Overripe banana inspires summer breakfast treat

Bananas may be a tropical fruit, but they don’t last long in this heat. It seems just a day or two on the counter, and they go black.

(And I’ve met folks who have successfully grown edible bananas in Sacramento – not the Cavendish variety so familiar in supermarkets, but stubby little finger bananas. The trick: Providing winter protection for the plant from freezing cold.)

What to do with an overripe banana? Banana pancakes, of course. Add summer blueberries and you have a special (and filling) breakfast treat.

Banana blueberry pancakes

Makes 7 to 8 pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 overripe banana, mashed

½ cup milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup blueberries, washed

Butter or margarine for the griddle

Into a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine mashed banana and milk. Stir in beaten egg, then oil.

Add banana-milk mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until moistened. Fold in blueberries.

Heat griddle to 350 degrees F. Butter griddle, then ladle batter onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbles start to form on top of pancakes; flip pancakes over and cook until done, about 2 to 3 minutes more.

Remove from griddle. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.