Buttermilk Pancakes Studded With Macadamia Nuts & Topped With Homemade Pineapple Syrup

Boxed buttermilk pancake mixMacadamia nuts

Syrup:1/2 cup

1 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup pineapple juice concentrate (right out of the can)

I take the easy way by making buttermilk pancakes from a store-bought mix. I also like these with cashews instead of Macadamia nuts. Just add coarsely chopped macadamia nuts to the batter, as much as you'd like.

For the syrup, in a small saucepan, place butter, sugar and pineapple juice. Heat over low heat, stirring, until butter melts. Do not boil.

Preheat oven to 475. Peel, core and very thinly slice the apples: you should have approximately 1-1/2 cups. Melt 3 T sp. of the butter over medium low heat in a small fry pan, and saute the apples until they are just tender. Keep apples warm while preparing the batter.

Place a 9 or 10 inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat for at least 5 minutes--the pan has to be very hot for this to work. When it is well heated, add the remaining 2 T sp. of butter to melt and put the skillet back in the oven; the butter should be very hot buy not brown when you add the apples and the batter. Place the flour, milk, vanilla, salt and nutmeg in a blender and whirl until smooth. Remove the skillet from the oven.Just add coarsely chopped macadamia nuts to the batter, as much as you'd like.For the syrup, in a small saucepan, place butter, sugar and pineapple juice. Heat over low heat, stirring, until butter melts. Do not boil.

You can add strawberries or bananas if you like.