Potato Pancakes (LIKE!)

I can hardly believe I did this, but,...I have set a goal.  I guess time will tell if I see it through. 

The GOAL:  For the month of February (and there is even an EXTRA day in it this year!), I'm going to 'try' not making anything for just us unless it has vegetables, fruits, whole grains, or meat/eggs/protein in it.  Yes, I know, with that 'liberal' criteria, I could still be making a lot of cookies/desserts by using whole grains and eggs.  So,..........more specifically, I am going to concentrate on not making anything in the sugary kind of dessert category.   I have to see if I can do this--....... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!........................

I took the above photo of this "I think I can..." last August while heading east from Portland.

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My first 'vegetable' posting of this month... 
PO-TA-TO  PAN-CAKES!!!!  

Hubby LIKES potato pancakes!!!!  These happen to be huge in my mental file of  'memory foods'-- I had this kind of pancake while young, and later at the annual Potato Pancake Dinner put on by my hubby's Aunt Alma along with the other women of St. John's Lutheran Church.  That very popular event was held right after church on a Sunday in the Fall.  Besides all the pancakes, sausages and applesauce you cared to eat, there was an almost endless supply of extra beautiful/tasty homemade pies.  OH, WHAT A SPECIAL FEAST!!!!   

Not totally satisfied with how my potato pancakes would fry up, I asked Aunt Alma how they did theirs for the pancake dinners.  She told me, "We spread a coating of shortening on the griddle, then a swipe of butter over that-- it's the butter that helps them brown to their golden color."  AHA!-- ever since then, I had good luck.

While there still are annual potato pancake dinners in our area, the annual Potato Pancake Dinners held at that particular Lutheran church went by the wayside as more and more of the ladies aged.  I miss much about my hubby's Aunt Alma.  On the long list of  'I miss her because...' is seeing her in that kitchen on the 'Pancake Sundays' of years gone by!

The pure maple syrup (open pan style) made right here on the farm from our own Maple trees only makes these better.  I'm being reminded of the old Dick and Jane stories:  Run syrup, run!  See syrup run!.....................

Yield:  Eight of 6" pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup flour (all-purpose flour, OR a flour your diet requires)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (fine salt mixes in more evenly)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 medium (or 3 large) potatoes peeled and medium/coarsely chopped.  (I happen to love using Yukon Gold because... that's what I have.  Our daughter grows them for us.)

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine eggs, milk, onion, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in blender and run for about 30 seconds until all is chopped/blended.
• Add 1/2 the amount of chopped potatoes; when that is blended/chopped, add the rest. Blend/chop until no 'potato chunks' remain.
• In a pan over medium to medium-high heat, or on a 350° griddle, spread small amount of shortening/oil.  To that, add just a little swipe of butter*.  I spread this around with a pasty brush.
• When a tiny dab of the potato mixture dropped onto the hot surface starts to 'sizzle',  you can proceed.
• Drop potato mixture onto the heated surface-- I measured and poured out 1/3 cup at a time and spread it out to a 6" circle with bottom of the cup. 

• On my long griddle, I can fry three at a time.  Lift and peek underneath edge from time to time, to make sure they aren't getting too dark.  When you like the 'goldness', lift with pancake turner, and quickly/lightly swipe griddle with the end of a stick of butter and put pancake back down to fry the other side.  When frying these a few minutes ahead, I keep them warm on a plate in a 170 degree oven (or as low as your oven can be set).

Serve warm with whatever you like-- common favorites could be applesauce, maple syrup, sausage links/patties, or ???

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* The swipe of butter is what helps the pancake to 'brown'.

I adapted today's particular recipe from one I found on http://recipecurio.com/potato-pancakes-fresh-applesauce-handwritten-recipe/  (I love that website!  As I look at all the 'saved' and 're-found' recipes, I can picture sweet little cooks who loved and served their families well.)