Baked Bacon Cheddar Pancake

Breakfast could not have gotten easier....if you have a cast iron skillet. This pancake is practically fuss-free! You just mix, pour and bake and walk away while the oven does all of the work for you.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbs. maple syrup
3 Tbs. butter
1/4 c. bacon bits
1/4 c. shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Add in the flour, white sugar, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt and whisk until combined. Melt the butter in the 12-inch cast iron skillet while the oven is preheating.

Add the batter to the skillet and sprinkle the top with the bacon bits and shredded cheese. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges curl.

It looks absolutely crazy when it comes out the oven, but don't worry, as it cools down it deflates and forms into the perfect, massive pancake!

I topped mine with some scrambled Egg Beater's and it made the perfect breakfast! (Or lunch or dinner if you are anything like me....)

Scramble with Ramen Pancakes

Are you ready for the WEIRDEST (well, pretty weird) combinations of ingredients put together ever?! This breakfast of randomness is so weird sounding but so delicious! If you don't have ramen noodles, you can substitute with spaghetti or fettuccine or angel hair, any kind of long skinny noodle.

Ingredients:

1 bundle of ramen, boiled for 4 minutes and drained
1 green onion, chopped
3 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped
3 multi colored mini sweet peppers
3/4 c. liquid egg whites, scrambled

Parmesan Sauce:

1 Tbs. Parmesan
1 Tbs. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1 1/2 c. shredded Pepper-Jack cheese
2 Tbs. margarine
1/4 c. sour cream, light
Salt and Pepper
1 green onion, chopped

In a small saucepan, melt the margarine. Add the shredded cheese and sour cream and stir continuously until the cheese is melted. Add in the Parmesan, hot sauce, green onion, salt and pepper. When everything is well combined remove from the heat and add in the cooked ramen.

Heat a medium sized skillet to medium high heat and spray with non stick cooking spray. Pour the ramen Parmesan combination into the pan. DO NOT STIR! Wait 3 or 4 minutes until the bottom of the pasta is golden brown. Flip the entire noodle "pancake" (use spatula's if you need to) and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until that side is also golden brown. Transfer to a flat work surface and let cool slightly before cutting into four equal sections.

To assemble, place two ramen pancake triangles on your serving plates. Top each with the scrambled egg whites. Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon, green onion, and multi colored bell pepper. It will look weird, I won't lie about that part. But it is worth the oddness of it all! If you like an extra kick, add more hot sauce on top! The Parmesan sauce that is in with the noodles does have a pretty big kick though so add more with caution.

Carrot Potato Pancakes with Curry Yogurt Sauce

This sounds like a very strange combination I know....but you will not be disappointed if you make them! Adding carrots to these potato pancakes gives them a sweet note, which pairs great with the yogurt sauce. A perfect side dish, appetizer (if you make them smaller) or even as a main dish!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. carrots, grated
2 c. red potatoes, peeled and grated
2/3 c. flour
2 Tbs. minced dry onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
2 eggs
2 Tbs. vegetable oil (might need a tad bit more)
1/2 c. plain yogurt
3/4 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. honey

Preheat the oven to 225 (or if you have a "warm" setting for your oven). In a medium size bowl, stir the eggs, flour, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper together. 

Squeeze all of the moisture out of the carrot and potato by the handful and place into the egg and flour mixture. Mix everything together with your hands (yes, it's messy but is the most effective).

Heat a large skillet on medium low heat. Add the oil to the pan and spread out slightly. Place about three tablespoons of the mixture in your hands and flatten into an oval shaped patty. Place on the greased pan and repeat until you have about five pancakes. Cook for three minutes on one side, then flip to the other side and cook for another three minutes. Place on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat for the remaining pancakes until they are all finished. Keep in the warm oven until it is time to serve.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, curry powder and honey together until everything is fully incorporated. Drizzle, spoon on top, or serve as a side dipping sauce with your carrot potato pancakes!

Chocolate Bacon Pancake Dippers

Ingredients:

2 c. Heart Smart Bisquick
1 egg
1 1/2 c. Almond Breeze, chocolate almond milk (or any other brand)
18 slices turkey bacon (Jennie-O), cooked and crispy

In a medium size bowl, whisk the Bisquick, egg and chocolate almond milk together. Set aside. Heat a large flat pan to medium heat. Spray with non stick cooking spray. Dip four pieces of bacon into the batter and place on the preheated pan. In about 45 seconds to a minute, check to see if the bottom is golden brown, and if it is flip over and continue to cook for another minute.

(Makes 18 servings, 2 WW points per pancake dipper!)

King Cake Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 c. Heart Smart Bisquick
1 c. milk, 1%
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
zest of 1/2 of a lemon
purple, green and yellow food coloring

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. In a medium size bowl, combine the above ingredients (minus the coloring) and whisk until smooth. Divide into 3 even parts. Color each bowl with yellow, green or purple food color. Mix together well. Spray the skillet well with non stick cooking spray. Drop about 2 Tbs. worth of batter  per pancake. Check with a spatula to see when the bottom side gets golden (this batter won't take long, and doesn't bubble much), and flip over to the other side. Each side only takes about 45 seconds to a minute and a half. Repeat until all of the batter is gone.

For the icing drizzle, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar with the juice of half of a lemon, about 1 tablespoon or less of water (eyeball for consistency), and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle on top of the pancakes before serving.

(Makes approximately 6 servings, 5 WW points per serving)

Apple-tato Mini Latkes

Ingredients:

2 large red skin potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and shredded
3 tsp. dried onion flakes
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt and pepper

*Fat free sour cream and apple butter for toppings.

Squeeze all of the liquid out of the potato and apple and place into a medium size bowl. Add the onion flakes, egg and seasonings and mix together (using your hands works best). Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Spray with non stick cooking spray and drop by tablespoon full on the skillet. Using the spoon, spread out into a thin layer. Cook for 3 minutes until golden brown, flip over, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown and everything is cooked through. Top with the sour cream and apple butter.

( 1 WW point per two latkes, which also includes the sour cream and apple butter.)

Strawberry Pancake Bites

Ingredients:
2 c. HeartSmart Bisquick
1 1/2 c. milk (I used almond)
1 egg
1 c. dehydrated strawberries
1 c. maple or breakfast syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, mix the Bisquick, milk and egg together. In a small bowl, pour the syrup over the dehydrated strawberries and let them soak for about 5 minutes. Spray a mini muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Fill each hole up 3/4 of the way with batter, then place some of the strawberry in the middle. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the pan with a spoon and let sit on a wire rack for a minute before serving. This recipe makes about 48 mini pancake bites.

Mini German Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup milk, 1%
6 eggs
1 cup (all-purpose) flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend the milk, eggs, flour, salt and vanilla in an electric mixer.  Gradually blend in the melted butter. Grease muffin tins with non stick cooking spray and fill the cups less than half way full. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown on the edges.
 
 Makes approximately 18 mini pancakes. I used strawberries and raspberries, blueberries, and banana peanut butter for a nice variation as toppings. 

(Makes 18 servings, 2 WW points per pancake)

Pistachio Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 c. Bisquick Heart Smart Mix
1 3/4 c. milk, 1%
1 egg
1 pkg. (1 oz.) Jell-o pistachio pudding mix

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour four helpings, about 1/3 c. each (or 1/8 of the batter) onto a large flat skillet heated at medium heat. When golden brown, flip over and press down with a spatula to let some of the raw mixture out. When that side is golden, flip one more time and cook for about 30 seconds. Repeat for the last four pancakes. Serve with Parkay butter spray, Aunt Jemima's lite butter syrup, chopped pistachios and sliced bananas! (Makes 8 large pancakes, 4 WW points per pancake.)

Dutch Baked Pancake

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. Imperial Margarine

4 eggs

2/3 c. 1% milk

2 Tbs. grated lemon peel

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2/3 c. flour

2 Tbs. Splenda

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the margarine in a 9 inch pie plate in the preheated oven for 4-5 minutes until the butter is fully melted. Swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan evenly. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, lemon peel and extract until well combined. Whisk in the flour, Splenda and salt. Pour into the prepared pie plate and bake 20-25 minutes until the sides are golden brown and crispy. 

Topping Ingredients:

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced

1/4 c. water

1 Tbs. agave nectar

Heat a small saucepan to medium heat. Add the apple, cinnamon and agave nectar, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the apples start breaking down. The mixture at this point should be pretty sticky, so add the water, stir ingredients together and let cook another 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the apples are tender and the liquid has reduced down to about 1/3. Divide in four and pour over each slice of pancake. Top with whipped cream.  (Makes 4 slices, 5 WW points each.)

Red Velvet Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. mini chocolate chips, divided
2/3 c. whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 packets Splenda sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. Egg Beaters
2 Tbs. Vanilla Soymilk
Red food coloring
Extra chocolate chips for garnish
Light Cool Whip for garnish

In a class, add cocoa powder and 1 tsp. chocolate chips. Add 1/4 c. hot water and stir until chocolate chips are melted. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sweetener and salt. Add the cocoa mixture, egg substitute and soymilk and mix together. Add the food coloring. Stir in 1 tsp. chocolate chips.

Bring a skillet sprayed with non stick spray to medium heat. Make four large pancakes or mini pancakes, flipping them over after the top starts to bubble. Place your pancakes on your serving plates, and top with 2 Tbs. Cool Whip and about 1 tsp. chocolate chips per plate. (Serves 2 people, 8 WW points per serving. 6 WW points without the cool whip and chocolate chips on top.)

Apple Bacon Cinnamon Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 c. low fat Bisquick mix
1 1/4 c. milk
1 egg
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
6 (1/2 slices) bacon, cooked and chopped
1 Tbs. cinnamon

Mix the first three ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the chopped apple, bacon and cinnamon. Drop by 1/4 c. on a large skillet on medium heat. When one side is golden brown, flip over and continue to cook until the second side is golden brown. These would be great savory with melted cheddar cheese, or sweet with maple syrup.

Sausage Pancake Dunkers

Everyone loves pigs in a blanket, why not eat them for breakfast?

Ingredients:

3/4 c. whole wheat pancake mix (Hodgson Mill)

(follow the directions on the package for the liquid amount, mine has...)

1/2 c. milk

1 egg

1 Tbs. oil

1 Tbs. cinnamon

8 cooked breakfast sausage links

 Steps:

1. Mix the ingredients for the batter.  Heat skillet to medium heat. 

Spray with non stick spray. Drop about 4 Tbs. of batter on the skillet. 

Place the sausage in the middle of the batter.

Using a spoon, spread the excess batter outward until there is barely any raw batter left on top.

2. Using a spatula, bring one corner of the pancake over the top of the sausage and tuck.

Roll the sausage until you get to the other side of the pancake.

Push off to the side, and leave seam side down to keep cooking. Repeat the process for the rest.

3. Place into a microwave safe container. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave.

(This helps the remaining raw batter around the sausage cook.)

4. The end result. Very good dipped in syrup!