Orange-zested Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

It's gameday and I am definitely not hungry for a cheesy omelet.  The Chicago Bears are playing the Green Bay Packers, and fans on either side of NFL's oldest rivaly are ready to go.  I popped out of bed this morning and rather than don the typical sweatpants and a sweatshirt for a lazy Sunday morning, I reached for my jersey.  We're not lolling about today.  We're getting ready.  Gameday ready.

We always have about 5 or 6 eggs sitting around on the weekends and are quite good about using up our stash of eggs just in time for the next week to start.  These days, the chickens are laying only 1 egg per day.  One of them is molting, so the poor dear is losing her feathers mid-winter AND not supplying us with any eggs.  Guh.  The others have slowed down in production, so we think they alternate laying every other day.  Five speckled eggs were just what we needed for this morning's pancakes. 

Beautiful.

As I was simmering my blueberries in syrup and my trooper-of-a-roommate is zesting orange into the batter she exclaims, "JO!!!!  These are BEARS pancakes!  Orange and blue!!"  We hadn't even planned it.  It was almost as if the professional sports gods were shining especially brightly in our kitchen that morning.  The pancakes were whisked up, syrup simmered down and our eager selves stuffed and ready for the game.  Unfortunately, the results of the game were less than favorable but at least I've got a new delicious breakfast recipe from it.  We are Chicagoans after all and so we are very good at saying, maybe next year Bears.  Maybe next year.

Orange-zest Pancakes with Blueberry syrup

5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
zest of one orange

1 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Whisk eggs and milk together.  Then slowly add in flour and sugar.  Fold in orange zest.  Place batter in the fridge for 30 minutes to let it cool and thicken.

In a small saucepan simmer syrup and blueberries together until reduced to one cup.  Set aside. 

Pour about 1/4-1/3 cup batter onto a griddle at medium heat.  Your pancake should be about 4 inches across and thin.  Cook, flip, store in the oven at 200 until your through flipping.  Spoon blueberry sauce atop pancakes.