flapjack* lovers unite!

*In this case, I mean American flapjacks, which are not to be confused with the British type.

Did you know February was National Pancake Month? I might've seen that somewhere long ago, but if so, I had forgotten. I caught the tail end of it though, and there's really no better way to celebrate than with a semi-homemade batch of almost Almond Joy pancakes. I know it's super easy to make pancakes completely from scratch, but sometimes I just want to wake up, dump some mix into a bowl, add some water, and get right to the pancake-eating.

I've tried several types of store-bought mix, and for my tastes, Krusteaz is tops. They have a wide selection of mixes including buttermilk (my favorite), blueberry, heart-healthy, honey wheat, chocolate chip, apple cinnamon, and original, as well as a slew of recipes to help you put your own spin on your favorite flavors. Personalizing your pancakes with mix-ins is definitely part of the fun and a great way to get the entire family involved. For this batch, I sprinkled coconut and sliced almonds on the pancakes before I flipped them, and they were wonderful--crunchy and tasty. I briefly considered adding chocolate chips to achieve the full Almond Joy effect, but in my experience, chocolate and cast iron simply do not get along.

What do you love to add in? Tell me in the comment section and you'll be in the running to receive 5 coupons for free Krusteaz products!