Mmmmmm…Chef Kurt’s Pancakes and Bacon

Michigan State University Corporate Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski recommends pancakes and oven-bacon for Mother's Day and shared these recipes with us.

Pancakes

1 c. all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)

1 T. sugar

2 t. baking powder

½ t. salt

½ t. pumpkin pie spice(or cinnamon with just a touch of nutmeg)

1 c. milk

2 T. butter, melted

½ t. vanilla extract

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 200 degrees; have a baking sheet or heatproof platter ready to keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and spices; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (DO NOT over mix; a few small lumps are fine).

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle on medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.

Using a measuring cup or ladle, pour out about 2 or 3 tablespoons of batter onto the skillet and cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin nonstick spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Oven Bacon

12 oz -1# bacon, center cut

1 t. cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degree

Place bacon on a sheet tray covered with foil and spread pepper over bacon

Put bacon in the oven for about 8 minutes, and then pull it out, rotate the tray 180 degrees and put it back into the oven for another 8-10 minutes.

Every oven is a little different, so look for small bubbles on the bacon in the oven when it is cooking. Unless you like really crisp bacon, when the bacon comes out of the oven and it is firm, it is over cooked.

Remove the bacon from the oven, and place cooked bacon on a plate with paper towel on it. Do not let the bacon sit on the tray, as it will continue to cook.