This recipe comes from my uncle Steve (aka Stevie). As the family lore goes, he got it from Parade magazine 25-30 years ago when it was listed one of the Best Pancakes in USA. It was originally from a truck stop or little cafe somewhere in the Midwest. The origins are a bit sketchy; the pancakes are not.
I've made them nearly every weekend for my kids for the past decade. They simply ask, "Will you make Stevie's?" Yes. Yes, I will.
STEVIE PANCAKES
Warning: Follow the directions as written. The order is crucial to success.
2 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Dash of vanilla
Whisk the above together (in Steve's words, I kind of emulsify them). Then whisk in until batter is smooth:
2 cup flour
2 T baking powder
4 T sugar
When batter is smooth, you are ready to drop on your prepared griddle.