Pancakes….but in a can?

Pancakes. Comfort food. Even the word sounds comforting. Memories of weekend breakfasts at Granny and Grandad’s farm, at Grandma and Grandpa’s orchard, at our cabin, and at home too of course. Pancakes are awesome, easy, nourishing. Pancakes…cakes made in a pan. How can this “not” be a good thing?

Sure, I can see the argument for frozen pancakes, you know the ones, Eggo buttermilk pancakes in your frozen food aisle. I remember liking Eggo waffles, easy, in the toaster and waffles were suddenly an any day breakfast. Of course, home made waffles aren’t that difficult, but you do have to get the egg whites separated and whipped nicely, and if you have an old (my grandmother’s) cast iron waffle maker, count on tossing the first one out because it ALWAYS sticks.

But pancakes? From the frozen food section? No, can’t say I’ve ever done that. They are so darned simple to make.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat a lightly oiled frying pan or griddle.

Mix dry ingredients, make a well in the middle, add wet ingredients, mix until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the pan and cook until bubbles begin to form on top. Flip and cook other side until golden brown. Serve. Makes 8 servings.

Could that be any easier? One bowl, one pan, and a spoon or whisk to mix. Takes less than 5 minutes to mix and about 15 minutes to get them all cooked depending on the size of the pan and how many you make at once.

I suppose it could be easier. There are mixes out there, like Aunt Jemima’s or Bisquick. Or you could make your own mix (sans the wet ingredients) and then add the milk, egg and oil when you want to mix up a batch.

Or….as I discovered today…you can buy pancake batter in a spray can. Yes, you read that right. I was in Save-on-Foods picking up some ricotta and heavy cream to make some gnocchi tonight and I saw a spray can next to the butter. Ever the curious shopper, I wandered over to look and was flabbergasted to see what was on the label. It’s called Batter Blaster and it is pancake batter in a spray can.

I’m not making this up! It ranks right up there with spray cheese (remember that stuff!?!). Meet Batter Blaster! If I’d seen this video before seeing it in the store, I’d have thought it was a joke from The Rick Mercer Report or something. But here it is…..

Seriously, if this is something you want to do, I think it would probably work in an iSi Cream Whipper, you know, the thing with the CO2 cartridges that you can use to make your own home made whipped cream in a can….but know exactly what’s in it, and get to reuse the can over and over? I love ours…. but would never have thought of putting pancake batter in it….. whatever floats your boat I suppose….