Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

• These are super good!
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• Ingredients
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• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Unsalted butter
• 2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
• Pure maple syrup

Directions

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Pita Bread

Last September I started baking our own sandwich bread. I kinda set a goal for myself to bake all our own bread and also try making pita pockets, English Muffins and tortillas. You saw the tortilla post, so here's my pita bread. It didn't really "puff" into pockets, but was thick enough to cut a serviceable slit in most of them. They tasted great! I will definitely try this again.

Pita Bread

3 c unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 c water
2 tbsp vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Knead the dough with dough hook for 5 minutes until it's smooth. Place dough in greased bowl and let rest for 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto oiled work surface and divide into eight pieces. Roll 2-4 of the pieces into 6 inch circles and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Let rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking sheet on lowest rack and bake for 5 minutes. Then place on middle rack and back additional 2 minutes, or until brown.

Remove pitas from oven and wrap in clean towel to keep them soft. Repeat with remaining dough. Store pitas in airtight plastic bag.

My Whole Wheat Bread

Here is the recipe for the bread that I make for our family. I crank out about two loaves a week, on average. Much cheaper, healthier and yummier than you buy from a store!

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp milk
2 tbsp oil (I use vegetable oil)
1/4 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
2 cups white flour (unbleached)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dry active yeast

Directions:
* Measure all ingredients into bread machine and set on Dough cycle. Wait 1:20 until finished (or whatever your machine does).

* With lightly greased hands, gently shape dough and place into greased bread pan (I love my Pampered Chef stone one) and cover with clean towel.

* Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled - approx. 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 in the meantime.

* Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

* Let rest in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.