Banana - Vanilla bean - Chocolate chip pancakes

Super bargain....a whole jar of pure vanilla bean seeds for $9.99....gasp!!!! I found these at HomeSense the other day and after doing the happy dance in the middle of the store I couldn't wait to get home and try them.
 I was a little suspicious as to whether they would have as much oomph as a fresh split bean so I tried out a new pancake recipe this morning....pleasantly surprised!!
On the jar it says 1/4 teaspoon of these babies is the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Aren't they beautiful?

 I mixed them in with the mashed banana and let them sit for a few minutes.

Topped the pancakes off with a few dried bananas and some pure maple syrup.....mm mm I'm hungry again just looking at them. These would go fabulously with a toasted marshmallow milkshake from Joy the baker.

RECIPE: (adapted from The all new Good Housekeeping cookbook).

1 Cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

3 tablespoons butter, malted

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 banana, mashed

1/4 tsp vanilla bean seeds

1/2 cup or so chocolate chips, 5ish per pancake

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, add milk, butter, egg, banana and vanilla seeds,(mix seeds with banana mash).

Stir until just combined.

I'm sure you all know how to cook a pancake so I'm not going to explain the rest of the process, you're too smart for that!

When cooking pancakes, before the big flip, sprinkle with chocolate chips. You could always add the chocolate chips to the batter too if you like.

I had some dried banana chips on hand so I added them as garnish with maple syrup.

Now get in your cars and get to HomeSense!!!!