Kay's Pancakes and Buttermilk Syrup

Sometimes the in-law relationship is intense. There are thousands of mother-in-law jokes and I know everyone doesn't always get along with their mothers-in-law.

Not me. My mother-in-law is someone that, had I been given a choice, I might have chosen her for my own mother, or sister, or best friend. It was just pure luck and blessings that I got her for my very own mother-in-law, allowing me to have her AND Jed without any weirdness. ;)

Kay Kelsey is amazing at many, many things. The first amazing skill of hers that I was introduced to was her cooking. Living out in the middle of nowhere with a family of nine gave her some pretty serious training along with her native talent. Kay can really crowd-please. But no matter what else she serves up, nothing compares to waking up in silent, rural Idaho to the smell of Kay's pancakes, knowing there's buttermilk syrup to be had as well.

During family visits, these pancakes are made for hours. Mike gets up at some unholy hour before the sun, and Kay gets up with him like the wonderful wife she is. A few hours later, grandkids pop up with growling tummies. Then visiting kid/parents (it's weird, being both the kids and the parents) moan and groan and show up looking scary and wanting pancakes too. Kay delivers.

Now, as the Slap-Dash Chef, I have to say normally I'd just advocate getting the "just-add-water" style pancake mix. But I know quality when I taste it and once you've tried these, you can't go back. Sometimes you just have to make breakfast special.

And buttermilk syrup? Sounds weird you say. Well, it's divine. Absolutely, hallelujah from heaven divine. Grandkids have been known to demand to return home for their own bottle of buttermilk syrup if Grandma doesn't have any. It is sweet and mild and goes on anything really, anything. We've tried it on croissants, pancakes, berries, waffles, apple pie, ice-cream, sweet potatoes, chocolate cake, muffins....pretty much any baked good benefits from it, along with any veggie you'd put brown sugar on (squash, carrots, yams). I promise, once you've made one batch for your family, they will want it on everything.


Buttermilk Syrup

(Will temporarily foam up and double in size, so use a big pot.)

1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk

Bring to a boil, then boil for 45 seconds. Then remove from heat and add:


1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp  baking soda (this is when it foams up a lot)

Stir until well blended and foaming subsides. Use immediately on Kay's pancakes or store in the fridge and warm up when needed.

Kay's  Pancakes

2 cups flour
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
2 tsp baking powder


2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbs oil

Combine dry ingredients well, then mix in wet ingredients until well blended. Pour onto hot griddle and flip when the edges bubble. I use a quarter cup measure to dole out the batter onto the griddle but you can make your pancakes smaller or larger as you please.

The recipe is easy to remember because it's two of everything except salt. Sometimes I substitute one cup of the flour with whole wheat flour, and lots of times I add dashes of flaxseed in with the flour.

Voila! Perfect Saturday breakfast, or any time you want to impress your in-laws. ;)