Hollie's House!

I remember as a kid that one of our favorite places to go was Twin Falls.  "Why?" may you ask did we love Twin Falls so much?  It was where the cousins lived.  The cousins that we didn't see very often and when we did, it was the biggest treat.  That's how Hollie's House is to my kids now.  We had the best time visiting.  Granted it was a fast and furious trip for some of us but well worth it.  I think J said it best.  "I won't miss this trip ever again.  It's a keeper!"  We played and played and sat and sat and ate and ate.  A perfect trip, and did I mention that Hollie is a fabulous cook.  I love everything she makes.  She made the best pancakes Sat. morning!

It is just a simple buttermilk pancake that is absolutely de-lic-ious!  When I was a kid every Sat. my mom would make waffles for breakfast.  I hated them.  Sorry Mom, but she knew I didn't like them, but I would eat a token square just because my mom went to all that work.  She'd stirred that Bisquick mix together in the wee morning hours to make those she loved happy.   Then one day I married Jimmy Bob and I became a part of another family as well.  We were up at his parents home one morning early and his mom was making waffles.  I remember her asking me if I wanted one, but I politely declined.  I didn't like waffles.  But my hunger got the best of me and I succumbed to a nasty little waffle.  Oh, but this was no nasty little waffle it was pure love on a plate.  A crispy outside and yummy inside.  I felt like I had just eaten one of the best things on the planet!  I asked my mother-in-law how she made these tasty little tidbits and she immediately just rattled the recipe out.  Now that was true talent I thought.  A recipe was memorized and easily recalled out of her mind in no time.  I was impressed!  I now have passed that waffle/pancake recipe on to my favorite people.  And now I share it with all my other favorites too.

Now sometimes the idea of making pancakes from scratch seems a little too domesticated for most people.  I beg to differ.    There is no domestication necessary at all.  Just a big fat bottle of buttermilk is needed.  Everything else is already in your pantry at home, but after you try this recipe you will have buttermilk in your fridge, every moment, of every day, for the rest of your long legged life.  Or in my case, my short, stalk-y, but tanned legged life.  (You know tan fat is way more attractive than white fat.  It's a fact of life.)  I always have a half gallon of buttermilk in my fridge.  It doesn't ever go bad even if it is two months past it's expiration date. That only makes it better.  Don't try the lame substitution that most cookbooks say is a substitution for buttermilk either.  Plain old milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice just equals crap!  Just suck it up and buy a bottle of buttermilk!

The recipe can easily be doctored up a bit too.  Hollie made the recipe into pancakes and added fresh blueberries.  YUMMMMM!  We then topped them with fresh strawberries from my lovely little patch, buttermilk syrup (I've written about this about 2 million times, but I'll still give you the post to that.  Another good reason to have buttermilk in the fridge.) and cream.   I love adding 1/4 c. of corn meal into the batter.  It gives it a little texture.  Or mashing up a banana or two and adding a handful of chopped pecans for Banana Nut Pancakes.  Or the best of all------Huckleberry Pancakes!  But I will not tell my secret picking spot or there may be too many Huckleberry pickers this year.  Enjoy this recipe and trust me.  You will never make another pancake with Krusteaz or Bisquick again.  In the words of my father dearest, "Those were the best pancakes on the planet.  They floated off the plate and into my mouth!"  Delish!!

My Mother-In-Laws Perfect Pancake or Waffles

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1/4 c. oil

2 T. sugar

2 c. buttermilk (I usually use a little more)

Pour onto a greased waffle iron or griddle and enjoy the loveliness.  Optional ideas-  1/4 c. corn meal, mashed bananas and pecans, or blueberries or huckleberries.  Fresh or frozen.