STRAWBERRY LEMON POPPYSEED PANCAKES

For Syrup:

1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and diced
1 1/5 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. honey

For the Pancake Batter:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
juice of 2 medium lemons
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 cup strawberries, diced

1. Prepare the syrup.  Add strawberries, sugar, water, vanilla, and honey to a medium sauce pan and heat over medium heat, stirring throughout until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat.  Use an immersion blender to burree syrup (or you can transfer the mixture to a regular blender and then pulse for about one minutes).  When syrup is smooth with only small bits of strawberries left, allow to sit and thicken over very low heat until pancakes are ready.
2. Preheat large nonstick pan or skillet over medium-low heat and spray with cooking spray.  Prepare the pancakes. In a large bowl combine flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk until well mixed.  In a medium bowl whisk together lemon juice and sugar.  Add buttermilk, vanilla, and egg; whisk until smooth.  Make well in the middle of the dry ingredients.  Pour wet ingredients into the well you just made.  Whisk all ingredients until just incorporated (batter will be lumpy).  Gently stir in the diced strawberries.
3. Pour 1/4-1/3 cup batter onto preheated pan or skillet.  When edges begin to look "dry" and bubbles form and burst in the batter, use a large spatula to flip pancake.  Cook 1-2 minutes longer.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Serve warm with strawberry syrup and additional fresh strawberries and powdered sugar if desired.

NOTES:

*for the strawberries, this recipe calls for about 2 1/2 cups.  Just get a quart-sized container and split the strawberries in half between the syrup and the pancake batter, you don't need to follow exact measurements.