Cooking With Apples!
One of our favorite harbingers of fall is the August apple harvest. Apples are such a versatile, delicious, and nutritious fruit and work well in all sorts of sweet and savory dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! At The Original Pancake House, we love to incorporate apples into our 
breakfast and brunch dishes, for example our Apple Pancake – stacked high with fresh sliced Granny Smith apples and cinnamon glaze – can’t be beat! And our golden brown Belgian waffle with fresh minced Granny Smith apples baked inside and lightly dusted with pure Sinkiang cinnamon sugar, whipped butter and warm homemade apple syrup is a memorable apple treat.
Here are a few of our favorite fall apple recipes to try out this season:
Slow Cooker Apple Cider – Perfect for that first cool fall afternoon!
Ingredients:
- 64 oz. apple cider
- 6 chai tea bags
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- Apple slices for serving
- Cinnamon sticks for serving
Instructions:
Combine apple cider, chai tea bags, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean in slow cooker. Cook on low 3 to 4 hours. Discard tea bags; stir in lemon juice. Serve warm with apple slices and cinnamon stick.
Gruyere and Apple Tarts – These savory little tarts combine all the best flavors of fall with the 
perfect combination of sweet apples and savory cheese.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 small Yellow Onion
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
- 2 large Braeburn apples
- 4 oz. Gruyère
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Sauté onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, on a work surface, roll out puff pastry to a 13 by 10 inch rectangle. Cut dough into four 6 ½ by 5 inch rectangles. Using a sharp knife, score 4 lines to create a ½ inch border all the way around each tart. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking pan.
- Divide half of onion mixture among tarts. Layer apples in 3 slightly overlapping rows on each. Top with remaining onion mixture and cheese. Dot with remaining butter. Bake tarts until apples are tender and cheese is golden, about 20 minutes.
Candied Yams & Apples – This warming side dish goes perfectly with any fall supper and couldn’t be easier to make!
Ingredients:
- 3 lb. yams
- 1 lb. Granny Smith apples
- 2 medium onions
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- ¼ c. Honey
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl to combine. Transfer to a baking dish and bake, stirring occasionally, until yams are tender, about 1 hour. Increase oven to 500 degrees and bake until liquid evaporates and yams are browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Happy fall, Denver! We look forward to seeing you for breakfast in Denver soon!
Do you Dine Alone at Denver Breakfast Places?
Dining out is generally a social activity. We love to go out with our friends and loved ones and socialize over a great meal. But not always, some people really enjoy going solo to restaurants. Others may do it only when necessary, like when traveling for business. Do you ever dine alone at Denver breakfast places? If so, do you look for certain things in a location that make it more suitable for the solo diner?
The option to sit at the counter is a big consideration for those who eat alone at Denver breakfast places. After all, that’s exactly what the counter is there for. It can feel awkward to some taking up an entire booth or table when you’re by yourself. But not every restaurant has them so the intrepid solo diner must confidently tell the hostess, “Table for one, please!”
Televisions are also a welcome offering for anyone dining alone. It’s comforting to be able to sit and watch the news or the game while enjoying the meal by yourself. What about the atmosphere of the restaurant? Is it better for the place to be crowded and noisy so you can just blend in and eat unnoticed? Or do you think it’s better when the restaurant is quiet and you can relax with your thoughts?
Does the type of restaurant or the meal you’re having make a difference when you dine alone? Would you never go out to dinner at a fine dining place along? Or is breakfast at a casual diner is the most comfortable meal to enjoy solo? Wherever you go and no matter what you eat, The Original Pancake House tips our hat to the independent spirit of those who dine alone!
Why You Should Never Skip Breakfast in Denver
You probably heard this line a lot growing up, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” You may think that it’s just a quaint saying, but starting your day with breakfast is always a great idea. Countless studies have shown the many benefits, especially for children. If you’re still feeling skeptical, here’s some great information showing why you should never skip breakfast in Denver, or anywhere else for that matter.
Eating breakfast sets us up to make healthier choices for the rest of the day. When we skip breakfast we get hungrier and eat progressively more at subsequent meals, and unfortunately we aren’t picking the good stuff. According to information collected from Massive Health’s Eatery iPhone app, people who eat breakfast are 12.3% healthier throughout the day than those who don’t, and people who don’t eat breakfast eat 6.8% more food throughout the day. If you skip breakfast daily, all those extra calories can really add up over time. According to Statistic Brain, 22% of people who skip breakfast are obese.
When it comes to teens, skipping breakfast has shown to have to have similar dramatic effects on the health. Studies by the Institute of Food Technologists found that those who skip breakfast consume 40% more sweets, 55% more soft drinks, 45% fewer vegetables and 30% less fruit than those who do.
The numbers speak for themselves, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, for all of us. Do yourself and your family a favor, join us at The Original Pancake House for breakfast in Denver and start your day off right!
Back to School Breakfasts!
Gone are the lazy days of summer and leisurely breakfasts. With the kids heading back to school, most families find themselves scarfing down a few bites of a hurried morning meal before rushing out the door. But just because the new school year might mean less time in the morning, it doesn’t mean you can’t make sure those few quick bites are nutritious and delicious! Here are a few of our favorite easy breakfast ideas to start your day.
Monster Green Smoothie
This easy breakfast recipe is so simple; it may become your go-to for mornings on the run. And not only is this smoothie quick and yummy, but it will start everyone’s day with a big boost of healthy fruits and veggies!
Combine in blender or food processor:
- 2 cups liquid of choice (orange juice, milk, yogurt, etc.)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup pineapple
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1-2 frozen bananas
Pour mixture into to-go cups for those days when you are running late and enjoy on the ride to school and work.
Nutella & Banana Sushi
Moms and dads can quickly wrap up this breakfast while simultaneously helping with forgotten homework and brushing teeth. Simply spread chocolate Nutella in a thin layer across whole wheat wrap. Place entire (peeled) banana in center of wrap and roll wrap around banana. Slice “roll” to make individual “sushi” bites. You’ll love this breakfast as it is easy to pop in a baggy and take in the car on the way to school for those days you are running late!
Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
This recipe is another quick and easy breakfast that you can either make ahead or pop in the oven for a quick treat. And of course the kids will love the idea of eating “cookies” for breakfast!
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup plain quick cooking oats OR 2 packets low-sugar strawberries in cream oatmeal
- 2 very ripe bananas (mashed)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (if using plain oats)
- 2 tsp Stevia®, or your favorite sweetener (if using plain oats)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix oats and mashed bananas. If using plain oats add in cinnamon and sweetener. Using a spoon, spoon small amounts of oatmeal mixture onto cookie sheet to form bite size cookies. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until cookies are golden brown. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container.
And of course, for those weekend days when you have time to go out for breakfast in Denver, be sure to stop in and say hi to your friends at The Original Pancake House! We’ll be happy to do all the breakfast work for you so that you can enjoy a well-deserved morning off!