Do you often use your freezer? Other than storing ice cream and popsicles and whatever frozen foods we’ve picked up, I have found the freezer to be such a useful and time saving tool in our home. The freezer is a perfect way to plan ahead for a busy day or season, prep ahead of time for a big gathering, or to help you stay on budget a little more closely.
One example of this is how I prep for family birthdays or big baking events. Did you know you can freeze both buttercream and baked cake layers and they will stay fresh for weeks? This is so helpful for me leading up to a birthday. I can bake and prep everything needed for a cake ahead of time, wrap it well and freeze it, and then pull everything out the day before to make a fresh cake! I have even assembled a whole cake and frozen it – the freezer is so helpful!
On a more practical, day to day basis we still take advantage of our freezer quite a bit. With several kids and lots to get done on any given day, breakfast can be a busy and demanding time in our home. I’ve found that stocking our freezer with our kids favorite homemade breakfast items gives them more independence in the morning and gives me more time. We love muffins, so I’ll make several batches at once and freeze them all. We also love pancakes, so on a day when I have extra time, I’ll make a double or triple batch and freeze the extras for later. And for a special treat every once in a while, I’ll even freeze pans of cinnamon rolls.
All of this food is already fully cooked, so all we have to do the morning of is take it out of the freezer, pop them in the microwave, toaster, or oven for a bit and enjoy breakfast. This has truly been such a game-changer for our family.
Today I am going to share our favorite homemade pancake recipe with you. This is a recipe my mom has been making since I was small, so it is definitely tried and true. And I bet you can guess who I learned the freezer trick from… yep, it was Mom! This recipe is very simple with only four basic ingredients. After the pancakes are made, it’s up to you to decide how fancy you want to make them with toppings. We usually top ours with fruit and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. On fancy days we definitely pull out the chocolate chips and sprinkles. Cinnamon is a yummy mix-in to add a little extra flavor to the batter! They are also great paired with this homemade strawberry jelly!
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, egg, milk, and oil. The mixture should be mostly smooth but a few small lumps are ok. Heat a griddle or skillet to medium high heat – about 300-350 degrees. Once the griddle is hot, pour a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and spread gently into a circle. Let the pancakes cook until bubbles begin to rise to the surface and pop. Once this happens, flip the pancake over and let cook until done, about a minute or two longer. The pancakes should have a nice golden color, but this will depend on the temperature of your griddle. If the color is not as dark as you would like turn it up a bit, or turn it down if it cooking too quickly and burning. As the pancakes finish cooking, pile them up on a plate to enjoy.
If you plan to freeze the pancakes, let them cool to room temperature. Then, place in a freezer bag, seal, and store in the freezer. So simple! When you are ready to enjoy a pancake or two, remove from the bag and warm in the toaster for that fresh made taste.
We have been making these pancakes for years and will continue to do so. They are simple and delicious, and I hope they are a joy for your family too!
Enjoy,
Anna
Homemade Pancakes
Simple to make and so delicious, these pancakes are the perfect start to your morning.
Source: Anna Reid
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 5 min
Total Time: 10 min
Yield: 9-10
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, egg, milk, and oil. The mixture should be mostly smooth, but a few small lumps are okay.
- On a hot griddle or skillet, pour a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and spread gently into a circle. Let the pancakes cook until bubbles begin to rise to the surface and pop. Once this happens, flip the pancake over and let cook until done, about a minute or two longer.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings!
- To freeze, let the pancakes cool to room temperature and then place in a freezer bag, seal, and store in the freezer. When you are ready to enjoy, remove however many are needed from the bag and warm in either the microwave or toaster.
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