It's school vacation week, and until I woke up this morning it had been raining for the past 5 days, pretty much straight. That confluence of factors meant that yesterday I literally did not get dressed.
Now before you go worrying about my mental health, be assured that this was a sign neither of depression nor lack of motivation, but of rebellious *fun.* My kids thought it was hysterical that at 4pm I was still in my tank top and pajama bottoms, my hair a bird's nest of knots and tangles, my slippers firmly adhered to my feet. They didn't get dressed either. Even the dog kept his distance, wondering what our collective state of dishevelment said about the natural order of things.
Or maybe we just smelled.
As we listened to the rain pound the rooftop and read aloud chapters from Louis Sachar's Wayside School, I thought about my school vacations of yore. They were pretty boring. I always wanted to go somewhere or do something. Not Getting Dressed wouldn't have been enough of an activity to keep me entertained.
But times have changed. During a normal week, there'd be Hebrew school, baseball, orthodontist appointments, and piano, house guests, grocery runs, pitches and deadlines. So having a day off, even off from getting dressed, was something we all relished.
Plus, there were pancakes.
...
Recipe for Buttermilk Banana Pancakes
These pancakes are crazy-light from all the buttermilk, which aerates them, and whole wheat pastry flour, which keeps them tender. I incorporated the bananas into the batter, but you can certainly spoon them on top instead, if you prefer. Relax... it's vacation week.
Makes about 25 pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 small banana, cut into very thin slices
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Then whisk in the buttermilk and melted butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, then stir well with a rubber spatula to combine. Make sure to sweep the bottom of the bowl with your spatula to moisten all the hidden flour particles. Fold in the sliced banana.
Set a large griddle over a medium-high flame and allow to heat up thoroughly, until a drop of water sizzles, then evaporates. Grease with nonstick spray.
Use a standard ice cream scoop to spoon the batter onto the hot griddle , and cook 2 or 3 minutes total, flipping once or twice. (The bananas make it harder to judge doneness, so test one to be sure it's cooked through.)
Serve hot with syrup, and additional bananas if desired.
