Recipes Around the Clock: Warm Breakfasts for Cold Mornings

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My 4 year old would eat a bowl of Cheerios every morning for breakfast if I let him. (And I often do…getting three tiny people dressed is overwhelming.) But on mornings when I actually have it together, it’s nice to cook a warm breakfast for my crew. Scrambled eggs used to do the trick, but since my youngest is allergic, I’m wary of preparing them for the older two (fearing the youngest might grab a bit the others left behind).

My number one go-to breakfast that everyone in my family absolutely loves is “Dutch babies.”  They are a cinch to prepare, are very inexpensive, and overall delicious! Let’s get started!

Simple ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge.
Simple ingredients found in most kitchens

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup of milk (whatever your family drinks is fine)
  • 2 eggs
  • Splash of vanilla or almond extract (or you could leave it out altogether)
  • 1 Tablespoon of butter

Directions

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Place a tablespoon of butter into an 8 or 9-inch cake pan. (You can also use an ovenproof skillet if you have one.) My family eats two servings, so I prepare two pans.

Add butter.  This is a tablespoon in each 8 inch cake pan.
Add butter. This is a tablespoon in each 8 inch cake pan.

While your oven is preheating, mix 1/2 a cup of flour, 1/2 a cup of milk, and 2 eggs in a bowl. You can also add a splash of vanilla extract. Since my family eats two dutch babies, I prefer to mix the ingredients in two separate bowls to ensure I have the appropriate amount for each serving.

Whisk the ingredients together.  Whisk it good.  The more air you can whip into your batter, the "puffier" your pancake will be.
Whisk the ingredients together. Whisk it good. The more air you can whip into your batter, the “puffier” the pancake.

Once the temperature reaches 475 degrees, place the cake pans in the oven so the butter will melt. Once it melts, take the pans out and pour your batter in the pan. You want it to be *just* melted, but it’s ok if it’s a little brown. Just not too brown. The time will vary from oven to oven.

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Perfection!

The butter will seep around the batter. It takes about 14 minutes to cook in my oven, but may take more or less for you depending on how quickly your oven cooks. I love the way these look when they are cooking.

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Is your mouth watering yet?

When you remove them from the oven, they look like this.  Fancy, right?  You could serve these to overnight guests and they’d think you slaved over the stove. But in reality they are so much less work than traditional pancakes.

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This is how the finished product should look.

I serve these with maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar. Add some protein and fruit, and you have a well-balanced, filling breakfast that requires minimal effort.

A grown up serving.
A grown up serving.

Additional Hot Breakfast Recipes to Try

I also rounded up a couple of links to other hot breakfasts that my family enjoys.

Baked Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats–If you like pumpkin you’ll love these. If you don’t like oatmeal, please consider trying this recipe anyway. The steel cut oats are a completely different texture than the ones that come in the little packets. You can also easily adapt this recipe for your slow cooker (so you can make it the night before and wake up to a warm breakfast.)

Sausage and Grits casserole–Warning: this is NOT diet friendly. However, it’s delicious. And I know because I brought it to a Golden Agers breakfast at my church and several of them asked for the recipe. I make this casserole on special occasions. You can also easily prepare it the night before and put it in the oven to bake while you are encouraging your family to get up and ready for the day.

What kinds of breakfasts do you serve to your family?  Share your ideas here!

 

 

 

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