Hootenanny Pancakes - A Real Kid/Crowd Pleaser

Hootenanny Pancake

I love this recipe! It takes me back to my childhood when on special occasions, my mom would make this for us. It was always so exciting to see the pancake puff up in the oven... and there were always dibs on the corner pieces with all the yummy, buttery crusts. Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as this is one of my children's favorite breakfast now. Anytime we have a birthday or holiday, a Hootenanny Pancake is what they want to wake up to.

Hootenanny Pancake

In blender, beat

10 eggs

1 C. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

Whip about 9 - 10 minutes

While the egg mixture is blending, place 1/2 cube butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish in a 425 degree oven until the butter bubbles and sputters up.

After waiting about 10 minutes for the egg mixture, gradually add 1 1/2 cup flour and continue to beat another 3 -4 minutes.

Pour the batter into the butter. Bake 25 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove and serve! The outside edges will rise up like a large souffle. Use syrup, jam or your favorite fruit topping and enjoy!

Penne with Creamy Roasted Vegetable Sauce and Bacon

Penne with Creamy Roasted Vegetable Sauce and Bacon

I always look forward to lighting up the grill when summer hits. I love being outside with my family and I love the smokey flavor the grill adds to the food. However, by the end of summer, if I see one more grilled burger, hot dog or vegetable, I (almost) want to turn away, run in the house and grab a good ol fashion bowl of cereal. So, recently, when we had a ton of grilled veggies left over in the fridge, I had to think of something different to do with them so they wouldn't go to waste. My children were NOT about to eat re-heated veggies ... and frankly neither was I. So, I came up with this recipe. Not only did we not waste a drop of the veggies, we inhaled them and wished for more. Actually, my children had NO idea what they were eating, they just knew it was delicious. Make good use of YOUR extra grilled vegetables by giving this recipe a whirl. You'll be glad you did!

Penne with Creamy Roasted Vegetable Sauce and Bacon

1 - 1 1/2 lbs. cooked penne

Roasted Vegetables. I used zucchini, onions, red and yellow bell peppers, and yellow squash

2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes

Splash of heavy cream.

Salt and pepper to taste

Mozzerella cheese

5 - 7 pieces of cooked, crumbled bacon

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drizzle with a splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to prevent sticking.

In a sauce pan, add your vegetables and two cans of fire roasted tomatoes. Blend together with a hand blender and bring to a simmer. Add cream and salt and pepper. Blend until everything is incorporated. You can either make this a thick and chunky sauce or blend it until it is smooth. I blended my sauce to be fairly smooth.

Add sauce to noodles and toss together. Spray a casserole dish with a little cooking spray and add noodles and sauce. Top with Mozzerella cheese. Cook in 350 degree oven for about 20 - 30 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble and brown. mmmmm yummy. Add crumbled bacon on top and serve. Enjoy!