Pancakes

For years I kept a box of Bisquick handy. Then one day I realized I was out of Bisquick and made pancakes from scratch. They taste completely different. The homemade ones are lighter, fluffier, and don't have that chemical aftertaste that Bisquick does. Besides, you have to add milk and eggs to Bisquick anyway, right? Making them from scratch takes maybe 45 seconds longer than making them from a mix.

1 1/4 cups White Lily flour (use the regular kind if you must)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Combine the dry ingredients, then the wet, then add the two together and mix.

The secret to a good pancake is a really, really hot skillet or griddle. Heat it for several minutes, then put the butter on it at the very last second before adding the batter. Don't flip the pancake until you see bubbles formed all through the dough--that means you've got a good crust on the other side.

Serve with jam or real maple syrup. YUM.