief and happiness. We are more than ready to move on to other things.

Other things include some sailing and roadtripping, more on that later. For now, I'm pretty excited about weekends.

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes
inspired by Joy the Baker

1 egg
2 TBL melted butter, plus more for cooking
2 TBL peanut butter
1 cup buttermilk or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 TBL sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 apple bananas, sliced (or 2 regular bananas)
maple syrup to serve

In a medium bowl mix egg, melted butter, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt and mix until well combined. Fold in banana slices.

In a pan over medium heat add a little butter or oil. Spoon about 2 TBL batter and 4 banana slices into the pan for each pancake. When little bubbles start to form in the batter, flip and cook for another minute or so. Repeat, repeat until all batter is used up.

Top with more banana slices, if desired, and pure maple syrup. Enjoy!

Blue Corn Pancakes with Garlic Avo Butter & Tomato Chipotle Syrup

Blue cornmeal made its way into my shopping cart last week. I just couldn't resist it when I spotted it in the bulk section. Since Dustin isn't a huge fan of cornbread, I had to put my recipe dream machine to work. Did I really just call my brain a recipe dream machine? This whole food blog thing is obviously going way too far.

Let's have some fun with pancakes. It all starts with blue cornmeal, a little fresh corn and some playful toppings that resemble the usual butter and maple syrup. But don't get tricked, these pancakes are anything but sweet. If you are not into making the "syrup," salsa would work just fine.

These would be great served with sausage and eggs. Breakfast for dinner!

Blue Corn Pancakes with Garlic Avo Butter & Tomato Chipotle Syrup
pancake recipe adapted from Closet Cooking
makes about 12 four inch pancakes

For pancakes:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup blue cornmeal (regular works, too)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 TBL sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 TBL butter, melted
• 3/4 cup corn, about 1 ear (frozen is fine, too)

For butter:

1 ripe avocado

1/2 head roasted garlic (about 6 cloves)

1 tsp lime juice

salt to taste

For syrup:

1 can chopped tomatoes (with juice)

2 chipotle chiles in adobe

1 TBL sugar

salt to taste

In a food processor or blender add the can of tomatoes to the chiles, sugar, and some salt. Blend until smooth. Dump into a small sauce pan over medium heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Set aside. 

In a food processor or blender add the avocado, garlic, lime juice, and some salt. Blend until smooth. Taste for adequate salt, set aside. 

In a medium bowl mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, mix melted butter, eggs, and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined, try not to over mix. Fold in corn. 

Add dollops of pancake batter to a hot skillet, flipping when bubbles appear in the batter. Top with "butter" and "syrup" and have fun. Enjoy!