Day 365: Bread Pudding Pancakes
I can’t honestly believe I just typed Day 365! Of course, thanks to leap year I still have day 366 tomorrow… I suspect tomorrow night I will be in tears and Mike will be doing a little happy jig. Or I’ll be curled up on the floor with an empty bottle of Prosecco. Except that I can’t do that, because I have to come home and write my blog post.
(As I may have mentioned, I’m not really going anywhere. Except maybe straight to bed with a book or movie on New Years’ Day night. Mike insists I take a few days off, at least. I have agonized over what to do come January 1, not wanting to lose that “real-time” appeal… I’ll decide for sure by tomorrow. I think.)
Dinner tonight was just leftover beef on a bun, carrots and spaghetti (after a months-long spaghetti famine) for W – breakfast was far more interesting. See, I need to start a breakfast blog. Mike would be thrilled.
I woke up early in a panic that I had remembered wrong and was supposed to be at CBC this morning (they did the show from Edmonton today), and couldn’t get back to sleep, so when W woke up we shared a comfy chair and ate pancakes in our PJs. Of course I could have easily stayed out of the kitchen and survived on Harvest Crunch (my choice for Christmas morning breakfast – it reminds me of staying at my Grandma’s house – she used to have us cut it with Special K because it’s so high in fat and sugar) but bread pudding pancakes have been on my to-make list for quite awhile. Plus, I am going to have to give up things like bread pudding pancakes for breakfast very soon if I want my pants to fit again. (Living in XL flannel PJs for extended periods gives one the false sense that they are not in fact wrapping themselves in a thick layer of insulating Christmas blubber.)
These are thick pancakes, with the texture of bread pudding. I want to try them with day-old cinnamon buns from IKEA. You will need to keep the heat low and perhaps even lid the pan as they cook – a too-hot pan will make them burn on the outside before they cook through to the middle. If you have bottomless pits of children, these just might fill them up. They are substantial.
You might want to top them with caramelized bananas – an easy rule of thumb is one banana to one tablespoon each of butter and sugar (white or brown) – cook them up in a skillet until they are starting to brown, but aren’t yet mush. Not that mushy bananas aren’t tasty too.
Bread Pudding Pancakes
AuthorJulie
In a large bowl, toss bread chunks with cinnamon and pour milk and vanilla overtop. Let stand, stirring once or twice, for about 15 minutes, until the bread has absorbed much of the milk.
In a small dish, stir together the eggs and butter or oil and stir into the bread mixture. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and add to the wet ingredients; stir just until combined.
Preheat a heavy skillet and spray with nonstick spray or drizzle with oil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Drop about 1/4 of batter at a time onto the skillet, spreading it out a little with a spatula if it's too thick to do it itself. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes, until the bottom is golden and the pancake starts to look dry and bubbly around the edges. Flip, cover and cook until the other side is golden and the pancakes are cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping pancakes warm in a 250°F oven if you need to.
Serve warm, with sauteed bananas and/or maple syrup.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl, toss bread chunks with cinnamon and pour milk and vanilla overtop. Let stand, stirring once or twice, for about 15 minutes, until the bread has absorbed much of the milk.
In a small dish, stir together the eggs and butter or oil and stir into the bread mixture. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and add to the wet ingredients; stir just until combined.
Preheat a heavy skillet and spray with nonstick spray or drizzle with oil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Drop about 1/4 of batter at a time onto the skillet, spreading it out a little with a spatula if it's too thick to do it itself. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes, until the bottom is golden and the pancake starts to look dry and bubbly around the edges. Flip, cover and cook until the other side is golden and the pancakes are cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping pancakes warm in a 250°F oven if you need to.
Serve warm, with sauteed bananas and/or maple syrup.
[print_link]
When I was young (age 9-13), I went to a Ballet boarding school in Toronto… and every morning my friends and I would have a big bowl of Quaker Harvest Crunch for breakfast. By big, I mean we’d fill up the bowl like it was Cheerios. I don’t think it was until years later I found out that a little of this stuff goes a long way… thank gawd for young girl metabolism, otherwise I would’ve been one chubby baby ballerina!!
Let’s hear it for 365! Congratulations, and thank you.
365!:D Congratulations Julie and Thank You for all the laughs and for broadening my culinary horizons!
Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to make a plethora of food: curried mango chicken in wonton cups, sesame wonton chips – sound familiar? your apps get me serious bonus points with DH Thank you!! I’m also in the midst of making those fig truffles from The Endive Chronicles and thanks to your suggestion (and epicurious) some goat cheese balls to go alongside.
These sound pretty good – I have some leftover stale “Christmas Bread” (my first time making bread by hand, other than the no-knead bread) that I should toss but I will now save for to make these pancakes tomorrow morning.
What a fabulous idea! I love bread pudding, love pancakes. . . a match made in heaven! Congrats on reaching 365. Enjoy your New Year’s Eve (even if you still have a 366 afterward!). 🙂
Happy New Year and congratulations on your Blog. 365 days. Dedication it is.
Happy New Year,
Everyone deserves a holiday and you should take one too if you want! I love the breakfast blog idea….. mmmmm!!
Happy New Year! Your dedication to your commitment was our daily gift~~~~ thanks!
Thank – you, Julie for a year ‘full’ of glorious ideas!Everyday I looked forward to seeing you! The pancakes sound fabulous & oh so comforting, my grown children would love them…I’ll have to try them. Again, THANK YOU for all your dedication!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I’m glad to know about your site (can’t believe I found it on day 365 though… 🙁 I love new recipe ideas!
I like the concept of 365 days and I’m thinking about doing something similar myself regarding “healthy living tips for one year.”
Congratulations on your year of recipes. Happy New Year.
You could also entertain “guest musings”. ha ha!
Happy New Year! I think you should wait until late tomorrow to do tonight’s posting.
What an achievement Julie! I’ve loved every day…like everybody else I want more but not at the expense of your sanity. We’ll all be here to read whatever and however often you decide to post.
You rock girlfriend!
Thanks for a great year Julie. I’m thrilled to know the blog will continue in some way. Whatever you choose to do will make me happy.
Now I’m off to copy a couple of recipes in the archives that I’ll be making over the next couple of days . . .
Happy New Year!
A whole year! You made it… sanity and marriage in tact.
Wow! 365 days! They went by all too fast – well for me but not for you some days I’m sure. Thanks a bunch. Happy New Year to you and yours.
You made itttttt!!! Congratulations, thank you and we all look forward to whatever it is you bring in the future – I’m sure it will be great.
Happy and Healthy 2009!!!
Congrats on Day 365! I hope that you will consider doing at least an abridged version in 2009, as I have really enjoyed reading your blog this past year. Best wishes to you and yours in the coming year.
How about this Happy New Year present to yourself? Post whenever the heck you want to tomorrow. Maybe make sunset the deadline just so the day doesn’t slip away on you. Think of Day 366 as a bonus day and take all the time you want. We’ll still be here. Thanks Julie for a great year. And for providing a remarkable, consistent example of discipline, creativity and joie de vivre. Here’s to 2009.
Your dedication and consistency is peerless Julie! Wow! You should be extremely proud of yourself for the completion of an enormous, remarkable project!
Mucho kudos! I look forward to your future endeavours, whatever shape they take — it’s been quite a ride! Happy happy 2009!
Happy New Year and congratulations on Day 365, Julie!
After hearing you talk about your blog on the EyeOpener last spring, I decided to check it. By the end of the first week, I was hooked. While the recipes were great, it was your sense of humor that made your writing such a treat to read each morning. And, even if you decide to go on to something else, I’ll always have my Lou-licked copy of One Smart Cookie as a keepsake. Thanks for a great year!
Congratulations! Thank you so much for your year of dedication and fantastic recipes. It has been wonderful. Definitely, take a much-needed break before continuing in whatever capacity you choose next. I have truly enjoyed your blog and your great sense of humour. Thanks again.
Congratulations! You have made the year! I have so enjoyed your blog and will truly miss it, but you deserve a rest! I was feeling exhausted for you those weeks through the Christmas season.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
I know we will hear from you again ….somewhere, somehow!!
Congratulations, Julie, and thank you for the daily treat. By opening the door to your kitchen, and sharing glimpses of your life, you have enriched ours beyond measure. Inspiration, entertainment, anticipation – you should feel so proud of what so many gained from the fruits of your labor.
I raise a glass high in gratitude and wishes for a very Happy New Year!
Your blog has been so much fun this past year. It’s kind of like a friend where you can always stop by. I wish you all the best in the New Year and look forward to what 2009 brings your way!
Thank you so much Julie, you should be so very proud of yourself, to comit to do this for a year, and actually do it. I belive it has set you up for life you can truly do anything you set your mind to. Happy New Year to you and Mike and W. Look forward to reading your blog however you decide to carry on. cheers.
Day 365! Wow. Congratulations Julie and thanks. Enjoyed every single day!!
Happy New Year! Can’t wait to see whats next with you.
What an interesting recipe! Congrats on day 365, go you. 🙂
Happy New Year!
Hi,
Breadpudding pancakes sounded awesome!
So I followed your recipe and tried to make them tonight — but they were a fail!
After two “fail” batches, I poured rest of batter into greased bread pans & baked bread pudding.
I have an electric stove with very few options for temperature control – high, medium high, medium, low and off. I hate electric stoves!!!
I doubled the recipe & used toasted wheat bread.
Also added sliced strawberries & sliced bananas (love fruit in my pancakes!!!)
With the electric stove’s limitations, high was too high and medium high was too low. Therefore, the pancakes turned out too greasy & weren’t edible.
Oh, for a gas stove!
Oh those look so good, If only I’d have found this when first I went gluten-free! When transitioning to a gluten-free diet I remember the first thing I learned to make were gluten-free pancakes , It took me two tries to get it right. Of course, I didn’t bother to look up how gluten-free flours behave first, that was a good lesson. Congrats on your 365th post!