Little Helpers - Great Breakfasts to Make with Your Kids
We all enjoy breakfast or brunch in Denver with our kids, it is a truly special way to spend a weekend morning with our families. For the mornings you stay home, it is great to get kids involved in the kitchen. Even the smallest tots enjoy mixing, stirring, and cracking eggs! Here are a few of our favorite recipes to make with our kids. These recipes are easy and fast, meaning breakfast will be on the table in a jiffy, especially with the extra help from your kids!
Chocolate Chip Pancake Poppers
This recipe is essentially chocolate chip pancakes in mini-muffin form so your kids don’t have to worry about flipping messy pancakes on a hot griddle. Its as easy as 1- 2 -3 and of course they are fun to eat too!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
2 tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then stir in milk, maple syrup, butter, egg, vanilla and cinnamon. Fold in mini chocolate chips until just combined. Divide batter evenly between mini muffin cups.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with maple syrup.
Donut Apples
We love this recipe because there is actually real fruit hiding below all the delicious toppings! It’s fun and healthy too!
Ingredients:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened, cut into thirds
2 tsp. honey, divided
1/2 c. melted chocolate
2 drops pink food coloring
3 apples
Assorted sprinkles, for decorating
Directions:
- Divide cream cheese among three small bowls. In one bowl, add 1 teaspoon honey. In another bowl, add melted chocolate. In the last bowl, add remaining teaspoon honey and pink food coloring. Stir each bowl together until combined.
- Slice apples and use a biscuit or cookie cutter to hollow out centers.
- Spread mixtures on apple slices and top with sprinkles.
And of course if you aren’t in the mood for making a mess of your kitchen, come join us at The Original Pancake House for breakfast out in Denver!
Sweet Treats for Easter
With Easter coming up this weekend, most families in Denver are planning their annual traditions. For some, it is church, followed by brunch in Denver with the whole family. For others, the holiday starts at the crack of dawn with an egg hunt and easter baskets and brunch at home. Whatever your tradition, everyone wants some easy pre-made breakfast treats on hand to go with their morning coffee! After all, a big Easter brunch may be several hours away! Here are a few of our favorite recipes for Easter morning that work well for before, during, or even after Easter brunch.
French Toast Bake
We love this recipe because you can prepare it the night before and just pop it in the oven when you are ready to nosh on Easter morning!
Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1 1/2 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 loaf white bread, preferably day old
Powdered sugar, for serving
Maple syrup, for serving
strawberries, for serving (optional)
Directions
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt.
- Dunk bread slices in the egg mixture then arrange them in a tall baking dish, standing up. Pour extra egg mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate, 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- Bake in oven on 375° until the tops of the bread are golden and crunchy, about 45 minutes.
- Sift powdered sugar on top of the French toast bake. Serve warm with maple syrup and strawberries, if desired.
Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
Prepare this delicious, sunshiney breakfast bread ahead of time and then slice and go! Whether you are chasing tots around the yard on their egg hunt, or getting everyone in the car to go to church and brunch, this is the perfect pre-breakfast treat!
Ingredients
1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
3 large eggs
1/2 c. yogurt
1/4 c. skim milk
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons, divided, plus small wedges for serving
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 c. powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9”-x-5” loaf pan with cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper and grease parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, combine butter, sugar, and lemon zest and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add yogurt, milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add flour mixture to the egg mixture in 3 additions, stirring at low speed between each one. Stir until batter is just combined, then pour batter into prepared pan and bake until the loaf is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.
- Let loaf cool in pan for 15 minutes then carefully transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. When the loaf has cooled, whisk together powdered sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice to make glaze. Pour over loaf and garnish with lemon wedges.
And remember, we’ll be open on Easter so bring your family in for brunch! From all of us at The Original Pancake House in Denver, Happy Easter to you and yours!
What is an Irish Breakfast?
St. Patrick’s Day is this coming Saturday and we’re excited to celebrate this delicious (and lucky!) food holiday at The Original Pancake House in Denver. In Ireland they say “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper” which means we should all start the day with a large cooked breakfast - now that is an idea we fully support!
In Ireland, the tradition of a full Irish breakfast was started for farm workers to give them energy and sustenance for a full-day of outdoor labor. The meal was typically created with farm fresh produce and homemade breakfast staples, all warmed together in a big frying pan with a generous square of Irish butter. Today’s Irish breakfast usually consists of some or all of the following: bacon, sausages, baked beans, eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, and perhaps some cooked leftover potatoes made into a hash. There will also be toast, butter, marmalade, and lots of tea to drink.
Today, most Irish folk don’t have time for such an elaborate breakfast during the week. However, this favorite breakfast meal is savored on lazy weekend mornings and is always served at Irish bed and breakfasts and inns.
At The Original Pancake House in Denver, we serve our own version of an Irish breakfast, our Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. Inspired by the flavors of Ireland, this dish includes our own homemade freshly ground corned beef brisket and onion with diced potatoes. It comes served with two basted eggs and three of our wonderful buttermilk pancakes. If you are looking for a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in Denver, stop on in and try it!
From all of us at The Original Pancake House, we wish you a Happy St. Patty’s Day!
Celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month
The month of February is marked by several great food holidays including “National Chocolate Month,” “National Grapefruit Month,” and “National Cherry Month.” We of course will try to celebrate all these delicious occasions, but for us, the most important February holiday is “National Hot Breakfast Month.” At The Original Pancake House in Denver we believe the best way to start any day is with a hot breakfast. It gives you the fuel you need to be your best self, not to mention, a hot breakfast is so comforting and warming on a cold morning. Here are our favorite hot breakfasts:
Hearty Egg Plates: Biscuits and Gravy, Corned Beef Hash and Eggs, and Eggs Benedict round out this delicious group of hot breakfast items. If you start your day with one of these, you’ll be ready to take on anything the day brings!
Omelettes: Whether you like your omelettes with ham and cheese, or smothered in green chile, or filled to the brim with fresh veggies, these hot breakfast items are always a crowd-pleaser! And we always serve ours with three fresh buttermilk pancakes!
On the sweeter side: For those who like something sweet in the morning, there is no better hot breakfast than one topped with syrup! Pancakes, and crepes, and waffles, oh my! Choose your topping, add butter and syrup or perhaps whipped cream and you’ll be smiling all day!
The next time you’d like to enjoy breakfast out in Denver, let us cook up one of our favorite hot breakfasts for you. The only hard part is deciding what to order!
Olympic Breakfasts
We salute all the amazing athletes who are competing in the Winter Olympics this month in PyeongChang, South Korea. These athletes work so hard to stay at the top of their game and give their best performance during the Winter Games, we are sure they must start every day with a solid breakfast. We did a little research and found out what some of our favorite athletes eat each day to stay in gold medal shape! Here is what we found:
Mikaela Shiffrin: An alpine skier for team USA, Mikaela runs on the motto “Always be faster than the boys.” And that she is! Perhaps one of the best all around skiers in US history, Mikaela will definitely be bringing home some hardware from the 2018 Olympics.
Her gold medal breakfast: Two eggs and two pieces of toast. Or sometimes cereal (or oatmeal) and fruit.
Chloe Kim: This 17 year old phenom just struck gold in the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition. We love her personality and her now famous tweet about being “hangry” midway through the competition. We also love her breakfast choices! Chloe, if you are ever in Denver, come visit us at The Original Pancake House, we have all your favorites!
Her gold medal breakfast: Chocolate pancakes, biscuits and gravy, toast, and cottage cheese.
Chris Mazdzer: You’ve seen Chris in the headlines over the past few days because he captured the first Olympic medal of any kind for the United States in the sport of Luge. Way to go Chris! Lugers also must eat a lot for breakfast because apparently the heavier they are, the faster they go! Sounds like our kind of sport.
His gold medal breakfast: Eggs, either scrambled, over-medium or in omelet with onions, peppers, mushrooms and spinach. He occasionally has smoked salmon and side of avocado or muesli, with plain yogurt and honey.
Nathan Chen: The American star favorited to take a medal in men's figure skating is only 18 years old! Nathan has a busy training schedule so he needs a well-balanced breakfast to get him going each morning.
His gold medal breakfast: A smoothie, egg breakfast wrap, or yogurt.
We love watching these amazing athletes compete and represent Team USA. We are all cheering you on from Denver! USA! USA!
How to: Make Perfect Poached Eggs
Poached eggs are an art form. If you’ve ever tried them at home, you’ve likely experienced the disintegrating poached 
egg that falls apart in the pot, the water-logged poached egg that floods your toast, or the poached egg that goes in looking like a hearty meal and comes out looking like a tiny mouthful of food, barely substantial enough to feed a toddler. At the Original Pancake House in Denver, breakfast is our craft and we’ve mastered the poached egg! Here are a few tips for you home chefs.
Tools: You’ll need a shallow saucepan or deep skillet and a slotted spoon. Make sure you start with the correct tools for the job!
Directions: You don’t need a culinary degree to poach an egg, just follow these simple, but important steps!
- Make sure your eggs are really fresh. Step one, purchase your own hen (just kidding!); you don’t need your own hen for fresh eggs, but do try to search out local eggs at the grocery store. Fresh eggs have a thicker white near the yolk that will better hold a shape as it cooks. You can tell how fresh an egg is by putting it in a glass of water; if it lies horizontally at the bottom, it is very fresh; if it starts to float or stand on end it is less fresh.
- Crack your egg into a bowl or plate, this makes it easier to slide into the pan and will help you avoid the disintegrating egg white problem.
- Bring a pan of water filled at least 5 cm deep to a simmer. Don't add any salt as this may break up the egg white. Do add a drop of vinegar as this will help the egg keep its shape.
- Stir the water to create a gentle whirlpool. Once the water is simmering, give it a stir as the circular motion will help the egg white wrap around the yolk.
- Slowly tip the egg into the center of your whirlpool. Make sure the heat is low enough so your egg doesn’t get jumbled and broken apart by aggressively bubbling water. There should only be small bubbles rising.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the white is set.
- Lift the egg out with a slotted spoon and drain it on a paper towel. This step is very important so that you avoid a flood on your plate and soggy toast.
Most importantly, make sure you have a cup of coffee and a steady hand to help you with this very delicate breakfast! Once your egg is ready, season with salt and pepper, or perhaps a bit of hollandaise sauce. And of course, if all fails in your home attempts, come visit us at the Original Pancake House, we’ll have a plate of perfectly cooked eggs benedict waiting for you!
Breakfast for Dinner!
At the Original Pancake House in Denver, we believe breakfast is the best meal of the day. It seems like a shame to only have breakfast once per day, so sometimes we like to make breakfast again and treat our family to ‘breakfast-for-dinner!’ If you like to have your bacon and eggs multiple times a day, here are a few great breakfast-for-dinner recipes to try!
Breakfast Burritos - Easy and fun to assemble, these breakfast burritos will be a crowd pleaser! Choose your favorite fillings - eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, potatoes, cheese and then offer a variety of fun toppings like green chile sauce or salsa. Best of all, you can have the whole meal ready and on the table in 15 minutes. Here is an easy recipe courtesy of the Pioneer Woman and Food Network. 
Chicken and Waffles - Sweet and savory flavors meld oh-so-well in this classic southern dish. Simply make your favorite waffles, pan fry a batch of chicken, and top it all off with syrup. Kids will love the idea of pouring syrup all over their dinner and adults will love the homey goodness! Try this tasty classic recipe from Grandbaby Cakes.
Corned Beef Hash - A perfect winter warmer, corned beef hash makes a great meal any time of day. To save time you can buy corned beef already prepared from your local deli. Then simply bake with potatoes and seasonings, and top with a runny egg. Yum! Try this recipe from Bon Appetit.
If you need inspiration on more breakfast-for-dinner ideas, come on in to OPH and peruse our menu, we’re sure you’ll find plenty of good ideas for your next evening meal! We hope to see you soon!
What Makes the Best Breakfast in the DTC?
If you live or work in the DTC chances are you’re going to be searching for the best breakfast at some point. Or perhaps you’ve already discovered that the best breakfast in the DTC is being served at The Original Pancake House. The idea of the “best breakfast” depends on who you ask. Some people think a hearty meal of bacon and eggs is the best. Others may want something sweet like pancakes or pastries. But if you ask the experts what makes the best healthy breakfast, they’ll tell you to be sure to include some of these items.
Protein. A good source of lean protein is the most important part of the best breakfast in the DTC or anywhere else. Eggs or egg whites are a great choice as are low fat dairy products like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. You can also opt for a vegetarian source like tofu or peanut butter.
Whole Grains. The complex carbohydrates in whole grains like oats and barley will give you energy, fiber and fill you up. If you prefer whole grain cereals, be sure to look for varieties that are low in sugar.
Fruit. You may want to choose a small glass of unsweetened fruit juice, but whole fruit is a better choice because it contains fiber and is not processed.
Need a Healthy On-the-Go Breakfast in Cherry Hills?
You can never go wrong with eating a healthy breakfast in Cherry Hills, or anywhere else in the world.
It’s been established that starting your day with a healthy breakfast is always a good idea. But still, lots of people find themselves constantly skipping this meal. Now that it’s a new year perhaps you’ve made a resolution to eat a healthy breakfast every day. Here are some great, easy ideas to fuel you for a busy day that won’t weight you down.
Overnight Oats. Simply fill a jar (pro tip: use an almost-empty peanut or nut butter jar for extra nutrition and flavor) with oats, your choice of milk, and other ingredients such as fruit, chia seeds, nuts, coconut, and protein powder. Allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight and in the morning you have a healthy and delicious porridge. You can enjoy it cold or pop it in the microwave for a hot breakfast on-the-go.
Breakfast Quesadillas. You can fill these with an endless variety of ingredients. Scrambled eggs and veggies, almond butter and sliced strawberries, turkey and avocado, hard boiled egg and sliced tomatoes, or peanut butter and bananas. The only limit is your imagination!
Yogurt Parfait. Much like overnight oats, you can build these in jars and they are perfect for making in advance. Greek yogurt, berries and some toasted nuts make for a delicious and healthy breakfast packed with protein and complex carbs.
Healthy Muffins. Most muffins out there are really just a way to eat cake in the morning. But healthy muffins make for an excellent on-the-go breakfast. Simply make them with whole grains like oats and add ingredients like nuts, protein powder, and fruit to pack them with fiber, flavor and nutrition. You can sweeten them with a sugar substitute if desired, or just use a little honey or agave syrup for a natural alternative.
On those days where you feel like having a hearty and delicious breakfast in Cherry Hills, be sure to visit us at The OPH Denver!
Best Breakfast Restaurants That Use Fresh Ingredients
Going out to eat can often wreak havoc on a person’s diet plan. Often this can be caused by a lack of breakfast selections made with fresh ingredients. It can be hard to find one that has all the classic favorites you love, but also the fresh, homemade taste you crave.
We at The Original Pancake House, have both. Many diners and pancake restaurants use frozen egg products and processed meat. We use healthy, fresh and seasonal ingredients.
Come on down and try some of these fresh meals!
Bacon or Sausage and Eggs
Nothing is better than that delicious classic of bacon and eggs or sausage if you prefer. Fresh ingredients elevate the dish beyond the diner taste. Nothing can be better than fresh meat and eggs.
Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
Besides our fresh eggs, this dish has fresh ground beef brisket and potatoes. Fresh ingredients keep the flavors rich and mouthwatering.
Biscuit and Homemade Sausage Gravy and Eggs
This classic dish will make you feel like you are on the farm. Our fresh ingredients paired with our from scratch recipe will not only make your digestive track sing, it will celebrate. Our warm biscuits come straight out of the oven and into your mouth.
2018 Breakfast Trends at Pancake Restaurants Near Me
Are pancake restaurants near me going to be serving salads this year?
It’s a New Year and you know what that means? We can expect to see all new breakfast trends at pancake restaurants near me, as well as at all the best diners and breakfast spots. At The Original Pancake House you can count on us for a delicious, hearty breakfast all year long. We’re not much for trendy food, we like the comfort and nostalgia of the classics. And we love that our customers appreciate this as much as we do. But just in case you’re curious about what’s going to be the flashy new dish at restaurants this year, check out this list.
Non-Wheat Pancakes. It’s no secret that plenty of people are avoiding wheat, gluten and grains of all varieties these days. But naturally they still want to enjoy pancakes and we can’t say we blame them. So it goes without saying that pancake restaurants near me are going to be making this dish with things like nut flours, root vegetables, non-wheat grains, and even bananas.
Breakfast Salads. This is likely fueled by the growing demand for both healthy food and items that are grain or gluten free. Hearty salads piled with items like breakfast meats and poached eggs are predicted to make a lot of appearances on the table in 2018.
Frittatas. This classic dish is supposed to make a big comeback this year. Eggs are consistently the king of the breakfast table and it’s no surprise that the versatile and satisfying frittata is going to get a lot of attention.
Protein Pancakes. They say that a high-protein diet is one of the keys to weight loss so no surprise here that people are asking for more protein in this breakfast staple. Makes sense to us, why not get some more nutritional value out of our favorite dish. The addition of things like Greek yogurt and protein powder to pancakes makes for a delicious complete breakfast.
Keep Out the Winter Chill with These Classic Comfort Breakfast Foods
Weekends are meant for relaxing, spending time with the family, and enjoying a good meal. But after a busy week, who wants to add to the growing list of things to do with making pancakes. Going out for pancakes is a great alternative, but where can you find all the classic comfort breakfast foods you crave, without having to search for the new food trends? Our menu is pure classics. We have a great mix of all the comforts of breakfast balanced with a few new flavors to keep it interesting. You won’t want to miss these delicious meals and comfortable atmosphere for the whole family.
Try these classic comfort breakfast foods:
Belgian Waffles
A Saturday morning without Waffles is like wet socks, unfortunate and disappointing. Our waffles are the perfect thing to make your weekend special. We have the classic Belgian Waffle, but we also have extra flavors to cheer it up and make your breakfast sing. Try coconut, blueberry, or bacon waffles.
Pancakes
It wouldn’t be the Pancake House without pancakes. Our diversity of pancakes are just right for what you’re craving, from buttermilk to buckwheat and even chocolate chip. If classic pancakes are what you crave, we have the breakfast for you!
French Toast
No one can forget the all-time favorite French Toast. Our bread and eggs are combined in just the right way to make you think of Grandma’s French Toast. No need to burn any bread or break any shells. We will do the cooking and serve you up some sourdough French toast or maybe you’d prefer a seasonal berry French Toast. We have all the flavors you’d enjoy.