Disaster struck in my kitchen twice this week. Talk about frustrating! The first failure happened when I was attempting to make a yeast bread; the second, when I was attempting to make a quick bread. The only ones who gained from my failures were our chickens and ducks. They love it when I fail in the kitchen because they will eat just about anything I throw their way.
To make up for my losses, I had to have at least one win this week. And these pancakes are that – a BIG win!
The Chobani Yogurt plant is about two hours away from where I live, and as you all know, I love to promote local. So, when Chobani offered to send me some samples I was elated.
I use sour cream all the time when I bake. I love the moistness it adds to cakes, cupcakes, muffins, cookies, and quick breads. But I have to admit that my use of yogurt in baking is limited, so the samples I received give me the chance to put on my mad scientist apron and experiment. I figure maybe, just maybe, I will create a little healthier version of a few of my favorites.
Pancakes are not a baked goods, but they are good great. So, being Sunday morning and all, I decided it was time to break out the yogurt and use it in a batch of homemade pancakes. Please tell me, what could be better than homemade pancakes with (our) homemade maple syrup on a cool Sunday morning? I figured you’d say that!
Homemade Skillet Pancakes (made with Chobani Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt)
2 tbsp. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. Chobani Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1 c. all-purpose flour
Margarine for a non-stick skillet
In a mixing bowl, add sugar, egg, baking soda, salt, oil, vanilla extract, and yogurt; using a whisk, mix by hand. Add flour; mix thoroughly.
Cooking pancakes can be tricky because they can cook too quickly or end up soggy in the middle. I am going to share the way I cooked mine with you.
Lightly coat your non-stick skillet with margarine. Turn your burner on a slow heat. Heat the skillet until it is hot, but don’t let it overheat and smoke. Using a small ladle, pour batter into skillet. How many you can make at one time depends on the size of your skillet. Leave lot’s of room to flip each pancake comfortably. Cook the pancakes until bubbles form consistently across the top of each one. Flip, and cook the remaining side until the center of each pancake is firm.
These pancakes were DELICIOUS! Lucky for me, I still have some batter leftover and I can’t wait for tomorrow morning to get here!
Before closing this post, I have to tell you how fascinated I am with Chobani’s history. I would encourage everyone to go to their website to learn more about them, their products, and pick up some money saving coupons while you’re there. But I couldn’t resist sharing a piece of their history because I know that in an ailing economy, we all need a little inspiration.
“While tidying up his desk back in 2005, our Founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, stumbled upon a classified ad for a yogurt plant recently closed down by Kraft. After initially throwing the ad away, Hamdi listened to his gut, fished it out of the trash and went to see it that day. He decided to buy the plant on the spot, and went to work on perfecting the recipe for Chobani based on his belief that everyone, regardless of income or location, deserved access to delicious, high-quality yogurt. The first cup of CHO finally hit shelves 18 months later and has since grown to become America’s #1 yogurt.”
They say yogurt is good for your digestive system and I’m betting Mr. Ulukaya had his fair share of yogurt before starting this company because It seems that his gut feeling was spot on.
I received Chobani Yogurt samples which were used to make the pancakes in this post, but the opinions herein are my own.
THE JOY OF CAKING 