Fun weekend breakfast

STRAWBERRY PANCAKE ROLL-UPS

(from Sunset)

NOTES:

• Scroll down to see recipes I posted this past Friday (Week 15).
• This is a perfect weekend breakfast to take advantage of the strawberries just coming in to season.
• You can make the strawberry sauce & cream cheese mixture (steps 2 & 3) up to two days ahead. That way in the morning you just have to make the pancakes.
• This recipe will serve at least 4 people
• The stawberry sauce (step 2) is a great sauce for topping ice cream, yogurt, strawberry shortcake, waffles, etc.

INGREDIENTS

A little more than 2 lbs fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled (stick a plastic straw up through the bottom of the strawberry and out through the top to hull)
6 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. milk
Salad oil
 
DIRECTIONS
1. Thinly slice 2 cups strawberries & set aside. Do not do this step if you are making the strawberry sauce & cream cheese ahead of time (do it when making pancakes).
2. In a blender or food processor, whirl remaining strawberries until smooth. Press through a fine strainer into a bowl (in order to get rid of seeds), extracting as much liquid as possible with the back of a spoon or a spatula; discard residue. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar and the lemon juice into strawberry purée.
3. In the blender or food processor (no need to rinse), whirl cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the strawberry purée until blended and smooth.
4. For pancakes, in a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and milk just to blend. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture just until evenly moistened.
5. Place a nonstick griddle or a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat; when hot, coat lightly with oil and adjust heat to maintain temperature. Spoon batter in 1/2-cup portions onto griddle and cook until pancakes are browned on the bottom and edges begin to look dry, about 2 minutes; turn with a wide spatula and brown other sides, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. As pancakes are cooked, transfer to baking sheets and keep warm in a 200° oven. Coat pan with more oil as necessary to pan to cook remaining pancakes.
6. Spread each pancake with about 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture and roll up. Set two roll-ups on each plate, top evenly with sliced strawberries, and drizzle with a little strawberry purée; serve with remaining purée to add to taste.