“Do you want to have breakfast for dinner?” I asked Nick yesterday.
“What does that mean?”
“It means we have things that we would normally have for breakfast … like pancakes, bacon and eggs … but at dinnertime.”
“Ok,” he said with a shrug. Â
One of Nick’s best qualities is that he is incredibly easygoing. Very little fazes him. He gets that quality from his dad. He’ll let me go on and on about something and then look at me and say, “Mom, are you done?” Half the time he probably is completely zoning me out, which, of course, just causes the conversation to go on longer, but he lets me say my piece with nary a word. So breakfast for dinner it was. Both kids like sausages and bacon, so it’s definitely something we should have done a long time ago.
When I was unpacking a box of cookbooks yesterday, I spied one I hadn’t used … The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner. I flipped through it, looking to see if I could find a good recipe for our breakfast for dinner, and fell on the page for German Oven Pancakes. Although I have a recipe I like and have made many times before, it couldn’t hurt to try a new version. The ingredients are all the same, but the quantities slightly different.
The cookbook is written by Liz Edmunds, a mom of seven, who consults with families on how to have successful mealtimes, giving her time-honored suggestions in how to involve the whole family, have theme nights, and how to make meal planning, prep and serving easy. Two things I especially like about this cookbook: 1) she has anecdotes, history and tidbits with all the recipes. I’ve always liked the personal touch this gives a cookbook and 2) I like that the cookbook is geared towards making adult food more kid-friendly, as opposed to the other way around.
I love the ease of making German Oven Pancakes. Melt a little butter. Mix a few simple pantry ingredients together, pop it into the oven for 20 minutes and breakfast (or dinner, in this case) is served. I like to add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar right before serving, and did so with this version as well. There is very little sugar in the recipe, and I think it adds just the right touch of sweetness to the finished dish.
This recipe tasted nearly identical to the one I usually make, with the biggest difference between ingredient measurements. Rounding out the meal with bacon, sausage and a big bowl of fresh fruit, it was a perfect high taste, low fuss meal that everyone can agree on.
P.S. Completely unrelated, but would love your help … if you had to bring a souvenir that is very American to someone abroad, what would you bring? Needs to be easily accessible and easy to tote along during travel. Thoughts?
German Oven Pancakes
Recipe courtesy of The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner
4-6 servings
1/4 cup (1/2 stick butter)
3 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the butter into a 10-inch ovenproof skillet and place it into the oven. (As an alternative to a skillet, use a 9-inch round baking dish.)
Meanwhile, mix the eggs, flour, milk and salt in a blender. (I mixed in a bowl)
When the butter has melted, carefully pull out the oven rack and quickly pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the pancake is puffed up and lightly browned. It will flatten slightly after it comes out of the oven.
Cut the pancake into wedges and serve on individual plates.
Ooooh, breakfast for dinner sounds delish!
As for the souvenir … Hmm. Interesting question. Since I am a born and bred New Yorker I would consider a Statue of Liberty or a Big Apple t-shirt. Or maybe something Americana like a rustic red, white and blue wall hanging (hello, Home Goods!)
I would bring a baseball cap and a snowglobe of NY
Whenever my dad goes overseas he takes little American flag pins. For some reason, guys like those…I guess they put them on their baseball caps or something.
I’ve never had a German pancake but I’m sure it’s delicious! I LOVE breakfast for dinner but my food of choice is usually eggs.
I LOVE breakfast food, unfortunately I am not a morning person. Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite indulgences.
Cate, we have those often, and not only do we put a dusting of powdered sugar on them, we have toasted sliced almonds and raspberry jam. Of course, that’s Don and me. Son Kenny always drenched his in pancake syrup.
I love breakfast for dinner! I actually like certain things (like pancakes or waffles) better for dinner than for breakfast. These look incredibly delicious.
Baseball or football being big American sports, I would bring a football or baseball jersey, or a baseball hat. I also really like Sarah’s I<3NY shirt idea.
Mmmm! I have a recipe that calls them “Hootnanny Pancakes” my kids love the name.
I did try Paula Deen’s French Toast Casserole – it was a big hit! And so was the Candy Bacon.
First thing that came to my mind to bring would be something American flagish.
I love breakfast for dinner! I’ve never made German Oven pancakes but definitely want to give it a try. I would also suggest a NY snow globe. My boys all have one as a gift from their grandparents. They were given them about ten years ago with the Twin Towers as part of the skyline……priceless.
I love breakfast for dinner too. Looks good. Never made them but have printed the recipe and hope to try it soon.
Ramona
I’m thinking Disneyword something.
German pancakes look and sound yummy!
Thought more about this (yes, I need a hobby :).
A dancing Elvis clock, or a Michael Jackson greatest hits CD. There.
We have eaten these since I was a girl. I now make the m for my kids. I LOVE them!!! :-)
i’m ALL FOR that whole idea of
Breakfast@Dinner !
hmmmm…now then
what would i ask for if you were bringing something for me?
easy – some kind of crazy American candy that i can’t get here.
and syrup.
a bottle of your favourite maple syrup.
food is tricky though – it would need to be correctly sealed to pass our strict regulations.
I would bring an American cookbook. We gave one to an Australian fan visiting us and she loved it.
i am SUCH a fan of breakfast for dinner! so happy you feel the same – and this german oven pancake looks just perfect for an evening meal!
OH, I love the American cookbook….maybe the old fashioned Betty Crocker red checkered table cloth design.