Easter has hopped on...what do you do with all those eggs?
So you have a fridge full of hard boiled eggs and an enormous hunk of ham leftover from your Easter egg hunt and Easter dinner? One of the best things about any holiday is the leftovers! But sometimes you have to get creative. Here are a few scrumptious ideas for your Easter leftovers.
Easter Leftover Sandwich - This is the ultimate leftover meal for Easter as it puts all your leftover items to good use. Biscuits topped with ham, egg salad, lettuce, tomato, and avocado? Hope you have a hearty appetite for this delicious leftover lunch!
Ham and Cheese Quesadillas - Turn your Easter leftovers into dinner with ham and cheese quesadillas. This recipe uses just four ingredients and is kid-friendly! You can use any type of cheese, chop up that giant hunk of leftover Easter ham, and serve with fruit salad or veggies for dinner.
Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole - Yum. This crowd pleasing dish is comfort food at its best. Plus you can make one and freeze one and use up all your leftover ham before the week is out!
Deviled Eggs - If those all those hard boiled eggs are losing their appeal at breakfast, try making them into deviled eggs for an afternoon snack or hearty appetizer. Add a bit of spice to kick them up a notch!
From all of your friends at The Original Pancake House in Denver, we hope you had a wonderful Easter holiday! We hope to see you for breakfast in Denver soon!
It's time for an EGGstravaganza!
Now that spring is officially here, we have eggs on the brain! Easter is just a couple of weeks away and eggs are truly an icon of the new season. Most folks know that eggs are healthy and delicious, but we thought we would share a few lesser known facts about the incredible egg.
Did you know?
- People have been enjoying eggs for a long, long time! East Indian history indicates that wild fowl were domesticated as early as 3200 B.C. Egyptian and Chinese records show that fowl were laying eggs for man in 1400 B.C. and Europe has had domesticated hens since 600 B.C. While there’s evidence of native fowl in the Americas prior to Columbus’ arrival, it’s believed that on his second
trip, he carried the first chickens related to those now in egg production.
- Egg yolks contain choline, which helps promote normal cell activity, improves liver function, and helps transport nutrients throughout the body. Choline also helps develop infant memory function, so eggs are a fantastic food for new moms!
- The surface of each egg shell contains between seven and seventeen thousand tiny pores.
- In the U.S. alone there are about 300 million egg-laying hens, each of which produce 250-300 eggs per year for a grand total of 75 billion eggs. Wow!
So, now that we have you in the mood for eggs, drop on by The Original Pancake House for breakfast out in Denver. With over twenty egg dishes on our menu, we’ll have your whole family shouting “hooray for eggs!”
The Pancake House
At The Original Pancake House, we occasionally get letters from our customers letting us know about their experiences at our restaurant. We want to share this very special letter from one of our youngest customers, Sophia, a 4th grade student at Slavens School. Sophia’s 4th grade Language Arts teacher, Bo Sager, requested that each member of his class write about their favorite restaurant and then mail a copy of the letter to the owner of the restaurant. We are so touched by Sophia’s kind words and happy memories of breakfasts with us! Thank you, Sophia, for sharing your love of pancakes with us! We look forward to seeing you and your family again soon!
The Pancake House is a family friendly place. You can be loud without any rude comments. It is a cozy place it not too fancy but everyone is always nice. The Pancake House is an amazing restaurant.
You might guess what is on the menu. Pancakes of course. While there are other things on the menu, pancakes are their best. They are so good they must put buttermilk because they are full of greatness. They don’t only use the pancake batter for pancakes. They also use it for crepes. They put jelly, fruit, and chocolate on the crepes. Man the crepes are good. It feels like a party in your mouth. I do not like eggs at all. But the way they cook it makes it great. The best thing they make with egg is their omelets. You can ask for stuff like vegetables or bacon. Might I say that when you ask for bacon it makes it a 100 times better. If I didn’t get so full after this breakfast I would eat the whole egg omelet.
In one word to explain the service: great. They are quick to get you a table. In less than a minute they will have a server at your table. All of the servers are nice to you. They always make sure that you are taken care of and the food is good. This one time for my birthday I went to the Pancake House. They asked if it was my birthday and I said yes. 10 minutes later, they came with the most delicious crepe. It had jelly and strawberry on it.
The Pancake House is a great place. Their food is incredible and it’s at a fair price. So go now go to the Pancake House the best place to eat in the world.
By Sophia
Add a little SPRING to your breakfast
Spring is finally in full swing in Denver! We love the sweet smells of flowering trees and plants, bright green grass, and warm sunshine. This time of year, we really like to enjoy breakfast dishes that utilize fresh spring produce – both at home and when we go out to breakfast in Denver!
For a comforting and healthy spring breakfast at home, we love this recipe for asparagus and prosciutto strata which utilizes all the fresh flavors of spring. Served warm on a lovely spring morning alongside a warm cup of coffee and a bright spring berry salad, you’ll be in heaven! Read on for the recipe below!
Asparagus and Prosciutto Strata
Ingredients:
2 slices dense multigrain bread
12 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup dry white wine or low-fat milk
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups halved and very thinly sliced sweet onions
1 cup thinly sliced leek(s), white part only
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch thin asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped scallions or fresh chives
3 very thin slices prosciutto (about 1 1/2 ounces), torn into strips
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons lemon zest (optional)
Directions
- Cut bread into 1/4-inch cubes. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in milk, wine (or another 1/2 cup milk), dry mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in the bread. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the vegetables. (If baking the next day, cover and refrigerate the egg mixture.)
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, leek and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking very gently, stirring occasionally, until the onions have a little color and appear almost melted, 30 to 45 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a medium skillet. Add asparagus, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and let cool; pat dry.
- Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or similar 3-quart dish) with cooking spray.
- When the onions are done, stir in scallions (or chives) and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the asparagus over the onion mixture. (If baking the next day: cover and refrigerate the vegetables in the baking dish.)
- If the egg mixture and vegetables were refrigerated overnight, remove from the refrigerator, uncover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Scatter strips of prosciutto over the vegetables. Stir 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, mint and lemon zest (if using) into the egg mixture until well combined, then pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the top.
- Bake the strata just until firm to the touch in the middle and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers at least 160°F, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, very carefully cover with foil to keep warm and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Tips
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare egg mixture (through Step 1) and vegetables (Steps 2-5) and refrigerate separately for up to 1 day; remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking (2 hours before serving).
And of course for those days that you’d rather have us cook up a delicious spring breakfast, we have many dishes that will brighten your day including our Seasonal Berry Crepes, Blueberry or Strawberry Waffles, our Garden Benedict, or the Vegetarian Omelet! Happy Spring Denver!
EGGstravagant Easter Eggs!
Easter is one of our favorite holidays as we always enjoy a big family brunch with our loved ones. But the highlight for the little ones is usually the Easter Bunny and of course the Egg Hunt! We love decorating our own Easter Eggs and each year we try to come up with a few fun new ideas to surprise the kids. Here are a few of our favorite Easter Egg ideas:
Easter Chick Eggs:
First dye your Easter Eggs yellow with traditional egg dye. Once the dye has dried, use a permanent marker to draw eyes, a beak, and cute little wings.
Neon Dip-Dyed Eggs:
Use bright or neon colored dye for these eggs. Wrap small strips of tape around eggs and dip parts of the eggs in different color dyes. Remove tap when finished to reveal stripes of natural shell color. Experiment with overlapping colors and angles.
Glitter Eggs:
Dye eggs in a variety of colors. Once dye has dried, use glue to create lined design patterns or polka dots. Gently roll eggs in glitter allowing the sparkles to adhere to the glue strips. Shake of excess glitter and allow eggs to fully dry. Alternatively, you can skip the dye and cover the whole egg in glue and then roll in glitter to create beautiful and sparkly eggs.
Tattoo Eggs:
Tattoo eggs are a cute idea for slightly older children. Purchase a variety of temporary tattoos - Spiderman, butterflies, hearts, etc., any design will work! Follow instructions to adhere tattoos to eggs. Either overlap images to cover entire egg, or select one larger image to feature on each egg.
Of course we adults love watching the Egg Hunt, but our highlight is usually the Easter Brunch that follows. If you’re up all night decorating eggs, join us for Easter breakfast or brunch in Denver. We’ll be happy to feed the whole family! Happy Easter from your friends at the Original Pancake House!
Celebrate National Egg Month!
Happy National Egg Month, Denver! The entire month of May is dedicated to nature’s own miracle food, the egg. At The Original Pancake House, we are excited to celebrate one of our favorite breakfast foods this month. Eggs are not only delicious, they are nutritious have many amazing noteworthy qualities wrapped in their shells. Here are a few fun facts about eggs to share with your family and friends next time you gather round the breakfast table.
Did you know?
Eggs provide high-quality protein, containing all the essential amino acids our bodies need in a near-perfect pattern. In fact, the quality of egg protein is so high that scientists frequently use eggs as the standard for measuring the protein quality of other foods …. now, that’s incredible!
Just how many eggs do we eat?
The average American eats 250 eggs per year, which translates to a total annual consumption of 76.5 billion eggs in the U.S. WOW!
And the grand prize goes to:
Harriet the hen laid the world’s largest egg in 2010, measuring a hefty 9.1 inches in diameter.
Where do chickens come from?
A hen must mate with a rooster in order to fertilize an egg. The eggs you buy at the store or eat in a restaurant are laid by hens that haven’t mated.
We are all the same on the inside:
An egg’s shell color doesn’t indicate the quality or nutritional value of an egg, but rather the breed of the hen that laid it. Hens with white feathers tend to lay white eggs and hens with red feathers tend to lay brown eggs.
Now for the fun part!
If all of these facts are making you hungry, join us for breakfast in Denver! We have a plethora of delicious, and nutritious, egg dishes to sample. Our customers love our eggs benedict, three egg omelets, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, and of course all of the delicious side dishes that accompany them. Happy National Egg Month!
Presidential Breakfasts
In honor of President’s Day, we decided to take a look into the morning routine of President Barack Obama as well as a few of the former Presidents of the United States. What our presidents eat is influenced by family heritage, personal preference, physical condition, and social obligation. Take a look at the unique gastronomic portraits of a few of our past presidents!
Barack Obama
: President Obama starts his day with a very hearty breakfast! A typical morning repast includes four to six eggs, potatoes, and wheat toast. Every now and then, Obama enjoys fruit, bacon, and oatmeal.
George W. Bush:
True to his Texas roots, former President George W. Bush loves huevos rancheros and biscuits!
Bill Clinton:
Clinton is known for his unhealthy eating habits and thus it comes as no surprise that his favorite breakfast treats include cinnamon rolls and Egg McMuffins.
George H.W. Bush:
George H.W. Bush was famous for his vocal dislike of broccoli. We do not have much record of what he did like, however, except that he frequently requested corn pudding at many a State Dinner!
Ronald Reagan:
The Reagans were very health conscious in their breakfast habits. Typically, former President Reagan started the day with bran cereal, skim milk, fresh fruit, and decaffeinated coffee. Once a week, Reagan enjoyed a single egg scrambled, poached, or soft-boiled. Reagan usually supplemented his morning repast with whole wheat toast or a home-made muffin.
Jimmy Carter:
Jimmy Carter stuck with his southern roots when it came to morning meals. He preferred ham with redeye gravy, baked grits, and cornbread for breakfast.
Gerald Ford:
Gerald Ford had breakfast habits that are Original Pancake House approved! Ford preferred waffles with strawberries and sour cream, and German apple pancakes!
At the Original Pancake House, we have plenty of breakfast options for both presidential tastes and presidential appetites! Next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, join us for a Gerald Ford-approved apple pancake or Barack Obama’s favorite eggs, potatoes and toast!
Top Breakfast Foods in America
Breakfast is many things to many people. It’s a time to fuel your body for the active day ahead and a time to gather with friends or family. While there are many ingredients and dishes that are staples for breakfast in Denver, there are a few favorites that make their way into our homes every year. What are they you may ask? Below, check out our list of the top breakfast foods in America in honor of National Breakfast Month.
Cereal—
A classic staple in any family pantry, cereal is a quick and easy way to pack in the needed fiber and whole grains needed for the day. Whether you lean on the healthier side or splurge for the Captain Crunch now and then, cereal has become a popular treat for kids and adults alike. In fact, 2.7 boxes of cereal are sold in the U.S. each year with 92% of American households purchasing it at least once a year (source: NPD Group). Celebrate our love for cereal this month by enjoying a bowl at home or come by and visit us for a bowl of our homemade granola, cream of wheat or dry cereal.
Eggs—
This delectable delight has been a main stay in American homes since the domestication of chickens. Eggs possess an impressive macronutrient composition unmatched by its fellow breakfast ingredients that contributes to its powerhouse of nutrition including the ingredient we all need in the morning: Vitamin D. From scrambled to sunny-side up, eggs can take on practically any form and shape we desire. With such versatility and demand for eggs, at our two Denver restaurants alone we serve more than 25,900 little white bundles a week!
Bacon—
You can’t talk about eggs without mentioning their trusty partner-in-tastiness: bacon. This savory, salty snack is as American as apple pie. From the irresistible smell, to the sizzle on the skillet, to the smoky flavor, bacon is one of the few breakfast foods that ignites and awakens all of our senses in the morning. According to AllTech, “Americans on average eat around 18 lbs. of bacon each year. That’s about 5,608,654,506 lbs. for the entire U.S., which is equal to 7.68 Empire State buildings.” Today, we’re finding many creative uses for the classic strip – no longer just a side, try our bacon pancakes or bacon Belgian waffles – breakfast staples made even better with real bits of bacon baked right in!
Oatmeal—
What many consider a healthier option to cereal, oatmeal is another quick and easy way to fuel up and keep you full throughout the day. What makes oatmeal fun to eat is the many ways to spice it up. From adding slices of banana and a dash of cinnamon to incorporating it into pancakes for oatmeal pancakes, oatmeal is no longer the “barbarian” food it was once called. We serve our old fashioned oatmeal with warm skim milk, brown sugars and raisin – yum!
So whether you prefer one of the above or all five, these top breakfast foods have made their way into our hearts and stomachs for years. Their future culinary possibilities look bright and their extinction nowhere in sight. At Original Pancake House in Denver, let us fuel you up for the day ahead and offer you one of the best Denver breakfasts in town. We’re open every day from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. so swing by and celebrate National Breakfast Month with us!
Spring Eggstravaganza Recap
As April comes to an end, we also close the curtains on our month-long Spring Eggstravaganza. We’ve had so much fun celebrating eggs with you this past month. One feature of our Eggstravaganza was a weekly Egg-off contest between several of the Original Pancake House favorites. Our customers voted on their favorite egg breakfast dishes via Facebook and the results are in:
Week 1: Fried Eggs claimed victory over Scrambled in our first weekly Egg-off.
Week 2: Denver Omelet took top prize in a heated contest with the ever-popular Joe.
Week 3: After a tight race, Green Chile Eggs Benedict inched ahead of Classic Eggs Benedict to take the win by a nose.
Week 4: In a close contest, Ham & Cheese Omelet earned the win over the Florentine Omelet.
All were close-fought “battles” and for good reason; we have a hard time choosing our favorite egg dishes as well! As a closeout to the Eggstravaganza, we’d also like to share a few additional Eggstra Fun Facts about Eggs.
Did you know…
- Each of the roughly 280 million laying birds in the U.S. produces from 250 to 300 eggs a year. In total, the U.S. produces about 75 billion eggs a year, about 10% of the world supply.
- Normally, hens with white ear lobes lay white eggs, and hens with red ear lobes lay brown eggs. There is no nutritional difference between white and brown eggs.
- A mother hen turns her eggs about 50 times per day.
- The most expensive egg ever sold was the Faberge “Winter Egg” sold in 1994 for $5.6 million.
- Egg size and grade are not related to one another. Size is determined by weight per dozen. Younger hens tend to lay smaller eggs. The size increases as the hen grows older and bigger. Grade refers to the quality of the shell, white and yolk and the size of the air cell.
- There are 7 to 17 thousand tiny pores on the shell surface, a greater number at the large end. As the egg ages, these tiny holes permit moisture and carbon dioxide to move out and air to move in to form the air cell. The egg can also absorb refrigerator odors through the pores, so always refrigerate eggs in their cartons.
Thank you to all our customers and fans who helped us celebrate our Spring Eggstravanza this past month. Whether you joined us for breakfast in Denver and tried one of the 24 fantastic egg dishes on our menu, or you voted in our weekly Facebook Egg-offs, we hope you enjoyed celebrating the incredible egg as much as we did!
Have an eggscellent spring, Denver!
Eggstra Special Easter Traditions
Brightly decorated eggs, the Easter Bunny, oodles of chocolate, and a family brunch are all integral parts of most annual Easter traditions. Since we are celebrating our Eggstravaganza at the Original Pancake House this month, we decided to explore the history of Easter eggs to find out where this tradition began.
Though today Easter eggs are associated with the Christian holiday of Easter, the tradition of decorating and painting eggs extends back to ancient times. As a symbol of life and rebirth, decorated eggs have been found in ancient civilizations in Africa, South and Central America, and Mesopotamia. For example, Iranians have been decorating eggs for many thousands of years in honor of their new year’s holiday of Nowruz, which coincides with the spring equinox. The Easter egg as we know it today may have pagan roots as part of a springtime and rebirth celebration that occurred each year and involved an egg hunt.
In the Christian religion, Easter eggs are symbols of the resurrection and rebirth of Jesus Christ. In Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox churches, eggs are dyed red to represent the blood that Christ shed on the cross. The egg’s hard shell represents the Tomb of Christ and the cracking of the shell represents his resurrection. Easter egg rolling is representative of the rolling away of the stone in front of Christ’s tomb. In A.D. 1610 under Pope Paul V, the Christian Church officially adopted the Easter egg as a symbol of the resurrection. These Easter traditions originated in Europe and Eastern Europe and were brought to the United States over the past century by immigrant families. Today we continue to celebrate Easter with many of these old traditions including an Easter egg roll on the White House lawn and backyard Easter egg hunts.
However you plan to celebrate this Easter holiday, be it with an egg hunt or just a gathering of family and friends for brunch in Denver; the Original Pancake House wishes you a very happy Easter and a wonderful spring!
Spring Eggstravaganza!
Join us this month as we celebrate the incredible EGG with our Spring Eggstravaganza! With the arrival of spring and Easter on the way, April is the perfect month to celebrate our favorite breakfast staple. Did you know that the Original Pancake House menu offers over 20 different egg dishes?
This month, visit our Facebook page to vote on our weekly Egg-off! Tell us which featured egg dish is the most eggcellent and you’ll be entered to win a $25 Original Pancake House gift card! We’ll choose one lucky winner each week during the month of April. Simply vote via the comments section on our weekly Facebook Egg-off post, and you’ll be entered to win. If you haven’t visited our Facebook page yet, click here to be our friend!
What else makes eggs so incredible? Follow us on Twitter @OPHDenver this month for fun egg trivia and OPH Egg Favorites! We’ll share fun facts and recipes each day during the month.
And of course, the best way to celebrate our Spring Eggstravaganza is to come on in to Original Pancake House and try a few of our egg favorites. Bring your whole family for the best breakfast in Denver; we look forward to seeing you soon!
Say Hello to Spring!
We've been waiting all winter and spring has finally arrived. Flowers are poking their green stems through the dirt, small blooms are popping up on sunny corners, and even the trees are starting to bud. With spring comes the annual promise of fresh produce including asparagus, strawberries, green onions, rhubarb, peas, grapefruit, and a variety of spring greens. To celebrate the return of warm weather, here are a few fresh and seasonal recipes for a delightful spring breakfast.
Artichoke Frittata
Ingredients
2 9 ounce boxes frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
12 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 pinch nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Spring greens, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss the artichokes with the flour to coat.
2. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat the EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the artichokes and fry until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, cheese, parsley and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the artichokes and cook until just set.
3. Transfer the frittata to the oven and bake until set and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, then slice into quarters and serve with the lemon wedges and a side of fresh spring greens
Meyer Lemon Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one Meyer Lemon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups chopped, fresh strawberries
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Position rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a non-stick cooking spray 12 muffin cups. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, Meyer Lemon juice and vanilla extract.
3. In another large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Gently fold in the berries. With a rubber spatula fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix the batter.
4. Fill each muffin cup almost full of batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Spring Asparagus and Bacon Hash
Ingredients
¼ pound bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice (pancetta is also a good idea)
1 pound fingerling potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch dice
1 small yellow onion, diced
½ pound asparagus ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch segments
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
Directions
1. Add bacon to a large cast iron pan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about ten minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
2. Add potatoes to the pan, stir well until they are coated in the rendered fat, and then spread them out into a single layer. Season with salt and pepper, and cook without stirring until lightly browned on the bottom. Using a spatula, flip the potatoes and cook until lightly browned. Continue this process until all sides are lightly browned, about 15 minutes total.
3. Add onion to the pan and stir well. Cook until onions are softened, about five minutes. Add the asparagus, stir well, and then cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp and tender, five to eight minutes. Return the bacon to the pan, stir, and let cook for a minute until warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with scrambled eggs, fried eggs or poached eggs.
Of course, if these recipes sound like too much work, why not take yourself out to breakfast in Denver? At the Original Pancake House, we would be happy to serve you one of our spring favorites such as the Strawberry Belgian Waffles or our Florentine Omelet! Happy spring!