SHROVE TUESDAY, PANCAKE TUESDAY, FAT TUESDAY OR MARDI GRAS HOWEVER YOU CELEBRATE FROM WHERE YOU COME FROM!

I can remember being a very young girl in elementary school and being excited all day about having a major pig-out of pancakes, sausage, hash browns and whatever else my mom threw together for Pancake Tuesday.  I grew up in Quebec and the English called the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday Pancake Tuesday.  Also, big with the French Canadians is Mardi Gras and the Quebec Carnival.  The Quebec Carnival does not necessarily fall around Pancake Tuesday but the carnival spans for two weeks and is usually in January or February – the 2012 Carnival just ended on the 12th of February.   Just in time for another party, Mardi Gras.  All in all as much fat as possible is eaten to prepare for fasting and abstinence of meat during the Lenten season.  I continue the tradition for my children and they look forward to having pancakes and sausages for dinner.  Today was a good day for the boys as  the school they go to served them pancakes for lunch and then a little Quebec Carnival celebration for the afternoon.  Pancakes for dinner again – all the sugar they can eat! This recipe is one I use all the time.  I always have ripe bananas around and I throw the really ripe ones in the freezer for pancakes or banana bread.  This recipe is from Crazy Plates.  If you haven’t experienced Crazy Plate recipe books look it up – well worth it – really good low fat recipes.

Peter Pancakes

1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

2 tbsp reduced fat butter or margarine (melted – not fat free)

1 egg

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

Strawberry sauce (recipe follows)

Combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl – set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, honey and vanilla.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in mashed banana.

Spray large wide skillet or electric griddle with non-stick spray – heat over medium heat.

Use a big spoon and pour a good amount of batter on the griddle.  Cook until undersides are lightly browned and flip and cook until other sides are lightly browned.  Serve with syrup or strawberry sauce.

Strawberry Sauce

2 cups diced strawberries, 1/3 cup orange juice mixed with 1tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup sugar.

combine all ingredients over a medium saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until liquid as thickened and strawberries have softened.  About 6 to 7 minutes.

Let cool slightly before serving. Sauce may be refrigerated for up to 1 week.