Here’s a lunch idea for leftover pancakes: turn them into PB&J sandwiches.
Last week we went to Hen House in Wheaton for lunch, and I ordered the “Egg Mountain,” mostly because it comes with pancakes on the side. I love their pancakes. The main part of the meal is always so filling that I can save the pancakes and bring them home.
When pancakes are a side at a brunch restaurant, they tend to feel like a throw-in side. Like, “I ordered an omelet, and what? You are giving me pancakes too? I didn’t really order them, but sure, ok.” Then you are like, “Oh man, now I got these pancakes.”
But I’m telling ya, those pancakes can come into good use.
By the way, when you’re at a restaurant and having a hard time deciding what to order, do you ever look up photos of the dishes on Yelp? I do that sometimes. I strictly don’t use my phone when eating with others, but I can’t resist the urge to see what the food will look like.
The name of “Egg Mountain” sounded fun. Listen to these ingredients:
Cherry applewood bacon, sausage, ham, onions, peppers, and aged Wisconsin cheddar cheese. All caramelized with 2 broken eggs piled with cubed potatoes mountain high. Served with toast or pancakes.
But after our giant omelet experience at Yolk in Chicago, I wasn’t sure if I wanted another massive egg concoction. So I looked up photos of Hen House’s Egg Mountain on Yelp, and there was a photo that looked pretty appealing.
Sure, I’ll order that!
Then I looked closer to see who posted it. It was me! Apparently, I had already ordered this exact thing two years ago and completely forgot. My photo even became the primary photo for one of their featured dishes.
The invention of the PB&J pancake sandwich
The next day, I pulled out my leftover pancakes for lunch. Normally I put yogurt on pancakes, but I’d already had yogurt for breakfast.
I figured jelly could work instead. That’s kind of like syrup, right? And if you’re putting jelly on a pancake, you might as well add peanut butter. And if you’re doing peanut butter and jelly, you might as well put the two halves together like a sandwich. One pancake is more than enough to make one.
The kids were TOTALLY excited, and a little jealous of my new sandwich.
The end result? I didn’t have enough peanut butter and jelly on it. I’d put on the same amount I’d use on regular bread. That’s not enough. A pancake demands more. The fluffy thickness of the pancake overpowers the peanut butter and jelly. You need to load it up. Sometimes the thing you’re working with requires more than you first thought. Go all the way and load up on the peanut butter!
I saved one pancake for the next day and told the kids they’d get a PB&J Pancake Sandwich too. They were so amped. They reminded me to put on extra peanut butter and jelly.
See the jelly oozing out the side? That’s the correct ratio. It was a hit with the kids.
Now we’re considering writing a letter to Hen House suggesting they put this on their kids menu. It bridges breakfast and lunch. It’s totally the perfect brunch sandwich. Kids love PB&J, and kids love pancakes. This combines both. (While they are at it, put it on the regular menu for adults too!)
Good things don’t always have to stay in the category where they started. Sometimes breakfast can become lunch, leftovers can become something new, and what seemed like “extra” turns out to be exactly enough.