Cornmeal Pancakes

Scott and I are celebrating finals weekend at the French Open. Because of the time delay, the matches are on in the morning. What better way to celebrate than with a championship breakfast?

Notes: These pancakes are drier and heartier than you might be used to, so just be prepared for that. As you might recall, Scott and I disagree about the roll of fruit in pancakes. As such, my pancakes had blueberries in them and his were plain. They were both delicious.

Normally, I am terrible at flipping pancakes, but for some reason I was able to get through the whole batch without messing up any. This is a first in my cooking career!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons of finely ground cornmeal
1/2 cup of "instant" pancake mix (recipe here)
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter (plus more for the skillet)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Fruit of your choice (optional)

Directions:

Start by melting the two tablespoons of butter. I just zap mine for about 25 seconds in the microwave.

Add the cornmeal, cinnamon, and pancake mix to the bowl and stir to combine. Crack the egg into another bowl and beat it slightly. Add both the egg and the milk to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine and then stir in the melted butter.

Heat your skillet or griddle on medium-high. Once it's hot, add a tablespoon of butter and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the skillet. When it finishes bubbling, wipe the butter out of the skillet. Use a ladle or a measuring cup to add the batter to the pan. If you're adding fruit, drop it on top of the pancake now.

When the batter starts to look dry around the edge of the pancake and bubbles start to form and burst on the top, flip the pancake over. Let it brown on the other side for about 30-45 seconds.

Serve hot and enjoy!