You probably have a zillion of Grandma’s homemade {insert delicious food here}. Well, this is a recipe for you to make whole wheat pancakes with GRANDPA. For us these are part of the now famous and religiously attended, GRANDPA’s Breakfast. I emphasize the “Grandpa” part, because this is very much grandpa’s tradition. You hear all about Grandma Camps and going to “grandma’s house” (even though grandpa lives there too) and how grandma has holiday plans. Well, Grandpa’s deserve some cred. He’s got his own rituals of delicious!
Kids love a tradition with Grandpa
My dad was able to make whole wheat pancakes back when I was a kid. The recipe came from a neighbor and was a wonderful aspect of my childhood. Eventually though, the pancakes became something more when grandkids entered the picture. It became clear that grandkids really like to make whole wheat pancakes. I am guessing they liked how grandpa gave them aprons (kitchen towels), let them stand on stools (spinning bar stools) and let them stir on their own (without control). And, of course, they loved all the attention they got from grandpa. Pretending to turn on the wheat grinder after grandpa asked them to not touch. And grandpa loved showing them his special trick of dribbling lemon extract down the side of a fork to get only 2 drops in the recipe. The whole family enjoyed sitting at the table to warm hotcakes and melting butter.
Beginning a tradition to make whole wheat pancakes with Grandpa
This was all such a great experience that a monthly “GRANDPA’s Breakfast” was instituted. Now everyone regularly gets a chance to make whole wheat pancakes with grandpa. Since all my siblings live in the same town as my parents this was a festive and happy good time (for being in the morning). I, unfortunately, do not live in the same town as everyone else. I live a 14-hour drive away. But when my family could be in town, grandpa held a special session of HIS breakfast. Soon chef hats were involved, and bacon, then larger griddles, and more bacon, then buffet servers, and extra bacon (this is grandpa’s gig after all). It became a favorite family-food tradition. Every one of us loved it because it was Grandpa’s tradition. Grandma is awesome she makes crafts, goes to lunch with you, plays endless rounds of mind-numbing chutes and ladders. But grandpa makes whole wheat pancakes (and let’s little kids too). And shouldn’t we all remember grandpa for something we did together?
Grandpa traditions get lost sometimes at “grandma’s house”
For us, food was an easy place to build our tradition. Maybe your grandpa drives everyone around in the tractor. Maybe he takes them on long walks in the forest. Or maybe he plays the piano with them. No matter what it is the grandkids (and the parents) need a tradition that comes from grandpa. Does your grandpa have a tradition?
Grandpa’s Whole Wheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup wheat germ
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon instant dry milk
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 drops lemon extract
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
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Mix the flour, wheat germ, sugar, instant dry milk, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
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In a separate bowl mix milk, egg, vanilla, extract.
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Add oil and mix
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Allow batter to sit for 5 minutes –This Is Super Important
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While the batter sits warm up your pancake griddle
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Drop 3 Tablespoons of batter on a hot griddle for each pancake. Let cook about 2 minute on each side (griddles vary so this just a guideline)
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Serve warm with warm syrup, butter and bacon
Recipe Notes
Wheat germ is found in most grocery stores in the hot cereal section (be sure to look on top and bottom shelves there is usually only one brand) or in the specialty flours. Wheat germ is a portion of the wheat usual removed before grinding that contains the new plant sprout, in case you are wondering.
