BREAKFAST: SIMPLE WAYS TO TRANSFORM YOUR MORNING PANCAKES

Nothing says “OMG, it’s the weekend!” like pancakes. Someone has taken the time to get up before you, cook them, toss the first one because it’s always horrible, and deliver crisp-edged discs of sweet dough to you in bed, at the table, or while you’re watching cartoons. (Come on, we’ve all been there.) Or maybe that person is you, and you love your people enough to ensure that they wake up to the scent of pancakes.

There’s no need to eat plain Jane pancakes when there’s a whole world of options out there, though. Here are a few of our favorite flapjack add-ons, because while a good thing is good, why not go for great? 

Bacon

Crumble bits of cooked bacon into the batter, or—if you’re feeling like a champ—pour batter over whole cooked slices. Bacon, syrup, pancakes, in one fell breakfast treat.

 Orange
If you’re a citrus fan, you can add bits of orange zest or a splash of juice to the batter itself. Maybe go for sugar or honey instead of syrup on this one; citrus and honey are familiar friends.

Chocolate Chips

Classic for a reason. Add as many as you want, again at the batter stage. And hold off on syrup; a flurry of powdered sugar and a fat slab of butter are the way to go, so you can more easily taste the chocolate.

Blueberries

You feel that much healthier when you get fruit into the batter, and blueberries add an excellent texture sensation—all juice and pop—when they are pancake-i-fied.

Raspberries 
Raspberries add color, tartness and all-around delight. Be sure to chop them small or puree them. If you do the latter, add them to the batter with a tiny bit less liquid than you’d otherwise use.



Peaches
Peaches are the epitome of summer, and chopped small they lend textural interest and natural sweetness.

Bananas

Rare is the child who doesn’t flip for a banana pancake. Adults have a tough time resisting their charms, too. Slice the bananas thin, adding them to the pancake while on the griddle for looks. You can also mince them and add them to the batter, if you prefer.

Ricotta

There’s an inimitable lightness to a ricotta pancake; try swapping out the milk in the recipe below for ricotta, and drizzle in a bit of milk if the batter looks too thick. Top them with honey or a spoonful more of ricotta, hit with a light dusting of black pepper. (Trust us.)

Eggnog
Around the winter holidays, swap the milk portion of your recipe for eggnog. Garnish with grated nutmeg and cinnamon for the most Christmas-y brunch we can imagine.

Granola

Quick pancakes get a wholesome (and just the right amount of hearty) with oatmeal, walnuts, honey and cinnamon. 

MARBLED BANANA BREAD

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick cooking spray

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pan

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 medium very ripe bananas

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust well with all-purpose flour to cover the pan completely, tapping out the excess.

2 Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth, 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly while preparing the batter.

3 Combine the bananas and sugar in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until mostly smooth with just a few small pieces of banana left. Add the oil and eggs and stir until combined. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix in both flours, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla.

4 Stir 1 cup batter into the melted chocolate. Fill the loaf pan with half the banana batter and then half the chocolate batter. Repeat the layers and gently swirl together using a spoon or knife. Bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

5 Cool in the pan 15 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Cook's Note: To prepare your loaf pan for baking, you can also use a non-stick spray with flour already in it. Flouring the pan helps the bread rise well and prevents any collapse after it comes out of the oven.