My Breakfast 'Tis of Thee...Patriotic Breakfasts
With the 4th of July just around the corner, we see American flags and the red-white-and-blue just about everywhere we go! For breakfast in Denver this 4th of July, try your hand at a patriotic start to the day. Here are a few ideas to make your breakfast festive!
Patriotic Toast
This is a simple one to whip up and we guarantee the kids will love it! Simply toast your favorite bread and spread with a layer of cream cheese. Then, use strawberries or raspberries and arrange in straight lines across the toast. Alternate the “red” lines with banana slices for the “white” lines. Finally, add blueberries to the upper left corner to complete your “flag” toast!
Stars and Stripes Berry Trifle
Another quick and easy patriotic breakfast, this recipe uses yogurt, angel food cake, and fresh berries. To assemble, alternate layers of yogurt, red berries and blueberries, and angel food cake in a clear glass trifle jar, individual clear cups, or clear mason jars. Top with a bit of whipped cream to make this an extra special treat!
Red, White and Blueberry French Toast
Prepare your favorite French Toast recipe and top with a patriotic medley of fresh berries. We like to use fresh raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries and top it all off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Yum!
Of course if you are in patriotic mood and don’t have time to cook, come visit us at The Original Pancake House in Denver and we’ll make you one of our famous breakfasts topped with fresh berries! We have fresh berry crepes, pancakes, and waffles! They are all berry patriotic!
Have a safe and happy 4th of July Denver!
Defining “Two Eggs, Cooked Any Style”
When you dine with us at The Original Pancake House, you’ll notice that many dishes on our menu come with your choice of two eggs, cooked any style. You probably know that “two eggs, any style” is a very popular offering at most breakfast restaurants. And you probably know exactly how you prefer your eggs cooked. But what about all the other different types of cooked eggs, including what is a basted egg? Do you know what those mean? Allow us to eggsplain.
Over Easy – Fried on one side and then flipped and cooked briefly on the other side so that the white is not cooked through, and the yolk is still runny.
Over Medium – Fried on one side and then flipped and cooked until the white is set and the yolk is thickened but still runny.
Over Hard – Cooked on both sides until the white and yolk are fully set.
Sunny Side Up – Cooked on one side only until the white is set and the yolk is still runny.
Basted Eggs – What is a basted egg? it is like sunny side up, but the top is cooked by spooning hot fat from the pan over the eggs. This can also be done with water or other liquid for a version that is lower in fat.
Poached – Cooked without the shell in simmering liquid, usually water. The perfect poached egg has a runny yolk and fully cooked whites.
Shirred (or baked) – Eggs cracked into a ramekin or small baking dish, usually topped with a small amount of cream or milk, and baked until the whites are firm, but the yolk is funny.
Hard Boiled – Cooked in the shell in boiling water until the white and yolk are both completely set – this is one method of cooking eggs. But what is a basted egg? It’s another style worth exploring.
Soft Boiled – Cooked in the shell in boiling water briefly to varying degrees of doneness.
Scrambled – Raw eggs are mixed first before cooking in a skillet. They are gently mixed and moved while cooking to develop soft, small curds.
Kids in the Kitchen
With school out for summer, there is no better time to slow down and have your kids help you create your family’s meal. Be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, getting the kids involved in cooking helps build positive relationships with food, encourages healthy eating, and is a wonderful bonding experience. Not to mention all the measuring and counting of ingredients might help keep their math-minded brains active! 
Cooking with kids will most likely be a bit messy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. We found a couple fun, delicious, and kid friendly meals that you will enjoy preparing - and eating - together!
Tiny Pancakes*
Inspired by a spanish breakfast staple called a tortillita, these versatile little pancakes can be a perfect meal for breakfast or dinner! Described as either an eggy pancake or a floury omelette, you can add just about any type of savory “toppings” to your taste. Add veggies and protein to make it a complete meal! We love them with ham and cheddar or tomato, spinach and parmesan.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons water or milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
PREPARATION
- Beat together 1 egg, 2 teaspoons water or milk and 2 tablespoons flour. Stir in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of any of the suggested ingredients, finely chopped; season with salt and pepper (or sugar if you are making sweet pancakes). Add a not-too-thin layer of olive oil (or butter) to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, spoon in 8 pancakes, and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 2 or 3 minutes per side.
Granola Breakfast Muffins*
These hearty breakfast muffins are easy to make and include a delightful “crunch” from the granola. Eat them fresh out of the oven or freeze half to save for another day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granola
- ½ cup low-fat milk
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large or extra large eggs
- ¼ cup mild honey, such as clover
- ½ cup buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle. Oil 12 muffin cups. Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cover the raisins with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and dry on paper towels.
- Sift together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In medium bowl, beat together the eggs, honey, buttermilk or yogurt, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour, then fold in the granola and raisins. Combine well
- Spoon into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool on a rack.
For both these recipes there are plenty of options for kids to get involved. Let them measure, stir, pour, crack eggs and get their hands dirty. Cooking can be a very fun activity for everyone and you never know if you might have a budding chef in your household! From all your friends at the Original Pancake House in Denver, have a wonderful summer!
*Recipes courtesy of The New York Times
Bacon & Eggs? The Most Iconic Breakfast in Denver?
How exactly did this classic combination become known as the most iconic breakfast in Denver and around the country?
Breakfast means a lot of things to people. For nearly four in ten adults breakfast is that meal they never eat. For some people breakfast means coffee. And for millions of us, when we think of the most important meal of the day, we’re thinking about the iconic breakfast combination of bacon and eggs. If you’re looking for the perfect breakfast in Denver then you’re bound to run into these favorites all over.
Do you know how bacon and eggs became the breakfast standard in this country? About a hundred years ago breakfast was usually meatless. Most people ate some kind of grain porridge, fruit and often coffee. But thanks to Edward Bernays, who is regarded as the father of public relations, bacon became the king of breakfast. Bernays was the nephew of Sigmund Freud and he made his career using psychology to get people to buy a product or an idea. In the 1920’s the Beech-Nut Company, which sold a variety of products, hired Bernays’ agency to increase consumer demand for bacon. Bernays naturally went to his in-house doctor and asked him if a heavier breakfast would be a better idea for the American public. The doctor of course agreed and asked 5,000 of his physician colleagues to confirm this idea. So the “study” that found that doctors believed a breakfast of bacon and eggs was a better choice was published in major newspapers of the time and Beech-Nut’s sales of bacon skyrocketed.
Bacon and eggs may have become America’s favorite breakfast thanks to a little psychology, but most of us can probably agree that the delicious, protein-packed pairing has rightfully earned its place on our table and in our hearts and stomachs.
Pancakes Near Me vs. Around the World
Pancakes are a breakfast favorite in America and obviously for us at The Original Pancake House. We love them served simply with butter and maple syrup or in any of the delicious variations we offer. But did you know that they are also enjoyed in many different forms in other countries? Let’s take a look at how the pancakes near me stack up to those being served around the world.
In Germany they are called pfannkuchen and they are made large and thin, similar to French crepes. They are served with a variety of sweet or savory toppings and generally enjoyed at lunch or dinner as opposed to breakfast.
Uganda makes small, sweet pancakes called kabalagala that are made from mashed bananas and cassava flour.
Australians call them pikelets. They are small, thick pancakes often served at tea time with jam and whipped cream.
Greek style pancakes are called tiganites and usually are made with yeast. They are typically topped with honey, yogurt and nuts.
In Korea they make a savory pancake called kimchijeon which has finely chopped kimchi and scallions in the batter and is served with a soy sauce based dipping sauce.
The Swedish make raggmunk, which is a savory pancake made from potatoes, often served with fried pork (like our bacon) and lingonberry jam.
If you’re ever searching for delicious American style pancakes near me, your search will end at The Original Pancake House!