Lemon Thyme Pancakes

Four years is a long time to have a craving. But that's how long it's been since I had lemon thyme french toast in Winston Salem and it's popped into my mind every time I've thought about breakfast. Something about snowy weather has triggered a primal need for pancakes in my husband. Last week, I tried to sate his pancake yen but failed a little miserably because my pancake mix was slightly out of date and I didn't realize it. So when we made a venture out to the store during our second snow day last week, I realized it was the perfect chance to transfer that lemon thyme flavor to pancakes. I grabbed a new box of Aunt Jemima mix, two lemons, fresh thyme and some lemon curd.

You'll need:

• Your pancake mix of choice (or make your own)
• An egg
• Milk
• Olive oil 
• 2 lemons (to zest)
• Fresh thyme
• Lemon curd

First, we added all your standard pancake mix ingredients (mix, milk, an egg) to a bowl and then zested two lemons. Instead of vegetable oil, I opted for Extra Virgin Olive Oil because I thought it would give it a slightly savory flavor that would offset the thyme very well. I whisked the mixture together until the big lumps were gone, and using a 1/4 measuring cup, I poured the batter onto a skillet spritzed with cooking spray.

We've all ruined pancakes before, right? The trick is to only flip once bubbles start to form on top and the edges start to look a little brown. I have a HUGE pancake spatula that works great (except when I still inevitably mess some up...it happens).

See? Bubbles. Let's flip!

Sean ate his stack with maple syrup, but I wanted all the zingy lemon flavor I could get, so I melted a few spoonfuls of lemon curd in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and just poured it on top and it was perfection. 

I looked up a lot of recipes before attempting this and ALL of them were way more complicated and required way more ingredients that I frankly don't think were necessary. These were perfect zesty, fresh, savory, fluffy pancakes and nary a cup of buttermilk was needed! Now I'm wanting to get way more experimental with my pancakes. My previous favorite was banana chocolate chip...I'm thinking we might need to make chocolate bacon next.