Pascale's Kitchen: Yummy pancakes

We are already halfway through the summer, day camps are starting to wrap up, and many parents are probably racking their brains, trying to come up with more fun activities they can do with the kids over the next few hot weeks until school commences.

In my experience, preparing activities ahead of time is the best way to make vacation days with kids more relaxing and enjoyable for everyone involved.

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The most important bit of advice that I can give regarding food preparation is involve the kids as much as possible. Even really young kids can be involved in at least one step of preparation, and as kids get older, they can be put in charge of more and more steps. And it’s also not the end of the world if kids have some downtime during the day, too. 

Even if you’re not so into cooking or baking yourself, involving your kids in the kitchen is a great way to make time spent with your kids more enjoyable, and can really change the dynamic at home, making the overall atmosphere more positive and fun.

Of course, it’s easier (and less messy) to do all the steps on your own, but enabling your children to gain cooking skills from a young age can also help with their self-confidence. Little children should never be left alone in the kitchen, and anyway you might be surprised at how much they love working together with you.

So, in celebration of summer freedom and yummy food, below you will find three recipes for breakfast foods that are really just desserts that we tell ourselves are okay to eat for breakfast: pancakes, omelets and waffles. These dishes are loved by kids, teens and adults alike. And they certainly don’t need to be eaten only in the morning – any time of day is fine. All you need is a good frying pan or waffle maker.

If you own a waffle maker, I suggest you take it out and set it down on the kitchen counter, so you can grab it when you’re ready. And check that you have a quality frying pan that is good for making pancakes.

Next, check your pantry for toppings that your family members like eating on waffles and pancakes, such as maple syrup, chocolate, raspberry or strawberry jam, powdered sugar, silan or honey. Some people also like to add whipped cream or ice cream to their waffles.

In short, the more you let your kids be active in the preparation of food, the more they’ll enjoy eating the food they made. May we all have a fun, active and memorable summer holiday!

PANCAKES

Makes 20 pancakes.

• 1½ cups flour, sifted (can combine with whole wheat flour)
• 1 packet baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. white or brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk or buttermilk (or mixed with a bit of sweet cream)
• 50 gr. butter, melted

For greasing pan:

• Butter-flavor spray or butter

Additions:

• Butter 
• Maple syrup
• Fresh fruit pieces

Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to a bowl and mix well. Form a well in the center and pour in the rest of the ingredients, while mixing with a whisk. Mix until all the lumps have disappeared. Place the bowl in the fridge or let it sit on the countertop for 15-20 minutes, then whisk again.

Spray a frying pan with oil, or brush with melted butter and heat to medium-high. Use a ladle or transfer batter to a pitcher, and pour small circles onto the hot pan. Do not crowd the pan, and keep space between each pancake.

Fry on the first side until the edges have browned and bubbles have formed. Flip the pancakes and fry on the second side for a few seconds. Then, transfer to a serving platter. Start frying your second batch of pancakes, and continue in the same format until you’ve used up all the batter.

Serve hot with butter, maple syrup and cut-up fresh fruit.

Level of difficulty: Medium.Time: 1 hour.Status: Dairy/parve.

SWEET MINI OMELETS WITH CHEESE

Makes 20 mini omelets.

• 4 eggs
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2½ cups milk
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 2 cups flour, sifted
• Canola oil for frying

Cheese filling:

• 1 container 5% or 9% white cheese spread
• 1 container (250 gr.) 30% cream cheese 
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. honey or silan
• ½ cup raisins
• A pinch of lemon or orange zest
• 2 Tbsp. instant vanilla pudding powder (optional)

Topping:

• ½ cup powdered sugar

Serving suggestions:

• Cut-up fruit, ice cream, whipped cream, maple syrup, honey or silan

To prepare the mini omelets, add the eggs, salt, milk and butter to a medium bowl and whisk by hand until mixed well.

Pour the flour into a large bowl, and slowly add the egg mixture, while whisking. The batter should be watery. If it’s too thick, add another ¼ cup milk or water.

Heat a little oil in a 20-cm. frying pan over a low flame. Pour off any excess oil into a small bowl to use later.

Using a ladle, pour a bit of the mixture onto the middle of a frying pan. Shake the pan gently so that the mixture spreads out in a thin layer over the entire pan. Cook for 2 minutes until the omelet firms up and the edges begin to rise up. Then, flip it over and fry on the other side for a few seconds.

To prepare the cheese filling, combine all of the ingredients in a separate bowl. Spread 1 or 2 spoonfuls of cheese mixture over the cooked omelet, then roll it up tightly.

Alternatively, add the filling, then fold the omelet in half.

Level of difficulty: Medium.Time: 30 minutes.Status: Dairy.

BELGIAN WAFFLES

Makes 12-14 waffles. 

• 1¾ cups flour, sifted (can combine with whole wheat or spelt flour)
• 1 packet baking powder
• 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 100 gr. butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1¼-1½ cups milk, buttermilk, sour cream or whipping cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla or lemon zest
• Butter for the pan

Serving suggestions:

• 1 container sweet whipping cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• Melted chocolate, maple syrup or honey
• Cut-up fresh fruit, such as apples, pears, grapes, mango, strawberries or other berries

Heat the waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. While mixing, add the melted butter, beaten eggs, milk or other liquid, and vanilla or zest. Mix vigorously until all the lumps have disappeared.

Lightly grease the waffle maker. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture onto the waffle maker so that it fills up all the sections. Close the device and let the waffle cook until it has turned golden brown. Remove the waffle and place it on a serving platter. Make the rest of the waffles in the same fashion until you’ve used up all the batter, greasing the device each time.

You can serve the waffles plain, with just a little sugar or powdered sugar on top. But if you’d like to make them even more special, serve them with maple syrup, melted chocolate, whipped cream and/or cut-up fresh fruit and a ball of ice cream.

Level of difficulty: Medium.Time: 1 hour.Status: Dairy.

Translated by Hannah Hochner.