Oatmeal Apple Pancakes

### Hannah’s 1st Note:

*This recipe calls for you to mix everything up in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender. You could also use a food grinder to grind up the oatmeal and then mix everything up by hand. I think you could also substitute instant oatmeal, (the kind in little packages that you make in the microwave), for the quick-cook oatmeal and then mix everything up by hand*.

### Ingredients

* 1 small apple (I use Fuji or Gala—if you use Granny Smith or any other tart green apple, you’ll have to sprinkle the apple slices with sugar before you add them to the pancakes)
* 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
* 2 Tablespoons white (granulated) sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup buttermilk or regular whole milk
* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (for frying the pan cakes)
* 2 teaspoons salted butter (for frying the pan cakes)

#### Hannah’s 2nd Note

*I’ve made these with buttermilk and with regular whole milk. Both ways are very good. If you want to try the recipe with buttermilk and you don’t have any in your refrigerator, you can easily make a substitute. Just pour 2 teaspoons of lemon juice OR 2 teaspoons of white vinegar into a measuring cup and fill the cup to the three-quarter mark with whole milk. Just let it stand on the counter for 5 minutes and it will be ready to use in this recipe*.

### Directions

* Peel and core the apple. Cut it into very thin slices, place them in a bowl, and sprinkle them with the lemon juice.
* Toss them around a little with your fingers so that all the slices are coated with the lemon juice. (This will keep the apple slices from browning while you make the pancake batter.)

**Batter**

* Place flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor and process with the steel blade for 10 seconds.
* Add the vanilla extract, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and egg to the dry mixture in the food processor.
* Process for 30 seconds or until everything is smooth and well blended.

**Cooking**

* Heat two teaspoons salted butter and one teaspoon vegetable oil in a frying pan over MEDIUM HIGH heat, or until a small amount of water sizzles and “dances” on the surface of the pan.
* Use a quarter-cup measure to scoop out the batter and pour it onto the surface of the pan for each pancake.
* Place 5 or 6 slices of apple on the top of each pancake. Push them down slightly into the batter with your fingers, but be very careful not to burn yourself!
* When the outside edges of the pancakes show little holes where bubbles have formed and popped, but not filled in with batter again, flip the pancake over and brown the other side. If you can’t tell if there are holes on the outside edges, just lift one edge of the pancake with your spatula and peek to see if it’s golden brown on the bottom. If it is, flip it over. If it’s not, give it a minute or two longer, and then flip it over.
* Fry the second side of the pancake until it’s golden brown.
* Serve the Oatmeal Apple Pancakes hot off the pan with butter and syrup.

### Hannah’s 3rd Note

*If there are any apple slices left over, sprinkle them with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and use another teaspoon of butter to fry them until they’re tender. Just put them in a bowl and you can serve them as a side dish with your pancakes*.

### Lisa’s note

*I’m going to try these with well-drained crushed pineapple in the batter. I’m also going to try them with banana slices instead of the apple slices. Banana and oatmeal is a wonderful combination*!

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.