Puffy Pancakes with Berries

These have been a favorite of my husband's since high school.  So, when I came across this version with berries in it, I was excited!  They have become the new favorite in our house and are requested daily!  They are quick and easy and you can make them with or without berries! We like ours with powdered sugar and syrup.

Puffy Pancakes with Berries

(4 servings)

3 T butter

3/4 cup flour

1/4 t salt

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1 t vanilla

1 cup berries (fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or blackberries or a combination)

Preheat oven to 450.  Once it is hot, place better in a cast iron pan (or just an oven safe glass pan) and place it in the oven to heat up and melt the butter.  

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.  In a separate bowl combine the eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until smooth.

Remove the hot pan from the over (the butter should be bubbly, but not burned).  Pour the batter into the hot pan and then add the berries.  Return the pan to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes until nicely browned and puffy around the edges. 

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut into pieces and serve with syrup.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cookies

I wanted something new, yummy and chocolate for this rather warm Sunday. As I was browsing, I came across these cookies and was intrigued that they used buttermilk, especially since I had some in my fridge I needed to use.  I found them on this website.  I modified mine and used Andes Mint pieces in half of the dough.  The chocolate mint were the favorite in our house, but both are fantastic!
They got rave reviews by all and my 7 year old said they were definitely "blog worthy"!  They are soft, gooey and totally chocolatey! YUM!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cookies
(about 2 1/2 dozen)

2 cups flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 t vanilla
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups chocolate chips (Andes Mint pieces, white chocolate chip or semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.   Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl.  In a large bowl, combine melted butter (still warm) with the cocoa powder and whisk until very smooth.  Whisk in the buttermilk, egg, vanilla and the sugar.  Gradually stir in the flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain.  Add the chips you are using or divide the dough in half and do 2 different kinds! Drop by the spoonful onto prepared pan about 2 inches apart (these spread).  Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cookies are set on the edges.  The middle will be doughy but firm up as they cool.  Let them cool for a few minutes on the pan and then cool completely on a wire rack.