Banana pancakes

When bananas get too ripe, I put them in a container in the freezer for a weekend morning when Laurel and Gavin are in the mood for pancakes. Freezing the bananas breaks down their cell membranes, so that they really mix well in a batter.

Mix in a large bowl

• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

In a smaller bowl, mix

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups mashed (very ripe) bananas (defrost in a microwave if necessary)
  
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup nonfat skim milk

Preheat a frying pan. (I use a 10"/25 cm cast iron skillet. On our GE electric smoothtop range, I start with a setting of 6, but turn that down to 3 after cooking the first batch of pancakes.)

Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and beat well. Add more milk, until the batter is at the consistency you desire. (That will usually be another ½ cup for me.)

Put enough oil in the pan to lightly coat, then put in about ½ cup of batter for each pancake. Flip them as soon as lots of air bubbles appear in the batter. (Check if you're not sure, so as not to burn the side that's cooking!)

Put a small pat of butter on each as you stack them, and serve hot. Drizzle about ½ teaspoon of real maple syrup on each before eating.

Makes 12-15 pancakes.