I know that I am preaching to the choir when I say this, but it has come again to my attention that some parents of teenagers think that my food’s class is frivolous! Ha! I have witnessed first hand during our second lab that basic cooking skills are needed. These include knowing the difference between a tablespoon and a teaspoon, measuring dry ingredients correctly in a dry measuring cup, and that a skillet must be preheated before pouring pancake batter in the pan. Nothing ceases to amaze me in the food’s lab after so many years of teaching. What does amaze me that some parents don’t think that being able to prepare nutritious meals at home is a necessary skill. Well, I am not going there today! But, I was pleased to see this article in Cooking Light last month Bring Back Home Economics to Schools! If I get on my soap box today I will take up way too much space here and too much of your valuable time. Let’s get to the light version of the pancakes we made last week. They were delightful!
When I was giving my demonstration I tried a new recipe using sour cream and melted butter. While I loved the taste I was not pleased with the texture. I am a lover of light and fluffy pancakes, not the thin crepe type. So after giving the students the basic instructions of putting pancakes together I changed the ingredients to make a lighter and fluffier version. The one that I used came from Cooking Light. The recipe calls for much less fat than most recipes.
The results in most groups were fantastic, but we were not without a few mishaps from using the wrong measurements, preheating to the wrong temperature , or in some cases not preheating the skillet at all. Some students did admit that they should pay closer attention when I am cooking for them. Well, yes that is the whole idea behind demonstrating. Here is the recipe for you to try on a beautiful fall Saturday morning.
Buttermilk Pancakes from Cooking Light
Yield 18 medium pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Directions:
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.
- Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture.
- Combine buttermilk, oil, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup batter onto a hot nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray.
- Turn pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.
Talk about a show stopper this Sky-High Brunch Bake is one that will stop you in your tracks! I could not resist making it when I saw the picture in 
The Teacher Cooks 