Hummingbird Pancakes

Christmas morning calls for a special breakfast. These Hummingbird Pancakes with Cream Cheese Anglaise from <em>Southern Living</em> might just be what you’re looking for. Stack ’em up and enjoy!

Yield: about 18 pancakesTime: 45 minutes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup drained, canned crushed pineapple in juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
• Cream Cheese Anglaise (recipe below)
• Garnishes: sliced bananas, chopped fresh pineapple

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk and next 5 ingredients in another bowl. Gradually stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in toasted pecans. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet (when using a griddle, heat to 350°). Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked. Turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until done. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes. Serve with Cream Cheese Anglaise.

Tip: For tender pancakes, don’t over mix the batter; it should be lumpy.

CREAM CHEESE ANGLAISE

Yield: about 3/4 cupsTime: 15 minutes

• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Process half-and-half, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a blender until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and vanilla. Serve immediately.