Waffle Pancakes

It's a waffle - no, it's a pancake. This pan combines them both in a seamless manner. When I first saw this I thought - 'What a great idea.' Then later I started thinking, 'How do you flip those pancakes?' Turns out is was easier than you can imagine. Wooden/Bamboo skewers do the work for you with ease.

As with any waffle or pancake recipe, I suggest you separate your eggs and whip your whites to stiff peaks to make them lighter and fluffier. Buttermilk in this recipe gives it a great depth of flavor. As usual, make them all and store them in the refrigerator or freezer. So much better than what you buy in the freezer aisle taste-wise and health-wise.

3 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

8 tbsp. unsalted butter - melted

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/3 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

In a large liquid measuring cup combine the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, salt, baking powder and sugar. Slowly combine the flour. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them into the batter. Set aside

Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray. I prefer bak-klene sold at Williams-Sonoma. Place pan on medium heat and when pan is thoroughly heated, pour 2 tbsp. batter into each waffle well. Cook until the pancaks are bubbled on top. You will at this point be able to slide a skewer underneath the pancake, and using a second skewer grab the waffle pancake and flip it. Continue cooking until the underside is cooked - around 1-2 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and if desired, place in a 200 degree, preheated oven to keep warm. Serve with butter and fresh maple syrup.