Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong...but we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us...in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...and an athlete...and a basket case...a princess...and a criminal...
Does that answer your question?
Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club
The plot was so brilliantly simple: five students report to their high school for a day of detention. It's a premise only John Hughes could bring to life. Rest in peace, Mr. Hughes.
The Breakfast Club was so far from your typical coming-of-age film and has maintained its cult following since its release in 1985. While the cast went on to star in other great (and some not so great...remember
Men at Work?) films, The Breakfast Club was, in my opinion, the movie that defined them.
Sorry to get all Ebert on you there. But 80's teen dramas are serious business.
A few years after the movie came out, "Bender" (Judd Nelson) was in DC for some big event on Capitol Hill (advocating school disciplinary programs? I'm not entirely sure) and my sister, Manda, got to meet him and get his autograph. Considering the fact that her only other brush with celebrity-hood was when she met a young Joey Lawrence at the White House Easter Egg Roll, this was a pretty big deal.
Today's recipe is a popular breakfast treat that, much like the five detentionees, will not conform to the pressures and expectations of griddles, pans and menu platters named after plays in baseball.
Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins
Makes 12 muffins or 24 mini muffins
Here's what you'll need:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, extra for the tops
The original recipe calls for milk chocolate chips but I used dark chocolate chunks because the squared edges seem to latch onto the batter more efficiently.
Or because they were all I had in the pantry.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease up a muffin or mini-muffin pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix it up.
Fold in the chocolate chips/chunks/bits.
Divide the batter between the muffins cups. Sprinkle a few chips on top of each one.
Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Let them sit for a few minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Wake up, sleepyhead.
You can eat them plain, slather on a little butter or drizzle them with maple syrup.
Man, these really do taste like pancakes!
When you're running late in the morning, scrambling to find your keys and filling up your insulated travel mug...
don't you...
...forget about these.