Oatmeal Pancake Mix

We love pancakes, and these are my absolute favorites. I first saw the recipe in my King Arthur Flour cookbook and tried the mix, and then I saw my friend Danilee had adapted the recipe a bit and liked her version better.

This is a mix (sort of like Bisquick) that you can keep in the fridge or freezer and then whip up a batch any time you feel like it. A few notes:
-When I use whole-wheat flour, I swear by King Arthur white-wheat flour! It has a much lighter taste but the same health benefits. I find it at Walmart.
-the 2 cups ground oats is what it sounds like, not 2 cups of oats, ground. If that makes sense. You can grind them in any blender.
-If you don't have buttermilk on hand when you want to make a batch, you can use buttermilk powder which lasts a long time in the fridge.
-the recipe mentions the mixture will look thin but thicken as it stands. I like my pancakes pretty thick so I usually add extra mix, or just dump some extra oats in the batter.

Enough said. Make these! They are delicious!

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups ground oats
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup canola oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct (you probably won't need more oil). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side.

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.