Raised Corn Pancakes, or how to Lull Your Baby to Sleep

Of course everything now has to come back to the baby in some way, shape, or form.

I did, in fact, cook this weekend! It seems like the family thing to do to make delicious brunch food. I'm not, after all, racing off the farmers market (too crowded for the babe at this age) or to spin class (two more weeks and I may get the green light!) and the mister has a fractured foot so there was no family walk to be had around the hood. I'd made these corn pancakes ages ago, and now that I've rediscovered them, we might be having them every Sunday for a while. They are insanely good, and easily tweak-able to the baby diet (ie no cow dairy among other things). You make part of the batter the night before, but it's easy. I dare say if I was in a position to have 3 cocktails (one day!) I could still swing it. The hubs LOVED them, and he's rather discerning when it comes to brunch. Has to be pretty spectacular for him to opt for something other than an everything bagel with cream cheese and tomato. And he wanted these for an afternoon snack too. Next time I'm going to try them with the gluten-free flour mix from Bob's Red Mill, just because I know my bod likes it better when I eat less wheat.

The babe was fussy in the heat yesterday and would.not.nap. Not good news when you're so tiny. But she was happy hanging out with me, so I made the entire batch of cakes with her over my left shoulder, and by the time I was finished she was sacked out. A double success.

Raised Corn Cakes

adapted from the Wooden Spoon Cookbook

For the night before:

1 c cornmeal

2 c milk--I used goat milk and it's fab

1/4 c warm water

1 packet active dry yeast

1 T honey

1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour

Heat milk just to boiling and add to the cornmeal in a large mixing bowl.

Let cool until warm. Meanwhile, to activate yeast, sprinkle yeast over water and stir in honey.

When milk mixture has cooled to warm, stir in yeast and flour.

Beat well, cover, and let stand for 6-8 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to cook:

1 t salt

1 T honey

2 eggs

1/4 t baking soda dissolved in 2T warm water

2 T melted butter (or soy margerine)

The recipe says to stir them into the rested batter in the above order. I kinda skipped that instruction--not intentionally just didn't see it somehow---and added them all at once and no one was the worse for it.

Cover batter and let stand 15 minutes. Bake on a griddle heated over heat that's somewhere between medium and medium-high. Use 1/4 c batter per cake, and turn only once. Makes about 15, and they freeze great.

And I'm not not going to post pics of my daughter. Especially because she is ONE MONTH OLD TODAY. And she's already helping me fold laundry.

Happy birthday, my angel love of my life.