Thursday Recipe - Galoop Hotcakes

This is an old recipe I got from my dad years ago. I think they're called Galoop Hotcakes because you put a big galoop of the batter on the hot pan to make them.

They're loaded with all sorts of good stuff like oatmeal and dried fruit. They definitely fill you up and keep you going for a long time.

Galoop Hotcakes

2 c. flour (white, whole-wheat, or any combo of the two)
1 c. powdered milk
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 c. sugar (white, brown, or whatever you have)
1 c. oatmeal
3 eggs
about 2 c. water
OPTIONAL ingredients:
spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cardamom, fennel, anise, cloves)
nuts (1 c. of chopped pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, sliced almonds, etc.)
dried fruit (chop it up if it's large, but any dried fruit works in this, raisins and dates are traditional)
fresh fruit/veggies (grated apple, grated carrot, shredded zucchini, chopped plums, peaches, pineapple, apricots, cherries, fresh or frozen berries of any sort, etc—just make sure it is in small pieces so it can cook)
1/2 c. coconut

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add the eggs, 1 c. water, and any of the optional ingredients that you want. Stir together. Add enough additional water to make a thick batter. (If you use fresh fruit, you will need less water. If you use dried fruit, you may need to add more water.)

Scoop out by large galoops onto hot griddle (about 1/4 c. per hotcake). Cook until bubbles break and don't fill back in, about 2-4 minutes. Flip carefully. Cook until browned on the other side and not goopy in the middle, about 1-2 minutes longer. If they are getting too browned, turn the heat down. These are better if you cook them slower on a lower heat than normal pancakes.

Serve hot with plenty of butter, jam, syrup, honey, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, sliced fruit, etc. Or just eat them plain.

Thursday Recipe - Man Cakes

Manly enough for a man to make, but tasty enough for a king to eat.

Okay, forget that. Too many bad jokes trying to co-exist in that sentence. I realized I haven't posted a basic pancake recipe. They are really easy to make and tasty. Make a good basic pancake and you can get as wild and crazy with the toppings as you want. Pudding, jam, syrup, fruit, yogurt, ice cream, or maybe chicken gravy.

Man Cakes

1 c. white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 egg
1 c. milk or milk substitute
2 T. melted butter

Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Crack egg into a small bowl. Add milk and butter and beat together. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, be careful to only stir until mixed. You want a few lumps.

Heat 1 t. oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour batter into the pan about 1/4 c. at a time. Cook until bubbles form on the top of the pancake and only half of them break and the edges of the cake are just starting to brown. Flip carefully. Cook for another minute or two until the cake is done all the way through.

Repeat cooking process until all of the batter is cooked.

Serve with your favorite toppings. Serves 3-6 depending on how hungry they are.

If you like your pancakes thicker, just add less milk. If you like them thinner, add more. This isn't science; it's cooking! Experiment a little.

You can make these with all white flour or all whole wheat flour. The half-and-half I use keeps them light and fluffy while still giving the fiber and healthiness of the whole wheat.