A Traditional Farm Life –
Buggy HOP Pancakes
By Shasta Hamilton
Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends! Nothing says “summer” like fresh cucumbers on
the table. Our garden has blessed us
with “Sweet Slice” cukes for the last week or so. Now if we could just get some ripe tomatoes
to go with them . . .
In other news fresh from the garden, our twelve-year-old son
has been digging potatoes this week when he can squeeze in a little time in the
evenings after other chores. So far, it
looks like the best potato crop we’ve ever had.
The Red Pontiacs are humongous—some of them are as large as Russet
baking potatoes! The Red LaSodas are the
usual smaller red potato size.
We’ll definitely be planting Red Pontiacs again next
year. Our son notes the potatoes are the
largest in the areas where we mulched the plants the deepest. In these parts, the potatoes are right on the
surface, rather than down in the dirt as well.
A win-win situation!
Between our recent purchases of tack and draft equipment and
the lack of outbuildings on our place, we are painfully aware it looks like a
used tack dealer collided with implement salvage yard. But friends, sometimes it has to get worse
before it gets better.
In order to care properly for all the miscellaneous gear
we’re collecting for our horses, a tack room is in the beginning stages in the
one outbuilding we currently have on the place.
We’re working on clearing the concrete pad north of the
house for implement storage. When the
overgrowth, scrub trees, and years of dirt are cleared away, the boys will be
able to pull through and drop off equipment circle-drive style. Our treasure trove of used farm implements
will then have a home of their own away from their current abode on the front
yard.
Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, we were delighted by a
surprise visit from Marci Penner and WenDee LaPlant of the Kansas Sampler
Foundation Wednesday noon. Marci and
WenDee are preparing a second edition of the Kansas Guidebook for Explorers to
be available in 2016. They are again
touring every one of the 626 incorporated cities in Kansas to glean information
for the new Guidebook.
I was privileged to hear Marci speak this past May 9th
at the Eisenhower Presidential Library regarding tourism in Kansas, and it was
an honor to speak with her again and introduce them to The Buggy Stop.
The May 9th presentation included multiple
pictures of pancakes the pair has eaten at restaurants all across Kansas. Not being an establishment that serves
breakfast, we weren’t able to throw our hat in the ring Wednesday.
Their loss is your gain, however, because I’ll share with
you our family’s favorite pancake recipe.
(By the way, if you’re not serving a crowd at your own House of
Pancakes, simply cut the recipe in half or freeze the leftovers for a handy
snack another day.)
Buggy HOP Pancakes
2-1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons
baking powder
2 teaspoons baking
soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1. In a large bowl,
whisk first five ingredients until fully incorporated.
2. In a small bowl,
whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, and eggs.
3. Add wet
ingredients to dry and whisk until smooth.
Let stand 5 to 10 minutes while griddle heats (325 to 350 degrees.).
4. Lightly grease
griddle and pour on 1/3 cup batter for each pancake. When bubbles form and break, turn pancake and
cook until bottom browns. Serve warm with plenty of butter and maple syrup. Yield: About 24 (4-inch) pancakes.
Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton
Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in
Enterprise, Kansas. She and her husband
own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled
children. You can reach The Buggy Stop
by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com.
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