Pannekuchen And Sugared Bacon....

We used to love the Pannekuchen Huis in Minneapolis (Dutch Pancake House) - the waitress would run through the restaurant trying to get to the table before the Pannekuchen fell....both of my kids loved it, even little Mikey, who came into this world crying and continued crying for FOUR straight years, yes, even Mikey liked it...he would be crying and when the waitress would start running he would start laughing - little Mikey might have been a happy guy if we had lived at the Pannekuchen Huis!    

Pannekuchens can be made with all different types of flavorings - sometimes I use lemon zest in the batter, sometimes nutmeg, and I was going to use nutmeg today but realized we were out of maple syrup - we only had Huckleberry syrup and I didn't think Huckleberry and nutmeg sounded good together....so I used vanilla - my old standby and it was yummy.  But you could make the Pannekuchen without any flavoring and it would still be good.  The Pannekuchen Huis used to serve an apple Pannekuchen - I think it was their best seller....I wonder if they're still in business? If you haven't tried sugared bacon - you're missing one of the great joys in life....I bake mine on a rack, which helps drain the fat but it's not necessary.  The bacon will actually cook faster and be crisper if you don't use the rack - your choice.     

This is great to serve for a brunch - you mix the pannekuchen in the blender, pour it into a skillet with melted butter and stick it in the oven for about 16 minutes - same with the bacon - stick it in the oven and then you'll have time to set the table or squeeze some fresh orange juice...or just sit and read the morning paper...

Don't worry about getting this to the table before it falls....you'll never make it...just accept it...the Pannekuchen is always faster than you!  The waitresses at the Pannekuchen Huis never made it either - which was always part of the fun.  Take it out of the oven and give it a good dusting of powdered sugar....

Pannekuchen....Old World Dutch Pancake

Serves 4

2 teaspoons butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

powdered sugar for dusting

fresh fruit for serving, optional

syrup, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Put the butter in a 10-inch, oven-proof skillet, and place in the oven to melt.  Meanwhile, in a blender add the eggs, flour, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt, process until smooth.  Using hot-pads, remove the skillet from the oven and immediately pour the egg mixture into the skillet.  Return to the oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, do not open the door while baking.  When the pannekuchen is done, remove from the oven, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and cut into slices.  Serve with syrup or fresh fruit or both. 

Sugared Bacon

8 slices of bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degress.  Spray a cookie sheet with PAM or grease it with shortening and then place a sheet of foil on top and spray it with PAM.  (Burned sugar is really, really hard to get off the pan so make sure you use the greased foil!  I forgot this step today and my cookie sheet is a mess!) Place bacon slices on a rack over the prepared cookie sheet.  (If you're not using a rack, place the bacon on the greased foil, the rack just helps drain the fat.)  Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of each bacon slice.  Place sheet in oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes.  I like my bacon extra crispy - some people would say burned - so I cook mine for the full 18 minutes.  If you like yours with a little life left in it then take it out after 15 minutes.  Serve hot, warm or cold...it if lasts long enough to turn cold!

 

"He is an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers."  Anonymous.