by Debby Dyess

Created on: August 07, 2008   Last Updated: September 03, 2011

What breakfast food has its own holiday, an official race and has been discovered in Stone Age excavations? Pancakes, of course!

There are so many variations of this flat quick bread that Jerry and Al Lapin based a whole resturaant chain on the breakfast food. While IHOP has grown considerably since 1958, now offering a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods, it is still best known for its pancakes.

So, just in case you don't have an IHOP on the corner, help yourself to a big platter of one of the offerings below. The pancakes are delightful, and whether you serve them for breakfast or dinner, they're sure to please.

Basic Pancake Recipe 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Apple-Cheese Pancakes
1 cup sredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and shredded
3 cups mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
1-1/2 cups maple-flavored or pancake syrup
Mix basic pancake recipe (above) in bowl. Stir in cheese and apples.
Ladle batter into hot greased skillet, using 1/3 cup batter for each pancake. Cook 2 min. or until bubbles form on tops, then turn to brown other sides.
Serve pancakes topped with the fruit and syrup.

Irish Potato Pancakes
1/2 cup raw , finely grated potato (about 1 medium baking potato)
1 cup cooked mashed potato (about 1 medium baking potato)
dash salt
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 to 1 1/4 cups milk
1 large egg

Combine grated and mashed potatoes. Add salt and flour. Beat egg and add to mixture with enough milk to make a thick batter that will drop from a spoon. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a hot oiled griddle or skillet. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Serves 6 to 8.

Banana Pancakes and Syrup
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
1 ripe banana, mashed

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients with wire whisk. In a small bowl, with an electric mixer, combine eggs, milk and oil. Slowly add wet ingredients and mashed banana to dry ingredients. Hand mix

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