We all have ancestors, a past, a heritage. And often with that history there are traditions, recipes and stories that pass down through generations and generations. I love to hear about families keeping traditions from their past and the stories that go with them. My family has many that mean a great deal to me and that bring back so many childhood memories. There's Swedish Bread which is a personal favorite, apricot ice-cream, pecan pie, fairy cookies and so many more. One recipe that I know I'll be keeping in my little family is that of the great Ebelskiver. This puffy danish pancake is a family favorite and always makes for a really special breakfast. My mother would stand at the stove filling each hole of the special pan over and over again to feed our family of eight. We probably should have bought her a second pan, sorry mom. It is a labor of love to make this breakfast delight because you can gobble them up so very fast. Each little hole gets filled with the fluffy batter and then each has to be flipped individually with a toothpick. It takes some mad skills, from a great cook. And I learned from the best.

One cannot make this beloved breakfast treat without the one and only Ebelskiver pan. That is the special thing about these lovely pancake balls is they can only be made with the special pan and so it becomes quite the family heirloom. When I was in my teens we visited a quaint little Bavarian town called Leavenworth in the state of Washington. It truly feels like you just walked into the Alps of Switzerland or a small town in Germany. I love this beautiful mountain town. While there on that particular visit I found one, a coveted Ebelskiver Pan! I was so delighted and had to have it as my little souvenir. It is a mini one and not quite as big as the one my mom would use, but it has the same amount of holes and makes them just as well. I have used this pan all through college and now get to use it with my own family. It is a special and delicious day when I break out the pan and heat it up.

Ebelskivers are so fun. They are like a pancake but somehow yummier. Maybe it's because you get a better ratio of goodies (toppings) to bready pancake. I love to break them open and fill them with all sorts of delights. Things like; jam, powdered sugar, maple syrup, Nutella, a little lemon juice and sugar and a new favorite Coconut & Slivered Almonds!! The possibilities are endless. I've been wanting to try different batters like mixing in bacon and sage for a more savory flavor or Nutella or Pumpkin puree for a more sweet mix. What fun flavors would you try? My basic batter and go to mix is the recipe included below. Now go out and buy yourself an Ebelskiver pan and make a batch for breakfast tomorrow, really! Do you have special family recipes that you have kept in your family? I'd love to hear some of yours!

Ebelskivers Delight

2.5 cups of flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 and 1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs separated

3 TBSP oil

Pinch of Cinnamon&Sugar mix (or more!)

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whip egg whites together till fluffy in a separate bowl and set aside egg yolks. Fold whipped egg whites into dry ingredients. Add egg yolks and milk to dry ingredients and mix together. Add in oil, and sprinkle in some cinnamon/sugar and mix together.

Heat your awesome Ebelskiver pan to medium heat (or med/low, as mine cooks way hot). Fill each hole with a tiny dab of butter and then promptly fill half full with the batter. Let cook. Poke with a toothpick or skewer on the edge and lift to flip each over. If it doesn't slide over easily let it cook a bit more. Then let them cook in the opposite side till complete. Toss them into a fun bowl and begin eating away!

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