Valentine Pancakes

A sweetheart pancake for my little sweetheart this morning.

I use a pancake mix, one that my stepmother told me about years ago and it's still the best. Snoqualmie Falls Lodge mix. It's a little pricey, but it's perfect. I add a little vanilla to my pancakes. It's a magical ingredient. I don't follow the directions on the package. I mix it up thicker than it says to, so the pancakes have a nice "lift" when you flip them over.

The best trick I know about making pancakes is how to make the first one turn out just as well as the rest of the batch. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and turn on the heat to "medium." Let the oil warm, and then lightly swipe the pan with a paper towel. Now, put the pancake on. I know in some homes there's a joke about the first pancake being the "dog's pancake," so if you have a dog who really likes the first anemic-looking pancake, then don't follow my method. Otherwise, that swipe of the pan turns out a perfect pancake on the first try.