Do you improvise in the kitchen? (cooking pancakes with olive oil)

@TheHorse (205637)
Walnut Creek, California
December 28, 2015 11:41am CST
Lately, I've been cooking pancakes for breakfast. Nothing fancy. I just use a pre-made mix from Safeway. But I do adorn them with butter and real maple syrup. When I started, I realized the only oil I have here is a light olive oil from Trader Joe's. Would it work? Or would it impart an unusual salad-like taste to the pancakes? After several experimental trials, I've determined that light olive oil works just fine for making pancakes. I think I'll make some now! Have you ever had to improvise in the kitchen and come up with something that works?
22 people like this
26 responses
@kevin1877uk (36988)
28 Dec 15
Yum yum pancakes, I used that ready mix when I was there, it's ok, better with flour and eggs thats if you have them.
2 people like this
@vandana7 (98796)
• India
28 Dec 15
Eggs...vanny says no no...I am unable to digest them.
1 person likes this
@kevin1877uk (36988)
28 Dec 15
@TheHorse Thats good then, I never heard of pancake mix until I was there and my ex-partner was on about it. I showed her on how to make pancakes with flour and eggs.
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
I'm sure it would be. I'm a bit lazy when it comes to cooking. But I do have my specialties.
1 person likes this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
28 Dec 15
I use olive oil for frying all the time.
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
28 Dec 15
So do I. I don't have any other oil in the kitchen.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't impart any unusual flavor to non-Italian and non-salad dishes. Live and learn.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
@MALUSE I don't either. But I guess I already said that. I do have butter here.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Dec 15
hi@TheOrse its really a good oil to use as its good for heart health and we had pancakes this morning too. I miss not cooking for myself
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
I've heard it's good for your heart health. I'll keep using it. Do you ever get a chance to cook for yourself?
1 person likes this
• United States
29 Dec 15
I use olive oil for a few things, but I a not a fan of the taste if it's too strong.
1 person likes this
• United States
29 Dec 15
@TheHorse I use eevo - the lightest color bottle I can find.I use it for roasting veggies and for my husbands oil/vinegar dressing...otherwise I the smell stops me from using it too much. I would never use it for pancakes!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
The olive oil I use is mild. I don't know if it would work as well with "extra virgin." Doesn't that have more flavor?
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill What is eevo? I haven't heard of it.
@gr8nana6 (6614)
• Conyers, Georgia
28 Dec 15
I always have to improvise one time or another. Seems like too often I am out of things and have to use something else. Don't always turn out good though lol.
1 person likes this
@gr8nana6 (6614)
• Conyers, Georgia
29 Dec 15
@TheHorse Oh my goodness I had so many I can't even remember anymore, lol.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
I usually just add extra ingredients to something that already exists. What was your worst "failure"?
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
29 Dec 15
All the time here on the islands. We don't always get stuff in and there is a lot of time you can't find what you want to cook with. So there is always changing stuff around from this to that to something else. Like the other day making breads. I use the same recipe and just changed the bananas for papayas, for pumpkin and even for mangos. So all in all you can do this so easily it isn't even funny and nobody knows the difference and thinks that was the way it should of been.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
Do you tell them later that you used different ingredients?
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
29 Dec 15
@TheHorse Nobody had any idea I did this at all. Plus I have never once in my followed a recipe exactly and make it like it said to make it. I am not one for measuring exact measurements or adding what they called for. But it always turns out and nobody is the wiser to what I have done. When I put this other stuff in the banana bread and made different kinds people thought it was like this. I didn't tell them I hadn't done this one before and had no idea how it would turn out. But it was a smashing hit and the people who got them have come back and wanted us to make some more to sell to them. Wow a lot of work and not sure if I will be here long enough to do this one. But I will leave the recipe behind and maybe this mommy can make a small business for herself making different breads for people.
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
29 Dec 15
All the time. I "fly by the seat of my pants" a lot. I see no reason for a light olive oil not to work. Melted butter would as well.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
Sometimes I mix them. I've heard that the burning point of olive oil is fairly low, but I haven't had a problem.
@snowy22315 (169893)
• United States
28 Dec 15
Oh they will be fine. You wil not even be able to taste the difference. I just use whatever oil I have on hand when I am kaing stuff like that.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
There was a tiny aftertaste...but I liked it!
@vandana7 (98796)
• India
28 Dec 15
We've shifted to olive oil this year. I was not open to the idea but now I am ok with it. :) If it is indeed good for us, I have no issues. lol
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
I've been using it exclusively for several years now. I really like it.
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
29 Dec 15
All the time! There are times that I thought I still have this or that in our pantry, only to find out that somebody else already used it for something else. Rather than getting to all the trouble of going out and driving to Walmart or Sunmart, I just make do with what we have and settle with what's available. So far it is working just fine for me. The food are still edible.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
I've used maple syrup on my cereal when I was out of brown sugar. Glad you don't get your panties in a wad when something's not there that you expected to be there.
@marlina (154166)
• Canada
29 Dec 15
Somehow I don't think that I would like my pancakes made with oil, better for me is butter or Becel
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
What is Becel? It seems that butter burns more quickly than olive oil, though I could be wrong. I've used both on some batches.
@amnabas (13742)
• Karachi, Pakistan
28 Dec 15
Yes I do make variations. Keep changing my strategies to get some change.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
Got any examples? I wanna learn something!
@Missmwngi (12927)
• Nairobi, Kenya
28 Dec 15
Oooh yeah i do that always,tell us how it will work
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
The pancakes turned out delicious! I could slightly taste the olive oil after I was done, but not while I was eating. It's a pleasant sensation.
@Pattitude (1287)
• Newton, North Carolina
29 Dec 15
Pancakes sound great! I have made it with olive oil before when I ran out of my canola oil or even butter. You make me want to make some pancakes in the morning.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Dec 15
This is sort of a chain thing. I got inspiration from a MyLot member when I had the flu last week. I stumbled to the store and bought the mix and some maple syrup. I hope you do the same. I had some this morning--yum!
1 person likes this
@suziecat7 (3350)
• Asheville, North Carolina
28 Dec 15
I'm a big kitchen improviser. Sometimes with success, sometimes not so much.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
Oooh...share a success!
@vathsala30 (3732)
• India
29 Dec 15
I make so many types of pancakes. with rice and black gram, with semolina, rice flour and plain flour, and some other combinations. I do not use olive oil for cooking purpose. I use them just for massaging the body. For cooking purpose, i will use sun flower oil because i am used to it since many years so do not want to change the oil
29 Dec 15
I would just use a little olive oil. Enough to barely coat the pan. I like to make pancakes with quick oats, an egg and banana. Tastes like banana bread and it good for you.
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
28 Dec 15
we use olive oil all of the time.Ant it is good for you. I do not like the commercial dressing.I hate them.Olive oil,vinegar,etc.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
I use Marie's Blue Cheese on my salads sometimes. But I also have a good dijon vinagrette I make.
• United States
28 Dec 15
I like olive oil but use it sparingly since it's so expensive. I improvise all the time and have come up with some pretty good meals this way
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
I do too, but it's mostly just adding ingredients to pre-fab stuff.
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
28 Dec 15
I think every housewife does that. I don't think it's worth mentioning. I'm good at turning whatever I find in the fridge into tasty salads.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205637)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Dec 15
Not worth mentioning? Should I delete the post? I was excited!