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!
Meet our Executive Chef Alex Tafoya
This past week we sat down with our Executive Chef, Alex Tafoya and got to know a bit about him and his culinary inspirations. Here is what we learned!
Q: Tell us about yourself:
A: I was born and raised in Colorado Springs Colorado, and moved to Denver Colorado in 1997 with my Mom and Sister. I was raised by my wonderful mother who had a tough time raising two kids as a single parent but did a fantastic job in the end
Q: What is your earliest food memory?
A: My earliest food memory was when is was around five. I loved being in the kitchen with my mother and grandmother. My grandma would teach me how to cook beans and enchiladas and I loved it, and my mom would teach me how to make her famous beef stroganoff that I still make to this day at home
Q: How did you become a chef and get into the restuarant industry?
A: I got into the restaurant industry when I was 17 years old at a seafood restaurant downtown called Del Mar Crab House. I started as a food runner part time while I went to school at ACC. I enjoyed watching the chef’s so much I asked for a chance to step into the kitchen. When I did I loved the fast paced environment so much that I knew that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and enrolled into culinary school as soon as I turned 18.
Q: What was your first job as a chef?
A: My first chef job was at age 19 for a company called Buff Brothers at a restaurant called Dirk’s right after culinary school. It was there that I developed my skills as a chef and leader in not only the back of the house but the front of house as well.
Q: How long have you been with The Original Pancake House in Denver?
A: I have been at the Original Pancake House now for 2 years after a brief leave were I worked at the Original Pancake House for 3 years as a server, cook, busser and host.
Q: What is your favorite dish to make at OPH?
A: My Favorite dish to make at the Original Pancake House would have to be the Dutch baby and the Apple Pancake because that was a dish my mother used to make us as kids. Don’t tell my mom that ours are better.
Q: What do you cook for yourself when you are home?
A: When I am at home I love to cook beef wellington, beef Stroganoff and if it can go on a grill chances are I will love to cook it as well.
Q: If you could have breakfast with anyone living or dead, who would it be and what would you have?
A: If I could have breakfast with anyone living or dead I would probably have to choose my Dad. He Passed away when I was 18 from cancer and never had the chance to see all of my accomplishments that I am very proud of. The meal of choice would have to be a Dutch Baby with a side of our thick cut bacon and a tall glass of fresh squeezed orange juice.
Thank you so much for sharing a bit about yourself Alex! Next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, be sure to wave and say hello to Alex!
Celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month!
We all know by now that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If your normal routine of cold cereal is giving you the winter blues, it might be time to spice up your morning with a hot breakfast. February is the perfect time to switch up the menu as this month is National Hot Breakfast Month.
For those who are on the go and need a very quick meal in the morning, hot oatmeal might be just the ticket. Simply boil water, mix with instant oats, and you are ready to go. If you plan ahead, you can even make traditional oats in the slow-cooker overnight and have them piping hot and ready for you as head out the door, check out our recipe here.
In our house, we like to make egg sandwiches each morning. They are quick, easy, filling, and healthy! Simply toast English muffins, fry up a couple of eggs, add cheese and ham if you like, and you are ready to eat in just three minutes. You can even wrap these yummy breakfast sammies up in tin foil and eat them during the morning commute.
On weekends, when we have a little more time, we try our hand at homemade pancakes, waffles, and muffins. And of course on lazy weekends we celebrate with breakfast out in Denver! Sometimes it is nice to have your friends at the Original Pancake House do all the work, and clean-up, for you!
From our breakfast table to yours, happy National Hot Breakfast Month!
We’re nutty about Pecans!
At The Original Pancake House we go nuts for pecans! We love them in our Banana Praline Crepes, we enjoy the crunch they add to our Pecan Belgian Waffle, we can’t get enough of their toasty goodness in our Georgia Pecan Pancakes, and they certainly add a special something to our Banana Praline French Toast. YUM! To celebrate this special nut, we’ve collected a few fun facts about pecans.
Did you know?
- The name “pecan” is a Native American word that was used to describe nuts requiring a stone to crack. There are over 1,000 varieties of pecans. Many are named for Native American Indian tribes, including Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux, Choctaw and Shawnee.
- The pecan capital of the world is Albany, Georgia, which boasts more than 600,000 pecan trees.
- Pecan trees are native to North America and over 80% of the world’s pecan crop comes from the United States. Some of the larger pecan shellers process 150,000 pounds of pecans each day. That’s enough to make 300,000 pecan pies!
- Pecan trees only produce nuts every two years. Pecans come in a variety of sizes – mammoth, extra-large, large, medium, small and midget.
- The pecan pie was created by French people who had settled in New Orleans.
- The pecan is heart healthy and contains antioxidants, 19 vitamins and minerals and healthy fat. Pecans are also high in zinc and provide 10% of daily recommended value per serving.
- In 1995, Georgia pecan wood was selected by the Atlanta Committee to make the handles of the torches for the 1996 Olympic Games. The torches were carried in the 15,000-mile U.S.A. relay and in the lighting of the Olympic flame in Atlanta on July 19, 1996.
- About 78 pecans are used in the average pecan pie.
- Pecan trees can live to be over 200 years old. The largest and oldest trees can have a trunk that is three feet in diameter and can be over 150 feet tall.
- One ounce of pecans provides 10% of the recommended daily fiber intake.
All of these fun facts are making us hungry; time to get cracking on our next batch of Georgia Pecan Pancakes. Next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, come join us and try one of our delicious pecan breakfast dishes!
What is a Swedish Pancake?
At The Original Pancake House, Swedish pancakes are one of our favorite menu items. Lacy and sweet, and served with lingonberry sauce and whipped butter, these pancakes are always a special treat. For those of you who have never tried a Swedish pancake, let us entice your taste buds!
Though called a pancake, Swedish pancakes more similarly resemble a traditional French crepe. They are very thin pancakes and are most often served folded or rolled with sweet toppings. Swedish pancakes are known for their richness. High in egg and butter content and low in flour, these pancakes are lighter, fluffier and airier than other forms of pancake. To make Swedish pancakes, we prepare the special batter, spoon onto a hot griddle into a thin layer, and flip, much the same way one would prepare a crepe.
Because Swedish pancakes are especially sweet, they are usually served with lingonberry, any other fruit preserves, or even yogurt. Lingonberry sauce is a traditional Swedish condiment as the berries are quite plentiful in the mountains and forests of the country. Lingonberry sauce is most similar in flavor to a cranberry – slightly sweet and slightly sour – and makes a great accompaniment to sweet Swedish pancakes.
The next time you join us for breakfast in Denver, be sure to try out our Swedish pancakes with Lingonberry sauce. We promise you will enjoy this special treat from a land faraway!
Take our Customer Satisfaction Survey for a chance to win a FREE $50 OPH gift card!
Hello to all our Original Pancake House customers!
In an effort to ensure we continue to provide you with the best possible breakfast experience, we’ve put together a brief customer satisfaction survey. Please take a few minutes to tell us how we are doing. We know you are busy so as a thank you for your time, we’ll enter each respondent into a drawing for a FREE $50 OPH gift card! Just complete the survey and you could win free breakfast for you and your family! As always, we thank you for your continued patronage of OPH and look forward to seeing you soon!
Click HERE to take our brief customer satisfaction survey.
Wishing you a good day and full belly,
The OPH Staff
Make Your Breakfast a Tropical Escape
As we dig out from yet another snow storm in Denver, our minds are wandering to warmer climates. If you can’t fly to your dream beach, why not make your morning meal into a tropical escape? This week we are turning up the thermostat a few degrees and making breakfast with inspiration from the tropics! If we close our eyes, we can almost hear the waves crashing and the warm breeze whispering through the palms...
Here are a few ideas to make your breakfast in Denver a tropical escape:
Tropical Breakfast Parfait
- Dollop 2 tablespoons of vanilla yogurt in the bottom of each of four juice glasses. Top with 4 mandarin orange slices. Sprinkle the oranges with 1 ½ tablespoons of crispy rice cereal, followed by 2 more tablespoons of yogurt. Top with diced pineapple then with another 1 ½ tablespoons cereal.
Tropical Breakfast Bruschetta
– Portion loaf of prepared sweet pound cake into thick slices. Top with cream cheese spread and diced tropical fruits such as strawberry, mango and pineapple. Sprinkle with coconut and enjoy!
Banana Pancakes with Coconut and Macadamia Topping
– Prepare your favorite pancake batter. When spooning raw batter onto hot frying pan, add slices of banana to each pancake so that they cook into the batter. Once pancakes are golden brown, serve warm with shaved coconut and diced macadamia nut toppings, and warm syrup.
Tropical Oatmeal Delight
– Prepare your favorite oatmeal according to package instructions. Serve warm with almond milk, shaved coconut, golden raisins, mango, and pineapple for a bit of tropical zing.
Next time you visit Original Pancake House, be sure to try one of our tropical breakfast menu items. Our Mandarin Crepes, Continental Crepes, Coconut Belgian Waffle, Coconut Pancakes and Hawaiian Pancakes will all instantly transport you to someplace warmer!
Winter Warmers – Breakfast ideas to warm even the coldest mornings!
When the barometer dips and the winds howl, you often need a good reason to jump out of bed on a cold winter’s morning in Colorado. Warm up your Denver breakfast table with a delicious meal to share with family and friends. After all, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day! Here are a few of our favorite recipes that will have you ready to rise and shine on even the frostiest mornings.
Heavenly Hot Chocolate
– For your kiddos, a warm cup of cocoa might be just the thing to jump-start the day. Simply add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup water, ¼ cup sugar, and salt to a medium sauce pan. Whisk over medium heat just until beginning to bubble. Whisk in 3 cups whole milk and 1 ½ cups half and half. Bring mixture to simmer. Remove from heat; whisk in 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Serve with whipped cream! And for the adults and coffee drinkers in the house, mix hot chocolate with coffee for a delicious mocha!
Steel Cut Oats –
A piping hot bowl of oatmeal is always a comforting treat on a chilly morning. Simply prepare oats according to package instructions, add milk or buttermilk, and then top with a variety of delicious toppings. Some of our favorite toppings include sliced apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg, or cranberries and pecans, or banana, golden raisins, and dried cherries. It is always fun to play around with your favorite toppings to make the meal special.
Root Vegetable Hash and Eggs –
A warm veggie hash is always a great winter meal! Simply slice and dice your favorite root vegetables. We like sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes, beets, and a little onion and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil, spread evenly on a baking pan and roast in a 400 degree oven until veggies are soft. Serve hash with your choice of fried or poached eggs for a colorful breakfast treat!
Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and White Cheddar Cheese –
The smell of scrambled eggs cooking in the skillet will rouse even the sleepiest bear out of hibernation! We love to prepare classic scrambled eggs and add a little bit of spinach and white cheddar cheese to spice up this classic dish. And of course we always serve our scrambies with a thick slice of toast!
Of course, if the kitchen is just too chilly to make your own breakfast, come visit your friends at Original Pancake House! Join us at one of our two Denver restaurants to enjoy a variety of warming winter meals including our Green Chile Eggs Benedict, Cowboy Omelet, and of course our famous Apple Pancake! Stay warm, Denver!
Tis the season for Pancake Cheer!
Join us in spreading the Pancake Cheer this holiday season! During the month of December, we’d like to share the joy our pancakes bring with you and your loved ones. Each week in December we will invite you to participate in our #PancakeCheer promotion on Facebook. As a thank you, by commenting and sharing on our weekly #PancakeCheer posts, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a one of four gift cards. The first three weeks of December, our fans have the opportunity to win $25 gift cards and the fourth week in December, we will give away a $50 gift card to one lucky participant.
Helping us share this message is as easy as…
- “Liking” and “Following” us on Facebook and Twitter
- Participate in our weekly #PancakeCheer promotion to be entered in to a gift card raffle
Happy Holidays!
Rules: One winner per gift card. Winners will be contacted via Facebook’s messaging platform to obtain mailing address information where gift card prizes will be sent. Gift cards are only redeemable at one of our two Denver restaurants. Contest begins December 1, 2014 through December 24, 2014.
End of Summer Family Bucket List
With the start of a new school year fast approaching, consider heading out for a family fun day before the end of vacation. To make the day special, start with a hearty breakfast in Denver at Original Pancake House. With menu favorites such as Chocolate Chip Pancakes or OPH Smiley Cakes for the kids, and a plethora of egg dishes and more for the parents, everyone will leave full, happy, and ready to enjoy a day of adventure. Read on to learn about a few of our favorite local spots to spend the day with the family.
Dinosaur Ridge
A part of the Morrison Fossil Area National Park, Dinosaur Ridge is a great place for families to see actual dinosaur footprints sealed by time. Dinosaur Ridge is famous for its Exhibit Hall and summer camps where young people can learn more about paleontology.
Cherry Creek State Park
A perfect spot for nature lovers, Cherry Creek State Park offers families a relaxing spot to spend the day. Enjoy hiking, biking, or horseback riding on the many trails throughout the park. If it is a hot day, rent a canoe or kayak from the marina and picnic on the sandy beaches surrounding the reservoir. Cherry Creek Park even offers an “airstrip” for flying model airplanes and a family shooting range.
Elitch Gardens
Summer vacation isn’t complete until you spend a day at Elitch Gardens. Ride the slides to cool off in the water park and then test your adventurous spirit on the roller coasters and thrill rides. There are attractions, rides, concerts and entertainment for kids ages 4 -100 which means the whole family will enjoy the day.
Tiny Town
Open to the public since 1920, Tiny Town, is a miniature collection of houses, buildings, and railroads to entertain kids of all ages. With more than 90 buildings on display, visitors enjoy stepping back in time with a ride on the railroad and marveling at all of the creations. Located close to Morrison, you get the added bonus of enjoying mountain surroundings on this trip!
The Children’s Museum
If you have younger children, Denver’s Children’s Museum is the place to go to “learn through play.” With interactive exhibits, educational programs, and play areas, the kids will enjoy explorative play with everything from rockets, to bubbles, nature, and painting.
We hope you enjoy these last few weeks of summer, Denver!
Mile High Anniversary Scavenger Hunt Answers!
Thank you to all who participate in the Mile High Anniversary Scavenger Hunt! Folks who answer each daily trivia question with the correct response will be entered to win one of three (3) $50 OPH gift cards, or one (1) Grand Prize to include a $50 OPH gift card plus OPH swag!
And the answers are:
Day 1:
Answer: The first Original Pancake House restaurant opened its doors in Portland, Oregon in 1953!
Day 2:
Answer: When she was just 11-years-old Sara started working at the Original Pancake House as a coffee girl.
Day 3:
Answer: Owner Sara Hueneke Ernst’s collection of beautiful, hand-painted plates. The collection started with family heirlooms Sara received from her grandparents.
Day 4:
Answer: Sara Hueneke Ernst is the great niece of franchise co-founder Erma Hueneke.
Day 5:
Answer: Pancake Man revealed!
Day 6:
Answer: Many of the breakfast menu items at the Original Pancake House Denver feature berries including the popular Seasonal Berry Crepes, Strawberry Belgian Waffles, Blueberry Belgian Waffles, Seasonal Berry French Toast, and our Blueberry Pancakes.
Day 7:
Answer: There are 21 delectable pancake items available at the Original Pancake House Denver, this number does not include seasonal pancake specialties.
The Mile High Anniversary Scavenger Hunt will run for one week from Wednesday, June 18 to Tuesday, June 24, during which time players can participate in daily scavenger hunt challenges. The winners of the prize give-away will be announced on the blog on Friday, June 27.
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!