Recipe: The Perfect Homemade Pancake Mix (using whole wheat or oat flour, 7-grain cereal)

THE PERFECT PANCAKE MIX

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, optional
2 cups whole-wheat flour (or oat flour, or a combination)
1 cup seven-whole-grain cereal (available at health-food stores and some supermarkets)
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)

Sift all-purpose flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add whole-wheat or oat flour, cereal, cornmeal and wheat germ; stir until well blended. Store in an airtight container (if using wheat germ, refrigerate).

Makes 7 1/2 cups (enough for 15 batches of 5 pancakes)

---

PERFECT PANCAKES

1 tablespoon butter
1 egg
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream or milk
1/2 cup perfect pancake mix (recipe above)

Place a griddle or skillet on medium heat. Add butter and let it melt.

While the butter melts, break the egg into a medium bowl. Pour in the yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream or milk. Lightly beat with a fork or a wire whisk. Add the pancake mix and stir with a large spoon just until smooth. Do not stir too much or the pancakes will be tough, not tender.

Ladle spoonfuls of batter onto the hot griddle. You should have enough to make about 5 pancakes. Turn the pancakes with a spatula when you see air bubbles on the top (after about 1 minute). Cook the other side until brown.

VARIATIONS:

FOR BLUEBERRY PANCAKES:
Stir 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter before cooking.

FOR APPLE-WALNUT PANCAKES:
Toss chopped walnuts, sliced apples and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon into your batter.

FOR BANANA PANCAKES:
Top the pancakes with sliced bananas before flipping.

FOR PERSONALIZED PANCAKES:
Shape the batter on the griddle into hearts, your mother's initials, or MOM.

Makes about 5 medium pancakes.
Adapted from source: Disney's Family Cookbook by Deanna F. Cook