Oh SO Delicioso!: Tropical Pancakes with Coconut Syrup

Currently, as my husband spends most days and nights away from me and my little guy studying at the school, I'm dreaming of a Hawaiian vacation sans little guy in about two years. I'm dreaming of the white (and black!) beaches, the warm, shimmering aqua water, romantic rendezvous under waterfalls, and of course what everyone goes to Hawaii for, the food.

Am I right or am I right?

I have yet to go, but hear amazing things.

As the new school year has started and summer starts to drift away (well, except here in California), I thought I'd try to bring a little Hawaiian magic to our dinner table. We had this for dinner last night and I couldn't get enough so I had the leftovers for breakfast this morning too.

All I'm gonna say is that Hawaii better make a better stack of tropical pancakes than I just did, because mine were pretty impossible to beat.

The main recipe you'll find here is the Coconut Syrup. I'd seen a lot of different recipes floating around and decided on my own. It seriously MADE the meal. Amazing. I'd eat spoonfuls of this stuff. I'm saving it and pouring it on everything from now on. Chicken, oatmeal, tacos, pizza, I don't care.

about 15 pancakes (try these)

strawberries, rinsed and chopped

bananas, chopped

pecans, chopped

toasted coconut

Coconut Syrup:

(adapted from 'The Sister's Cafe')

1 stick butter

3/4 c buttermilk

1 c sugar

1/8 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1 t coconut extract

1 t vanilla extract

First, you want to make the syrup. Without it, you are nothing.

And it needs time to chill out before serving.

Melt butter, buttermilk, and sugar over low heat. Turn heat up to medium and boil for 2 minutes while continuously stirring.

Remove from heat, mix in salt, baking soda, and both extracts, pour into serving container and let fizz calm down and syrup cool and thicken slightly.

Chop your fruit and nuts, set aside.

Toast coconut by first heating a large frying pan (the one you'll use for pancakes) on medium, then toss in coconut. Watch it carefully! Coconut can burn very quickly, then you have to start over. And the smell of burnt coconut is NOT something you want to be inhaling as you devour your tropical short stack.

I don't believe Hawaii smells like burnt coconut.

Use a spatula to toss and turn coconut until it's lightly browned and toasted, remove from pan and set aside.

Make your pancakes.

Stack on a plate, then sprinkle with your strawberries, bananas, and pecans.

Macadamia nuts would also be tasty...