Free pancakes at IHOP for National Pancake Day -- in February

Breakfast lovers mark your calendars! On Feb. 5, National Pancake Day, national breakfast chain IHOP will serve up its signature buttermilk pancakes for free. From 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. guests can slather all the sticky syrup they can handle on a free short stack of flapjacks.

The restaurant chain is celebrating its beloved pancakes for a good cause. Guests are encouraged to make a voluntary donation to the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital or other local charities. Over the last eight years, IHOP has donated more than $10 million to the hospital and hopes to raise its goal of $3 million on National Pancake Day 2013. All of the donations made will go to the hospital or the other charities.

For more information on National Pancake Day and fundraising, visit www.ihoppancakeday.com.

If we’ve put you in the mood for hot cakes and you simply can’t wait for February, here are 10 pancake recipes to hold you over, including oatmeal pancakes, chunky apple pancakes, and sweet potato pancakes.

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