Ice Cream

Easy as Pumpkin Pie! Make your own Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Pie Smoothies

If you are like us, you are certainly counting down the days till America’s favorite foodie holiday – Thanksgiving!  Each year we welcome family and friends to our table to share a feast and give thanks for our many life blessings.  If you have friends or family visiting for the long weekend, you’ll certainly need to feed them breakfast in addition to the big feast.  Here are a couple of festive pumpkin Thanksgiving breakfast treats to share with your guests:

 

Pumpkin Pie Smoothies1116656

Ingredients:

  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 cup (120g) vanilla Greek yogurt1
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice2
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) skim milk3
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup (150g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
  • 1 cup ice

 

Directions:

 

  1. Make sure you have a strong, powerful blender. I like this Ninja or this Vitamix.
  2. Add all of the ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Blend on high for at least 3 minutes or until smooth - this may take longer if your blender isn't very strong. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
  3. Add more milk to thin out if it is too thick. Add a couple more ice cubes for a thicker texture, if desired. Add more spices to taste, if desired.

 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattesrs_600x600-140818104456-600-latte-cm-81814

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup hot espresso or strong brewed coffee
  • Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

 

Directions:

Combine the milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in a medium microwave safe bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and vent with a small hole. Microwave until the milk is hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk vigorously until the milk mixture is foamy, about 30 seconds. Pour the espresso or coffee into a large mug and add the foamed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

 

And of course when you get worn out from cooking, join us for breakfast in Denver over Thanksgiving weekend! We’ll be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but will be open and ready to serve you over the rest of the holiday!


DIY: Breakfast Inspired Halloween Costumes!

It’s crunch time - what to dress up as for Halloween?  We always opt for breakfast inspired costumes, here are a few of our favorite ideas for easy DIY Halloween costumes.

French Toast - This cute costume idea is a great little play on words and is very easy to throw together!  First, find a striped, boat-neck shirt, a beret and perhaps a little red scarf for your neck.  Then create your “toast” by using brown and yellow poster-board to create the bread and butter.  Use string to tie around your neck and...Voila!  French Toast!

 

Bacon and Eggs - This breakfast-y costume is sure to make everyone’s mouth water!  Head to a fabric or craft store to get large pieces of felt - white and yellow for the egg, and red and white for the bacon.  Cut appropriate bacon and egg shapes for your front and back.  Either glue or sew pieces together for this complete breakfast look!  And to add a little fun, the “egg” can add devil accessories to become a “Deviled Egg” and the “bacon” can add a “Kevin” name tag to become “Kevin Bacon!”

Breakfast of Champions: Choose your favorite breakfast item - perhaps a waffle, maybe eggs and bacon, or a stack of pancakes.  Create your favorite breakfast item costume using a large piece of felt or poster board for each side of your body.  Then, visit the dollar store or craft store to find some ribbons or perhaps a small trophy to carry around as a prop and you are “Breakfast of Champions!”

If you join us for breakfast in Denver on Halloween, you will see our staff all dressed up in fun and spooky costumes!  Hope you have a safe and happy Halloween, Denver!

 


Hometown Hero: What Should Phillip Lindsay Eat for Breakfast?

By now we all know Phillip Lindsay, one of the star running backs for the Denver Broncos. Though he is only 24, Phillip has been a standout in Colorado football for many years.  Born in Aurora, Colorado, Phillip attended South High School in Denver where he became the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,587 yards. He then went on to play for the University of Colorado in Boulder where he set the school record in all-purpose yards (5,760) and yards from scrimmage (4,683).  Not bad! With a record like that it is no surprise that the Denver Broncos scooped him up this year. And thus far this season, he has not disappointed local fans!

 

As a Denver breakfast restaurant, we are naturally curious to know what Phillip Lindsay eats for breakfast. (Phillip, if you are reading this, let us know!) Our best guess is that he’s on a fairly strict diet fit for a pro-athlete.  Most athletes will start the day with a large breakfast mixing lean protein, carbs, and fats. Based on nutritionist recommendations, we have a few ideas for what Phillip Lindsay, and all those other aspiring NFL players out there, should have for breakfast!

 

Carbs:

All nutritionist agree that athletes need healthy carbohydrates to fuel them on the field. Healthy carbs might include fruit, veggies, whole grain cereal like oatmeal, or whole grain toast.  With this recommendation in mind, we think Phillip should try our Fiesta Bowl which includes non-fat greek yogurt, homemade granola, and fresh seasonal fruit, or perhaps a bowl of our Old Fashioned Oatmeal topped with skim milk, brown sugar and raisins.

 

Protein:

All athletes need protein to help build muscle and provide sustained energy on the field.  Great sources of breakfast protein (which also contain fats) are eggs, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, milk, cheese, yogurt and meat. At the Original Pancake House in Denver, we think Phillip Lindsay might enjoy our Vegetarian Omelette, with fresh broccoli, tomatoes, onions, and swiss, or perhaps our Mediterranean Omelette filled with fresh spinach, sun dried tomatoes and feta.  Either way, he’d be getting a good serving of healthy protein and veggies. He might also enjoy adding our Turkey Sausage Patties on the side for extra energy!

 

To Phillip Lindsay, and all our football players out there, best of luck to you this season!  If you ever need to fuel up before a game, or even a practice, we’d love to host you! Let’s go BRONCOS!


Back to School Breakfasts

It is hard to believe it is back to school time again!  We know how hard it can be to get back onto a school schedule so we’ve compiled a few of our favorite fast and easy breakfast recipes to help get you out the door on time.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, hopefully these ideas will also make it the easiest meal so that everyone gets to school with a full tummy!

 

Freeze and Go Breakfast Burrito

We love these burritos because you can pack your freezer full of them and have them ready to pop in the microwave on any morning you are running late! Simply cook large quantities of your  breakfast favorites such as scrambled eggs, sausage or bacon, and potatoes. Combine all cooked ingredients plus green chile if you have adventurous kiddos, and cheese in flour tortillas, roll them up, wrap in foil and plastic baggies, and freeze.  In the morning you can toast or microwave these burritos and be ready to go in less than two minutes!

 

Mason Jar Breakfast Parfait

These are so easy to prepare ahead and will last a whole week in the fridge.  Use a large mason jar and fill in alternating layers with your favorite yogurt, fruit medley, and granola.  Screw the tops on the jars to keep the parfait fresh and store in the fridge. They’ll be ready to grab and go in the morning!

 

Banana Bread in a Jar

This breakfast is oh-so-yummy and comforting in the morning.  We recommend preparing the mixture and filling the jars the night before.  Then in the morning you microwave each jar for 2 ½ minutes and you have individual servings of delicious, warm banana bread for breakfast!

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c. Coconut Milk (Unsweetened)
  • 1/4 c. Almond butter (You can use cashew butter as well)
  • 1/4 tsp. Baking powder
  • 2 tbsp Nutiva Coconut Flour
  • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Ripe Banana (Mashed)
  • 1/5 c. Dark Chocolate Chips
  • Sprinkle of shredded pecans
  • Pinch of shredded coconut

 

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix thoroughly. Pour into individual mason jars and top each with chocolate chips, pecans and coconut.  Store in fridge and microwave for 2 ½ minutes when you are ready to eat!


Blueberry Spectacular!

 

Blueberries are truly a remarkable little berry! They are a good source of vitamin K1, vitamin C, manganese and several other beneficial plant compounds like anthocyanins. Consuming blueberries on a regular basis may help prevent heart disease, improve brain health and help moderate blood sugar levels.  Not to mention they taste divine and work well for just about any meal of the day, we certainly like to have them for breakfast in Denver this time of year when they are in season and at the peak of their flavor. Here are a few ways to incorporate blueberries into every meal of the day!

Breakfast: Well that’s an easy one!  At the Original Pancake House in Denver we love to have buttermilk blueberry pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and served with homemade blueberry compote or our homemade Belgian waffles with plump ripe blueberries.  Breakfast doesn’t get much better than that!

Lunch: For lunch, try this recipe for Blueberry and Feta salad with mint dressing.  You’ll get your greens, healthy protein, and of course delicious berries.  This salad can be made ahead and will keep for a couple of days, so it is a great lunch to bring to work or even to serve at a summer picnic.

Dinner: The blueberry dipping sauce really stands out on these Lemon Herb Chicken Skewers.  Kids and adults alike will love this summer grilled entree.

Dessert: Don’t forget dessert!  With just three ingredients, you can make these blueberry ice pops in a jiffy.  They’ll be a delightful and healthy frozen treat on a hot day!

Enjoy fresh blueberry season, Denver!  And join us next time you are craving these delectable little berries for breakfast, we know you’ll love our blueberry pancakes and waffles!


Apple Pancakes Near Me

4th of July Feast! How to eat like our Founding Fathers

Every year on the 4th of July we honor our nation’s independence by donning red, white and blue, spending time with friends and family, and firing up the grill. But while we like to eat hamburgers and ribs, our Founding Fathers shared a very different spread back in 1776.  Here are a few of our Founding Fathers’ favorite foods, and how you can incorporate them into your modern day 4th of July!

 

Cornmeal Hoecakes: A staple food of the early colonial days, cornmeal hoecakes, similar to a pancake, were found on almost every table.  Also, did you know that George Washington wore dentures and thus preferred soft foods? Cornmeal hoecakes were one of his favorites! At the Original Pancake House in Denver, we have a whole assortment of pancakes that would surely please our first President!

 

Cherries: We’ve all heard the myth about George Washington and the cherry tree. Did you know that both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington had cherry orchards on their farms?  If you want to incorporate cherries into your 4th of July, be sure to try our Cherry Kijafa Crepes!

 

Oysters: Since many of our Founding Fathers lived near the coast, seafood was almost always part of their daily menu. Oysters were a particular favorite food and Martha Washington included several recipes for oysters in her First Lady’s cookbook.

 

Apples: A staple part of the colonial harvest, apples appear in many early American recipes. Abigail Adams, John Adams wife, tended their farm and crops while he was busy creating a new nation. She often made apple pandowdy, a sort of cobbler, with their fresh apple harvest. If you are in the mood to eat like President Adams, you won’t want to miss our oven baked Apple Pancake!

 

Whatever you eat this 4th of July, we hope you enjoy the holiday with family and friends!  And from everyone at the Original Pancake House in Denver, we wish you a happy birthday, America!


Healthy Summer Breakfasts

At The Original Pancake House in Denver, we often associate summer with relaxed mornings and leisurely summer breakfasts.  In reality, some summer days are quite rushed, scooting the kids off to camp, or getting up early to hit the trails before it gets too hot.  For those days, we have collected a few of our favorite make-at-home, easy-breezy summer breakfast recipes.

Here they are!

 

No-Bake Chocolate Energy Bites: We love these because they make a delicious and easy breakfast, or snack on the go!  Freeze them and save them for a day when you are short on time!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup no stir almond butter or creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Up to 4 tsp warm water , as needed
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats (raw)
  • 3/4 cup toasted or raw coconut
  • 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
  • 6 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. In a mixing bowl, stir together almond butter, honey, vanilla and cocoa powder. If mixture seems too thick stir in 2 tsp warm water to thin. Add oats, coconut, flaxseed meal and chocolate chips and stir until evenly coated. At this point if mixture still doesn't stick well, stir in up to 2 tsp water as needed. Transfer mixture to refrigerator or freezer and chill until nearly set and easier to handle.
  2. Remove from refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

 

Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie - this recipe wins points for being super easy (all you need is a blender!), and for using up the inevitable watermelon leftovers you’ll have after buying a whole melon.  

 

Simply combine the following ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth:

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh watermelon, cubed (black seeds removed)
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 ripe banana previously peeled, chopped and frozen
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 Tbsp chia or hemp seeds (optional)

 

Overnight Blueberry Cobbler Oatmeal: Make this one the night before and it’s ready to eat for a morning on the run!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 plus cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup milk, I used almond but any milk will do
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar (I use 2 if I drizzle on extra honey)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
  • pecans, optional
  • honey, optional

 

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together oats, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Fold in blueberries.
  2. Divide evenly between 2 small bowls and cover to refrigerate. Leave in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight. Enjoy with a drizzle of honey and your favorite nuts, if desired.

 

And for those days that you do have time for a leisurely summer breakfast, come in and join us at The Original Pancake House for breakfast in Denver!  We’ll take good care of you and your belly! Happy Summer!

 


Strawberry-French-Toast - Denver

Berries are Back!

At the Original Pancake House in Denver, we love the beginning of summer.  Long summer days, leisurely morning breakfasts, and the return of fresh berries make us smile this time of year. There is nothing quite so delectable as perfectly ripe and sweet fresh seasonal berries topping your favorite pancakes, waffles, french toast and crepes!  Here are a few of our favorite dishes which showcase the best, most delicious, fresh berries:

 

Fresh Seasonal Berry French Toast

Our golden brown French toast topped with fresh seasonal berries and our fresh whipped cream. Served with our warm strawberry syrup.

 

Blueberry Pancakes

Buttermilk pancakes filled with plump blueberries and lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Served with whipped butter and warm blueberry compote syrup.

 

Strawberry Belgian Waffle

Our golden brown Belgian waffle lightly dusted with powdered sugar, then topped with fresh strawberries and our fresh whipped cream. Served with our warm strawberry syrup.

 

Seasonal Berry Crepes

Three delicate crepes rolled and topped with fresh seasonal berries, our fresh whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Served with our warm strawberry syrup.

 

The next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, be sure to stop in and try one of our seasonal berry breakfasts, they are berry delicious!


Pancakes

A Topping for Every Pancake

If you want pancakes for breakfast in Denver, look no further than the Original Pancake House! We are proud to say that we make the most perfect, golden brown pancakes you’ll ever have.  If you are a purist, we will always have our classic buttermilk pancakes topped with whipped butter and served with our warm maple syrup, but for those who are feeling adventurous, we have a topping for every taste!

For those who love our classic, American buttermilk pancakes, try one of these favorites inspired by the American heartland:

49'er Flap Jacks - From the mother lode country. Plate-sized, chewy, and tender. Served with whipped butter and warm syrup.

Potato Pancakes - Served with sour cream or cinnamon applesauce.

Sourdough Flap Jacks - This recipe was the favorite of the klondike gold rush. Served with whipped butter and warm syrup.

Georgia Pecan Pancakes - Buttermilk pancakes filled and topped with warm toasted pecans. Lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Served with whipped butter and warm tropical syrup.

 

For those that are feeling like something a little exotic, you have to try one of these delightful takes on classic Dutch Baby Pancakepancakes:

Swedish Pancakes - Authentic lacy Swedish pancakes are always a treat. Served with lingonberry sauce from Sweden and whipped butter.

Coconut Pancakes - Buttermilk pancakes filled and topped with warm toasted coconut. Lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Served with whipped butter and tropical syrup.

Hawaiian Pancakes - Buttermilk pancakes filled with crushed pineapple and lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Served with whipped butter and warm tropical syrup.

For the young, and the young at heart, we always recommend folks try our Bacon Pancakes, Blueberry Pancakes, Banana Pancakes or our Chocolate Chip Pancakes.  All are served with whipped butter and warm syrup of course!

Apple Pancake
Apple Pancake

And last, but certainly not least, if you are feeling fancy you must try our signature Dutch Baby Pancake which is oven baked and served with whipped butter, lemon and powdered sugar, or our signature Apple Pancake which is oven baked with fresh Granny Smith apples and pure Sinkiang cinnamon glaze.  We promise you won’t go home hungry after one of these breakfast works of art!


OPH

Call ahead, we’ll save you a spot in line!

Our holiday gift to you Denver - now you can call ahead and save a spot in line at The Original Pancake House in Denver!  Starting Monday, December 11th, you can now call ahead and we’ll put your name on the waiting list.

 

Its as easy as…

  1. Call when you are on your way!
  2. We will let you know the current wait time and add you to our waitlist.
  3. Check in when you arrive and we’ll update you on the status of your table.

 

We now offer our call ahead wait list every day of the week.  Because less waiting means more time to enjoy breakfast with friends and family!

 

Be sure to add our two locations to your phone:

The Original Pancake House Cherry Hills - University at Orchard Road

Call: 303-795-0573

 

The Original Pancake House Denver Tech Center - 8000 E. Belleview Ave.

Call: 303-224-0093

 

We hope to see you soon, Denver!  Happy holidays!


Bacon

How To: Make Your Own Perfect Crispy Home Fries

There is nothing better than crispy, flavorful home fries with a savory breakfast.  Home fries are one of our favorite breakfast staples at The Original Pancake House in Denver - dip them in a runny egg, enjoy them with hot sauce, or just eat them straight-up!  Though we can’t share our own secret recipe, we can give you a few good tips for making delicious home fries in your own kitchen!  

To start, make sure you select the right potato.  We like russet potatoes as they are more starchy, like to soak up butter and flavors, and will give you a nice creamy center.  Red, new, or fingerling potatoes won’t give you the same smooth and buttery center as a russet.

Next, parboil the potatoes to get the right texture.  After you cube your potatoes, add them to a pot with cold water just deep enough to cover the potatoes.  Bring the water to a boil and cook for just a couple of minutes once boiling.  This cooking method will yield the soft creamy inside; be careful not to overdo it as boiling too long will result in mushy and crumbly potatoes.

If you like onions in your home fries, dice and cook them separately while the potatoes are boiling.  Cooking onions on their own will ensure they have proper time and space to saute properly.  Cook onions until they are translucent and fragrant, then set aside.

Now it is finally time to cook those potatoes!  Add both oil and butter to the skillet or cast iron pan and arrange potatoes in a single layer.  It is important not to overcrowd the pan as you want to make sure each potato is seared.  As you are searing the potatoes, add in your seasonings.  We like paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic. Once you get a nice golden brown, crispy edge on your spuds, flip them and sear the other side(s).  When you have a nice crispy crust on all sides, add your onions back to the pan for a final saute and serve immediately!

And of course, next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, let us share our own homemade home fries with you!  Bon Appetit!


No Bake Breakfast Balls

Back to School Breakfasts

Here we go again!  The kids are heading back to school and suddenly the leisurely summer mornings are replaced with rush, rush, go, go, get to school on time!  But wait, we all need to eat something healthy and nutritious to give us energy for the day and to help our brains get ready to learn!  We’ve compiled a few of our favorite back to school breakfasts.  These are healthy, nutritious, filling, and easy to prepare in just a few minutes!

 

Easy Cinnamon French Toast Sticks

  • 8 slices thick-cut Texas toast
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Unsalted butter, for cooking
  • Maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

Cut each slice of Texas toast into four sticks. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat it on all sides so that it's well-saturated with the custard.

Shake off any excess and place the coated bread on a large plate or baking dish. Repeat the dipping process with the remaining pieces of bread.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted, place several of the coated sticks in a single layer in the pan. (Do not overcrowd the pan.) Cook until golden brown on one side then flip and continue cooking until the sticks are golden brown and slightly crisped on all edges. Serve immediately with maple syrup for dipping.

 

No Bake Breakfast Balls

No Bake Breakfast Balls, image courtesy of Divas Can Cook
  • 1/4 cup of almonds
  • 1/4 cup of cashew pieces
  • 1/4 cup of dried fruit (we used dried cherries, but I bet any dried fruit would work)
  • 1/4 cup of almond butter (+ 1 teaspoon of coconut oil – omit the coconut oil if you decide to substitute with peanut butter).
  • 2 Tablespoons of dark chocolate pieces
  • 1 cup of toasted granola

Directions:

Throw all the ingredients except for the almond butter and the granola into the food processor and chop finely. Mix in the granola and the almond butter and coconut oil (or butter).  Make sure that everything is well coated, then put the bowl into the fridge for about 3 hours.  You want the nut meal to soak up some of the healthy fats from the almond butter.   Once chilled, form batter into balls and either eat immediately or store in the fridge or freezer for a morning on the run!

 

Potato Omelet Breakfast Bites

  • Frozen Tator Tots
  • Ham, Sausage or Bacon
  • Red or Green peppers (or substitute other veggies)
  • 8 eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • Shredded cheese for topping

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and make sure you grease your muffin tins really well, making sure to get both the sides and bottom Throw your tater tots in the microwave for a couple minutes to thaw. Then, place 3 in each standard size muffin tin. Take a small cup and squish them flat into the bottom of each tin. Bake your tater tots for 10 minutes.

While you are waiting for them to cook, you can gather and chop up your breakfast meat of choice and veggies of choice. If you don’t like peppers, you can substitute with spinach, mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, basil, zucchini, squash, etc. Just be sure to pre-cook or purchase pre-cooked meats. After removing your tots from the oven, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle your toppings over each cup. Whip together 8 eggs and 1/4 cup milk with a fork. Pour egg mixture in and sprinkle cheese mixture on top of each cup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the egg is cooked through. Enjoy!

 

Good luck this school year, Denver!  And don’t forget to visit us at The Original Pancake House when you want to go out for breakfast in Denver on the weekends!