Weekend Pancakes Recipe: Michael Smith’s Family Meals

Daddy Cooks Sunday Morning

In our house we have a tradition every Sunday Daddy picks one of the kids and together they make Pancakes. When I say Pancakes I don’t mean those box kind that are over stuffed with Gluten and no nutritional value, I mean made from scratch with yummy add-ons and always paired with Maple Syrup and/ or a yummy homemade berry sauce.

We go way back.

When Penguin Random House Canada asked me if I was interested in testing out Michael Smith new cookbook Michael Smith’s Family Meals I didn’t think twice. You see I collect cookbooks, this isn’t something that I went out of my way to do, it just happened. This is not the first Michael Smith cookbook in my kitchen I have been a long time fan of Michael’s cooking between watching every hit cooking show of his on Food Network Canada to following in love with his beloved PEI in person last Summer. I am one of Michael Smith’s biggest fans!

Michael Smith’s Family Meals Cook Book

Family Meals features 100 recipes straight from Michael’s home kitchen – his passion for real, homemade food and his love for simple, healthy cooking comes through in every recipe. On top of amazing meals for Breakfast & Brunch, Simple Salads, Soups, Stews & Casseroles, you’ll also find ideas for Family Meals in Minutes, Cook Ahead, Meatless Mondays, Slow Cookers & Pressure Cookers, Lunchbox & Snacks – and of course every family’s favourite – Sweets & Treats!

Michael has also included easy and helpful top ten tips for Family Cooking (“Begin by Shopping Together), Weekday Meals (“Plan Ahead”), Tidying Up (“Clean as You Go”), Easy Snacks (“Pita Pizza”), and Lunchbox Ideas (“Hand Fruit”) all designed to keep your family kitchen running smoothly.

With beautiful full-colour photography and easy-to-follow instructions for every recipe, it’s simple to try some of Michael’s favourites, such as Weekend Pancakes, Nacho Burgers, Old World Chicken Cacciatore, Special Shrimp Fried Rice, Tortilla Lasagna and Boston Cream Cupcakes. Michael Smith’s Family Meals is the must-have cookbook for families to enjoy cooking and eating healthy, delicious food together.

Weekend Pancakes

Serves 4 to 6, easily doubled

• Kid 1: The Dry Ingredients
• 1 cup (250mL) of unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (250mL) of whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (250mL) of quick-cooking rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons (30mL) of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5mL) of cinnamon or nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon (2mL) of salt
• Kid 2 or parent: the wet ingredients
• 2 expertly cracked eggs
• 2 cups (500mL) of any milk (dairy or otherwise)
• 2 tablespoons (30mL) of vegetable oil or melted butter, plus more for the pan
• 2 tablespoons (30mL) of honey
• 1 tablespoon (15mL) of pure vanilla extract

While the kids get out bowls and measure the wet and dry ingredients, heat your largest, heaviest skillet or griddle or medium-high heat. Gas, electric, induction or campfire-strive for that magical mark just past halfway, where food sizzles and browns without burning.

Share the whisk so you don’t have to wash two of them. First whisk the dry ingredients together, then give the wet team a turn. Switch to a wooden spoon and gradually stir the wet into the dry, letting everybody stir the works a bit and not worrying whether the batter will be mixed wrong. Just make sure the batter is evenly combined.

Coat your hot pan with a swirl of vegetable oil. Spoon in the batter, filling the pan with any size or shape of pancakes. Cook until the bottom of every last pancake is golden brown before flamboyantly flipping the flapjacks. Continue cooking for a few minutes longer until the pancakes are firm. If need be, keep warm in a 200F (100C) oven while you repeat with the remaining batter, dealing pancakes like you’re working the Vegas strip.

Devour with lots of decadently melting butter and of course a long pour of real maple syrup- none of that Auntie-artificial corn syrup stuff for these high-grade pancakes! Serve and share!

Do you have a go-to Pancake recipe?

Thank you for reading In R Dream!