Light and Fluffy Marathon Pancakes

Absolutely The Best Pancakes Ever: Light and Fluffy Marathon Pancakes
4ish servings

from Meredith (who does cool things like refinish furniture, and tackle daunting house projects, and run marathons)

1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. milk
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
vegetable oil

Whisk the lemon juice and milk together in a medium bowl or large measuring cup; set aside to thicken while preparing the other ingredients (or, if you have buttermilk on hand, use 2 cups buttermilk instead of this mixture).

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to combine.

Whisk the egg and melted butter into the milk until combined.  Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl; pour in the milk mixture and stir VERY GENTLY until just combined (there should be a few lumps, but DO NOT overmix!!)

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add a little oil, swirl it around to coat evenly. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto 3 spots on the skillet.  Cook the pancakes until large bubbles appear.  Flip and cook until golden brown.

Serve immediately.

I don't know about you, but every so often I get a hankering for really awesome pancakes.  Like last night, as I was laying in bed, winding down from watching a few episodes of Arrested Development online ... and all of a sudden I wanted pancakes.  Not just any pancakes, mind you ... these pancakes.  Oh, they are so delicious!  And they're fluffy (don't laugh at me, I know the name says they are, but I just wanted you to really believe that they are as fluffy as they are titled).  The batter gets so airy and poofy, and the forthcoming pancakes are delightfully light.

I (somehow) talked myself out of it last night (it was 9:30, after all), but woke up this morning with Pancake Brain.  There were only three pancakes left over from breakfast, and I ate two as an afternoon snack.  (In case you're wondering, that's why I said "4ish servings."  Meredith's original recipe says 4-6 ... but two adults, one child, and one snacker finished them off quite easily.  Hmm.)

This recipe is now seated rather firmly on the Pancake Pedestal, and all other pancake recipes I try (including the ever-convenient boxed mix) will now have to scrape and scratch at the Pinnacle of Pancakehood in competition.  I don't give them much of a chance, though.  These are that awesome.

And in case you're wondering a little more, the answer is yes ... we're expecting again!  That's why I have crazy food cravings at 9:30 at night, why I snack on carbs all day, and why if you call mid-afternoon I'm probably napping.  Yippee!