La Alaskeña

Um, how come nobody told me about Pancake Tuesday?

My feelings for pancakes border on religious fervor. During my third semester of college I subsisted off a family-size bag of Krusteaz pancake mix (just add water!) because it was easy and it was what I could afford. Four months of pancakes for breakfast and dinner. (Lunch is for rich kids. Also: syrup.) And I still love pancakes. That’s love. That’s commitment.

But I digress… Pancake Tuesday.

My new best friends.

In an effort to enjoy both Pancake Tuesday and my last day of lacto-ovo-vegetarianism, I made Swedish Pancakes. My mom used to make these for us all the time. I loooove these pancakes, and I will miss them. (Fun fact: I made these for breakfast on my first day of college. An indicator of eating habits to come?)

Swedish Pancakes

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs sugar
• Splash of vanilla extract

(Sorry, no photos. I ate ‘em too fast.)

Whisk it all together. Some small lumps are ok. Heat up a large skillet until piping hot. I turn it to the highest heat setting until it’s hot, then turn it down a tad. Put a smidge of butter on the skillet, then pour in your batter, and rotate the pan until it’s coated with batter. (We’re going for something crepe-y.) Cook until the edges are crisp and just starting to brown. Flip over, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, or until the underside has deep brown spots. This recipe makes enough for you and a friend or two, if you feel like sharing.

You can fill them with whatever your little heart desires. When I was a kid, I liked butter and powdered sugar, but like I said, the sky’s the limit. They’re somewhat more substantial than crepes, so you could omit the sugar and vanilla and fill them with something savory as well.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t know how “Swedish” these pancakes actually are, so please don’t leave nasty comments about how real Swedish people wouldn’t be caught dead eating these or anything like that. I’m not claiming authenticity, just scrumptiousness. They are Swedish Pancakes to me and my family, and always have been and always will be. So there.

Best idea ever: EVERY Tuesday should be Pancake Tuesday! So I will definitely be making pancakes next Tuesday, but I’ll be trying a different recipe.