Bacon Cheddar Pancakes

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk (Helpful Hint: use 1 1/2 cups milk plus 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar if you only have regular milk on hand)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup crumbled cooked bacon (or pancetta bits)
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently whisk them together, mixing just until combined. Fold in the crumbled bacon or pancetta, and the shredded cheese.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter onto a hot griddle/pan for each pancake. Cook until the top of each pancake is speckled with bubbles and some bubbles have popped open, then turn and cook until the underside is lightly browned.

Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you finish cooking the rest.

(Makes about a dozen 5-inch cakes).