Pancakes - Classic, Banana, and Orange Juice

I love pancakes.  They're so easy to make.  Whenever I see boxed pancake mixes, I shake my head with dismay.  Make your pancakes from scratch, I beseech you!  Home cookin' is always better.  

This isn't the simplest pancake recipe in my repertoire, but it's my favorite.  Thumbs up to           America's Test Kitchen.  I simply added bananas to their already perfected recipe.


Ingredients
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons melted butter + 2 tablespoons butter
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ripe bananas (optional to add bananas; ratio = 2 bananas: 1 cup flour)

Directions
1. Mix lemon juice and milk together. Set aside.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
3. Whisk egg and melted butter into the milk until combined. Set aside.
4. Mash bananas with a fork, then slowly stir in the egg mixture.
5. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients in the bowl and pour the milk mixture into it. Whisk gently until ingredients are just combined. You want the batter to be lumpy. Do not overmix or the pancakes will come out rubbery.
6. Heat a pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add a small pat of butter and pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan. When large bubbles appear and pop on the top of the pancake, flip. Cook each side for 1-2 minutes.
6. Serve immediately or keep the pancakes warm on a cookie tray in the oven at 200 degrees.

- For Classic Pancakes, leave out the bananas.
- For Banana Pancakes, follow the instructions above.
- For Orange Juice Pancakes (they really are delicious and you should try them), replace the milk with equal parts orange juice and leave out the lemon juice. These, by far, get the best reviews from my friends. :)

 { mash those bananers! }

 { bananas after mashing }

 { little lone pancake }

{ time to eat! }