The world's most perfect breakfast food

The pancake.

A year and a half ago, not this past fall but the prior one, I was in search of a yummy holiday breakfast. Something that pushed the taste buds and made you feel warm all over. I stumbled across this recipe and fell in love. They are so moist, delectable, and my husband adores them. Notable, as he's not a true "pancake person." He'll eat them, but he doesn't LOVE them. These pancakes he LOVES. Even better? The kids devour them too. I think what really makes these is the vinegar, which does react with the baking powder, making them bubbly, light, and airy.

Well, as time wore on, I began to experiment with this perfect food, finding my own combinations.

Banana: Replace pumpkin with mashed banana, remove all spices except for Cinnamon and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Applesauce: Replace pumpkin with chunky, thick applesauce (the less water the better). Keep the spices the same.

Blueberry (my personal favorite): Replace pumpkin with sweet potato. Remove allspice, add 1 tsp vanilla. Add 1-1.5 cups of blueberries (2 small containers of blueberries).

The tricks to making perfect pancakes:

(1) Don't over mix the wet and the dry. Blend together well, and then stop.

(2) Don't get overly zealous and make them too large. I use a 1/4 cup to keep myself in check.

(3) Use a griddle. They work SO much better than a fry pan. Perfect pancakes, every time.

(4) Use LOTS of butter. I use less when I'm making it for the family, and more when I want to impress guests. Good butter makes a very thin ring of golden goodness on the pancakes. If you like Cracker-Barrel pancakes - this will get you the same effect. I probably toss a heaping tablespoon onto the griddle each time I pour.

Final tip: I always make a double batch, and freeze everything that we don't eat for breakfast. I freeze them in 3-pancake portions (it's the perfect amount for each of us, and for the kids to share). Then I just take them out and nuke them when I need them. Better than Eggo!