#1 - American-Style Pancakes

The first recipe of the year and the first recipe of this challenge is a traditional one in our house - American-style pancakes served with crispy bacon and maple syrup. It's a good New Year's Day breakfast, easy to make, tasty and perfect for soaking up any wine from the night before.

I use a Jamie Oliver Recipe for "Pancakes USA Stylie" from his Happy Days with the Naked Chef book. It's really easy to make, but the result tastes brilliant.

To cook, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and rub with a little oil (small pans are best for this as the result is a small pancake - or you can use a cooking ring to keep the batter in place in a bigger pan). Put some batter in the pan then leave until the top is covered in little bubbles. This means the pancake is cooked and ready to turn. Turn, then leave for another couple of minutes until the other side has turned golden.

We love these served with crispy grilled bacon, maple syrup and butter, but they would be equally gorgeous without the bacon or left to cool then served with a bit of butter and a large mug of tea. For a simple dessert, try them with some chopped banana and chocolate sauce or with some blueberries, or other mixed fruit, and some creme fraiche. The options are almost limitless!