Hummingbird Pancakes

The South's favorite cake takes a breakfast turn as Hummingbird Pancakes.

Recipe makes about 18 pancakes

Whatcha Need:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup drained, canned crushed pineapple in juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
• Cream Cheese Anglaise (see recipe below)
• Garnishes: sliced bananas, chopped fresh pineapple

Whatcha Do:

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk and next 5 ingredients in another bowl. Gradually stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in toasted pecans. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked. Turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until done. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes. Serve with Cream Cheese Anglaise.

Note:

• When using a griddle, heat it to 350°F
• For tender pancakes, don't overmix the batter; it should be lumpy.

Cream Cheese Anglaise

Whatcha Need:

• 1-1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whatcha Do:

Process half-and-half, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a blender until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and vanilla. Serve immediately.

NOTE:

• Recipe appeared in Southern Living magazine December 2012