• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • New Magazine!
  • Bread
  • Cookies
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans

Dad’s “Clean Your Plate” Buttermilk Pancakes

August 17, 2008 by Joy the Baker 102 Comments

My Dad has the hands that feed. My Mom can make a bundt cake that might make you want to slap your Grandma, but Dad has the love for cooking. You can tell whether or not someone loves cooking by observing a few simple movements: the way they look at ingredients and the way they stir a pot. My Dad will look at an unrolled pie crust like he’s looking at a newborn baby. He stirs a pot of his famous spaghetti sauce like he’s melting down gold. Not one ounce of that affection for food was lost on me growing up in his kitchen.

But there’s a problem. As much as I adore sitting down to a plate full of food, I rarely if ever finish everything on my plate. I always leave at least a bite or two untouched. Why? I have a theory. It’s solid.

My love for food is rivaled only by my father’s love for food. Let’s face it, the man can eat circles around me. Sitting to the left of my Dad at the dinner table for 18 years was a heroing (ok, I’m totally exaggerating) task. Without fail, I would get down to my last few bites of food, I might take a moment, set down my fork, relax, have a sip of juice, all perfectly normal dining practices. In those moments, my Dad would look over, with an irresistible smile on his face and say, “You need help finishing that?”

Whether of not I ever needed assistance finishing the food on my plate, I don’t remember, but my Dad always, always ate the last few bites on my plate. After a few years of this sort of training, I suppose I just started leaving food on my plate for him to finish. There were exceptions of course, anything involving french fries, ice cream or pancakes were mine all mine.

Don’t get me wrong. I certainly didn’t go hungry. I simply learned to put more on my plate than I could eat, knowing my Dad would eagerly finish my scraps.

These days, I don’t get to share a dinner table with my parents every night, but I still manage to leave a few bites on food untouched on my plate. I do love to talk my Dad into making Saturday morning pancakes. By the time I make the spontaneous call and drive the 30 minutes to their house, the pancakes are already half way to the skillet. One thing is for sure, on pancake mornings, I finish my plate all on my own, and sometime even cast a longing look at my Dad’s plate. Funny how that works.

Dad’s “Clean Your Plate” Buttermilk Pancakes

Print this Recipe!

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

4 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Whisk together milk, eggs and vegetable oil in a medium bowl, then whisk in the butter.

Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in another medium bowl. Whisk in egg mixture until combined.

Spray a griddle or skillet with nonstick vegetable spray. Working in batches of 3 (or 6 if your griddle will allow) pour 1/3-cup measures of batter onto skillet and cool until bubbles have formed on the top and sides of the pancakes and broken, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes with a spatula and cook until undersides are golden, about 1 minute more. Lower heat if pancakes brown too quickly. Serve with maple syrup or molasses.

I think it’s amazing that so many of you have fond memories of this salt shaker. I know that it’s been in our family kitchen for as long as I can remember. Funny what fond memories you share with strangers!

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Breakfast, Buttermilk, Recipes

Previous Post: « Crispy Toasted Coconut Cookies
Next Post: Oh! My! God! Doughnuts! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pam

    August 18, 2008 at 9:53 am

    Ah for me..my pops made omelettes. Every holiday my relatives would request his special omellettes and I have no idea how to make them like he did. I miss him!!

    Reply
  2. Theresa

    August 18, 2008 at 7:10 am

    The pancakes look delicious. Taste even better when made with L-O-V-E!! I remember that salt shaker!

    Reply
  3. Miri

    August 18, 2008 at 7:10 am

    Loved this post, Joy! Your father’s pancakes look like ones I would eat all up and then ask for more :)

    Reply
  4. Ingrid

    August 18, 2008 at 7:16 am

    I loved your post. My parents amicably divorced when I was young.(they are great friends) My mom made the pancakes, Daddy made the french toast, and Dad (actually Step)made the egg sandwiches. Depending on whose house I was in on Sunday mornings, breakfast was sure to be made with love and the family around. We do weekend breakfasts at home with children,too. On Saturday mornings I make eggs, bacon, and biscuits while on Sunday mornings it’s Dad and his pancakes. Your post reminds me how important this tradtion for the kids…how wonderful a childhood memory for them.
    THANKS!
    ~Ingrid

    Reply
  5. Mom24

    August 18, 2008 at 6:15 am

    What a wonderful memory of your dad. I can’t wait to try these. I’d love the bundt bake recipes too!

    Reply
  6. Erik

    August 18, 2008 at 5:32 am

    Slap my grandmother? That must be some kind of cake, ’cause my grandmother was a pretty great gal. Actually, both she and my grandfather are the ones that developed my love of cooking – they both could do great things in the kitchen and always involved me growing up. Now with an 18-month old daughter, I’m eagerly awaiting the day she wants to work with me in the kitchen – for now, she’ll settle for throwing our oven mitts and dish towels all over the kitchen floor. We all would do well to remember that the little things that seem routine to us can be life changing events for those peeking up at us or sharing our table. Great post.

    Reply
  7. Jalanda

    August 18, 2008 at 5:13 am

    My father makes the most awesome buttermilk biscuits. I’m a daddy’s girl, too. Aren’t we blessed?

    Thanks for this beautiful blog entry.

    The pancakes look fabulous, too. *smile*

    Reply
  8. Lori

    August 18, 2008 at 3:29 am

    For many years, I had that same Tupperware salt shaker, which I got from my former mother-in-law, who’d had it for 50 years, I think. Those things are indestructible! When I saw the photo of your dad’s, I was struck in my stomach with a pang of remembering my mother-in-law filling hers. It is funny how such small objects hold so much memory. You and your dad are both very lucky people.

    Reply
  9. Rachel

    August 18, 2008 at 2:42 am

    I love love love your blog Joy! I’m not sure how I found it but I check it every day, it’s now my new favourite!
    I’m starting a blog too but it’s still being designed. I too have an all consuming passion for baking and thanks to you, it just keeps growing :)

    Reply
  10. kristina

    August 18, 2008 at 12:14 am

    So beautifully written and photographed! Looking forward to trying the pancakes on our next pancake morning :) K x

    Reply
  11. Glenda

    August 17, 2008 at 10:38 pm

    Oh, I love pictures of a man cooking for those he loves =). Bookmarking this pancake recipe!!

    PS – Your parents’ kitchen cabinets are gorgeous.

    Reply
  12. Deeba

    August 17, 2008 at 11:34 pm

    Quaint world this…love your father making those beautfiul pancakes with so much love & concentration. How sweet that you almost always leave a bit for him on your plate. What a Joy you are!!!

    Reply
  13. Bethy

    August 17, 2008 at 11:29 pm

    My parents still use that salt shaker! It’s older than me!

    Reply
  14. Sweetcharity

    August 17, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    I DO love the salt shaker! I wonder if my mom and dad still use theirs…

    Reply
  15. peabody

    August 17, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    Ah, how cute! I love that you have pictures of your dad making pancakes.

    Reply
Newer Comments »
Comments Page 1 of 7
1 2 3 … 7 Next »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Breakfast

Baked peach scones stacked with butter.
Easy Peaches and Cream Scones

Friends, hi!  I’m sneaking into your summer weekend with a simple offering: peach scones. There’s not a fussy bit about this invitation.  I simply cannot bear formalities (or bras or any clothing that touches my body) this time of year.  The offering is to take a single ripe peach (you likely have one languishing in…

Read More

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

It was supposed to rain last Wednesday, as it’s always supposed to rain every summer afternoon down south.  The rain is a welcome relief to the blanket of humidity we lie under unless, of course, you planned to be outside picking blueberries during said torrential downpour.  I’ve quickly learned to just get out in the…

Read More

Glazed small batch muffin recipe on wire rack.
Small Batch Muffin Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed

I could argue that the very foundation of Joy the Baker is this recipe for Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins. Taking it aaaalll the way back to 2009 when I stumbled upon the wonder’s of browned butter and juicy baked blueberries.  You loved them. I loved them so much they made it into my first cookbook…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Jump to Recipe

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Jump to Recipe

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

Jump to Recipe

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Jump to Recipe

Joy the baker with dyed bandana around neck

HOW TO MAKE DYED BANDANAS

as seen in JtB Magazine!

Jump to Recipe
joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

Jump to Recipe

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Jump to Recipe

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

FAVORITE FRUIT RECIPES

Baked peach scones stacked with butter.

Easy Peaches and Cream Scones

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

POPULAR CAKES

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

Slice of coconut cake on small white plate with coffee.

My favorite Coconut Cake is actually made with cake mix

A slice of lemon blueberry gooey butter cake held on a cake slicer.

Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
If the question is, what am I baking this weekend? If the question is, what am I baking this weekend? The answer is: 🍋🫐 Gooey Butter Cake.
He has no idea how swoony I get when he saves me a He has no idea how swoony I get when he saves me a seat at breakfast or moves me to the inside of the sidewalk for safety. What a thrill to have absolutely no chill whatsoever. Happy August, friends. I hope you’re hydrated and in stupid love.
Your weekend baking sorted! 🫠 Just add peanut b Your weekend baking sorted! 🫠 Just add peanut butter and marshmallows to the grocery list. ⁣
⁣
Also, if you snuck some 🍫🍫 in with the marshmallow you’d have a lil peanut butter cookie s’more and no one would be mad. ⁣
⁣
Recipe linked in the profile! xo.
Our no-bake, 🍒🍋 dreams come true thanks to @ Our no-bake, 🍒🍋 dreams come true thanks to @theboywhobakes! ⁣
⁣
This perfect summer recipe is linked in the profile! xo
🤝🫠💓🍅 to July 2022. 🤝🫠💓🍅 to July 2022.
Just when you thought Peanut Butter Cookies couldn Just when you thought Peanut Butter Cookies couldn’t get any better - add a marshmallow, 🫠. Recipe inspired by @thecozyplum and linked in the profile! xo
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up