There is something decidedly comforting about having breakfast for dinner. I don't believe the same can be said about having dinner for breakfast. I am one of those people that loves breakfast. If we go out any time before noon I want to eat breakfast out. I love places like the waffle shop where I can get potatoes, eggs, some sort of breakfast meat with biscuits and gravy. During my last pregnancy I absolutely craved eggs over easy with toast. Not something I usually eat, but it sure sounded good.
Whenever I read about a new recipe for breakfast food, I just have to try it. I have come across so many delicious recipes, I almost can't decide what to make at times.
The sad thing is, my husband doesn't share my affinity for breakfast. I love it all: scones, waffles, pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, casseroles, baked eggs in cream, eggs benedict, bagels, biscuits and gravy, stratas, frittatas, french toast, oatmeal, cold cereal, breakfast breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, coffee, orange juice, omelettes, donuts, breakfast burritos, fried potatoes, bagel sandwiches, english muffins, etc. Really, the list could go on and on. My husband, on the other hand, doesn't really like eggs for breakfast. If it was up to him he wouldn't even eat breakfast. I have convinced him it is healthier for him to eat breakfast than to skip it, but he normally doesn't eat that much and he normally just wants carbs.
So, we end up eating a lot of things like pancakes, waffles, muffins and breakfast breads. I am always trying different pancake recipes, I have made pumpkin pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, oatmeal pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes...you get the picture (I just really can't stand making the same things. It's a curse.)
I made pumpkin pancakes with cider syrup, and they were awesome. Then, I got a magazine that had apple cinnamon pancakes with cider syrup and I thought, 'I made those before' (I hadn't...children put holes in your memory). So, anyway, the recipe said to use grated apple. As I thought about making these, grated apple didn't appeal to me. I have peeled and cut up apple and put it in pancakes, but envisioning grating an apple was doing strange things to my desire to make these pancakes. I thought about just peeling, coring, and dicing an apple, then running in the food processor until a little lightbulb in my head went on *ding*. I have applesauce in the fridge, how about just subbing that? So, with a few alterations, (changing a few of the spices and upping the amount of applesauce) these pancakes were born.
I have made them two more times since (that was last week...) and everybody loves them. My son asks for 'mancakes' and the kids squeal when they start coming off the griddle...the cider syrup really adds a delicious flavor. It tastes exactly the way you would expect. Now, if you don't have pancake mix on hand, just make your favorite pancakes, and add the applesauce (don't change your recipe) and cinnamon, and top with the cider syrup. Fantastic!
Now, if I could just get them to last long enough to take a picture...
When greasing the griddle, I like to spray it with a non stick cooking spray (read: PAM) then put about a teaspoon of butter in also, to give the pancakes a nice buttery taste, without relying on the butter to keep it from sticking.
Ingredients
2 cups complete pancake mix
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CIDER SYRUP:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup apple cider or juice
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
In a small bowl, stir the pancake mix, water, apple and cinnamon just until moistened.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown.
Meanwhile, for syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in cider until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Serve with pancakes. Yield: 12 pancakes (1-1/4 cups syrup)
Just reading this made me sooo hungry! I love breakfast too and tend to gravitate towards everything sweet. Unfortunately, my family seems to go more for eggs, meats, potatoes, etc., but every once in a while I can sneak in the sweets! I use applesauce in my pancakes too and love it, but I'll have to try the cider syrup next time. Thanks so much for sharing!
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