You know those mornings where you wake up and by 8am, life just seems a bit too overwhelming? Yeah… I’m having one of those days today. I’ll explain more when I know more, but for now if you could please just send good thoughts out to the universe for my brother, we would greatly appreciate it.

Sitting down this morning to a plate of warm, fragrant, Sour Cream Banana Pancakes helped. There is something about starting your day off with food that fills your house with the aroma of fresh baked goods that just makes you feel good. As I was cooking this morning, stirring the batter, pouring out the pancakes onto the hot skillet, my mind escaped to mornings growing up. A smile crossed my face as I shared with my kids how when I was little, the first “sacrificial” pancake of the batch was always given to our collie dog.

Pancakes are emotional for me and evoke childhood memories like no other food can. Today, I really needed the comfort of childhood and I found it sitting at our breakfast table, eating pancakes.

Recipe: Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I used Green Valley Organics)
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 large, ripe banana, mashed

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, mashed bananas and orange zest.
3. Slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until a moist batter forms (batter will be slightly lumpy).
4. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter into a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 pancakes.
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned
7. Flip and cook for another minute until pancake is golden brown. Remove from skillet and serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

The post Morning Comfort {Recipe: Sour Cream Banana Pancakes} appeared first on Dine and Dish.

April in Kansas is not a good time for strawberries, yet each and every year, around this time, I get tempted. The weather warms up and I want fresh fruit. I walk into the grocery store and see the displays of red, ripe strawberries and can’t resist them. I get them home, wash them and dig in for my first bite only to be disappointed. They are never as sweet and delicious as I hope.

In the summer, Kansas strawberries are the most amazing things. They don’t need anything at all to make them taste good… no sugar, no cream… nothing. They are fantastic just the way they are.

The April strawberries I was tempted into buying and brought home did need something, and I knew just the enhancement they needed. This recipe for Strawberries with Maple Cream Sauce used to be my “go to” dessert recipe when we’d have last minute company.  It is a quick, easy and elegant dessert and it enhances strawberries perfectly!

If you have been tempted by less than stellar April strawberries, give this recipe a try. It’ll turn so-so strawberries into an amazing dessert!

Recipe: Strawberries with Maple Cream Sauce

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