Fluffy Banana Pancakes

I cherish the days when I can wake up to these. I served this batch to my boys - and the friends they had over - and it got VERY quiet VERY fast. And guess what, I made about 24 pancakes, in advance, and kept them warm in the oven. Everyone got hot flapjacks at the same time - and I was finished standing over the griddle!

One funny thing happened - I told everyone these were "banana pancakes". Which they are. But Luke thought that meant that I put banana puree in the batter. He knows me all too well; I put banana puree in lots of baked goods to cut the fat and add moisture. This time, he was surprised to find whole banana slices in the pancakes! It was adorable when he flipped one over and said, "Oh, there are ACTUAL bananas in these". Maybe you had to be there...

Anyway, I prefer making my pancake batter from scratch. I find packaged mixes a little bland, AND I like adding a little sugar and vanilla. Yes, I've used prepared mixes in the past, and I always add vanilla extract. Sometimes maple syrup. Feel free to sub your favorite pancake or waffle batter and skip the whole measuring-the-ingredients step. Just follow the instructions on the package.

Warm pancakes for everyone. As I mentioned, I wanted to serve all the kids at the same time, so I made ALL the pancakes at once and kept them warm in the oven. Here's how to do it: When the pancakes are finished cooking on the griddle, transfer them to a foil-lined baking sheet and place the baking sheet in a preheated 200-degree oven. They will be fine for at least 15-20 minutes that way. If you're worried about the tops of the pancakes drying out, cover the tray loosely with foil (don't cover tightly or the pancakes will steam under there; steamed pancakes get floppy and you'll lose those awesome crisp edges).

Fluffy Banana Pancakes
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
2-3 bananas, sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch thick rounds
Powdered sugar for serving, optional
Maple syrup for serving (we like ours WARM)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Whisk until blended but still a little lumpy (don't overmix or the pancakes will cook up heavy, not light and fluffy).
Coat a large griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. Spoon the batter onto the hot griddle, using about 1/4 cup of the batter per pancake. When tiny bubbles appear around the edges of the pancakes, arrange the banana slices on top (about 5-6 slices is great). Flip the pancakes and brown lightly on the second side.
Transfer the finished pancakes to a large, foil-lined baking sheet and keep in a warm (200-degree) oven while you finish making the rest of the pancakes.
Sift the powdered sugar over the pancakes before serving if desired. Serve with maple syrup.

Serves 4-6