Batter Three Ways (Muffins, Pancakes and Waffles)

I had to make a snack for my boys preschool class and tried these - they were so yummy. Even the batter was so yummy. I made the whole batch muffins - chocolate chip and blueberry!


Batter Three Ways (Muffins, Pancakes and Waffles)
Recipe created by Tyler Florence

Ingredients:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar (I cut this down by 1/2 cup)
• 2 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 lightly beaten eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted, then cooled slightly
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Muffins:
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries or other dried fruit

Pancakes:
• 1 ripe banana , peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
• 3 Tbsp. whole milk , if needed

Waffles:
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions for the batter:
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In another bowl, add the eggs, milk, butter and vanilla, and mix well. Fold the wet ingredients together with the dry until well blended. Divide the batter in half. Use half for the muffins and the remaining half for both the pancakes and the waffles.

To make muffins: Preheat the oven to 375°.
Take half of the prepared batter and fold in the cinnamon, nuts and dried fruit.
Brush the inside of each cup of a nonstick, 12-cup muffin pan with some of the melted butter.
Divide the batter equally into each cup. and bake for 20 minutes or until tests done when pierced with a skewer.
Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 12 muffins.

To make pancakes: Fold both the banana and the walnuts into the batter, and thin with little milk if needed.
In a large, nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over a medium heat. Using a medium ice cream scoop, pour equal amounts of the batter into the pan.
Cook the pancakes until bubbles rise from the middle of each pancake.
Flip and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes. Keep cooked pancakes in a warm oven as you cook off the remaining batter.
Makes about 8 to 10 pancakes.

To make waffles: Preheat a waffle iron. Fold the chips into the batter until well blended. Drop equal amounts of batter onto the heated waffle iron. When bubbles rise from the center of each waffle, close the top and continue to cook until crisp, about 3 minutes.
Keep cooked waffles warm in a 200° oven until you have cooked off the remaining waffles.
Makes 6 to 8 waffles.