Episode: I Triple Dog Dare You
Pancakes!

I’ve been wondering for a long time just how well I’d fare in a reality competition series. I know I wouldn’t make it anywhere near the end, but maybe, just maybe, I might make it past the first elimination. I’m not all that eager to find out though, because my couch is a far safer place than any of these shows. How well do you think anyone would do on Total Drama Island? Me personally, I’m one of those non-athletic people with a low tolerance to pain who hate gross foods and situations. Chris McLean would eat me alive. Obviously, I mean that figuratively since he and Chef eat fancy food at Craft Services every day. The campers, I’m not so sure. Anything is better than the… “food” that Chef serves. I don’t doubt he’s skilled. I’m just not into things like French Bunion Soup with hangnail crackers. I can see why everyone started puking at the Brunch of Disgustingness.

Actual non-disgusting foods do show up every once in a blue moon. The most memorable for me would be the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast Chef serves the campers. Maybe it’s because Chris had to specify that Chef was preparing genuine food by-products served with fresh ingredients relatively close to their expiration dates. (Yum!) Or maybe it’s because of Owen and his pancake song. Yep, definitely Owen. (“Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!”) He was more excited about pancakes than getting closer to winning the $100,000. I would still want the money, but I do kind of agree with Owen. The only thing better than pancakes is all-you-can-eat pancakes!

Recipe makes 8 six-inch pancakes.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten

2-2 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 teaspoon vanilla

Toppings like almond slivers, maple syrup, and candy (Optional)

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Heat an electric griddle to 375 degrees F or set a skillet over medium heat.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Don’t overmix. The batter should still have lumps. Grease griddle with butter, vegetable oil, or non-stick cooking spray. Ladle out about ½ cup of batter onto the griddle. You may have to use the ladle to shape the pancake into a large disk. Cook until the pancake bubbles and the edges begin to set, 2 ½-3 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook until golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Place pancake in the oven to keep warm. Repeat the process until you run out of batter. Tee ‘em up!

You don’t need to win 100 Grand to start every day with pancakes. They don’t cost all that much to make and it’s way easier than playing on Total Drama Island. Pancakes are like little mini sunshines filled with yummy fun. Camp Wawanakwa is not. Owen, with his deep pancake wisdom said, “All the all-you-can-eat pancakes in the world wouldn’t be special without friends to share them.” (Then he went on to eat a toilet seat.) That may be true, but all of the all-you-can-eat pancakes in the world wouldn’t be enough to get me on that show.

 

Tune in next week for more Cartoon Cravings!