Maple Banana Nutella Pancakes and Iced Coffee

Pancakes worth every bite...

Today I woke up inspired by a giant box of Bisquick mix that a friend gave me, some overripe bananas and a craving for some Nutella. And so the natural thing is to combine these things and come up with a yummy breakfast that everyone could enjoy.  This recipe could really impress your family because the pancakes, although semi-homemade, were fluffy and light with a wonderful hint of banana and maple and who doesn't love Nutella?  I accompanied this meal with a wonderful mocha iced coffee with the last bit of my cold brewed coffee concentrate and my dream cream.  Enjoy.

Delightfully Delicious Maple Banana Nutella Pancakes

Ingredients
2 cups of Bisquick Mix
2 large eggs
1 Cup Milk
1/2 tsp of Maple Extract
1 smashed up overripe medium sized banana
Nutella(you determine the amount)
Butter
Maple Syrup to serve

Combine 2 cups of Bisquick Mix, 2 large eggs and 1 cup of milk into bowl

Take one overripe banana and smash with a fork and gently fold into pancake batter

Add 1/2 tsp of Maple extract and mix in (I hang my head in shame because I'm using imitation).

Let your batter rest for 5 minutes and place Nutella into "plunger" or you can use a Ziploc bag with the tip cut off and use like a pastry bag.  You will use this to add your Nutella on your pancakes as they cook or you can just spread your Nutella on your pancake when it's done to save a step and some time.  I had to do this with mine because I was busy talking to my girls about arguing over the computer and I forgot to put the Nutella in the first two pancakes.

Butter your skillet let it get hot and add a ladle full of pancake batter

Take your plunger or Nutella filled pastry bag and add as little or as much Nutella as you would like.

I put an "S" for my daughter Sydney.  Look at that creamy Nutella...mmmm!!

Drizzle with Maple Syrup (I used 100% pure Maple Syrup, no imitation)!  The Nutella got just a tad crispy on the outside but still hot and gooey on the inside. I would just swirl it all over if I were you or just add little drops of it like chocolate chips.  If you add a lot of Nutella just eat one instead of two, your waistline will thank you.  This recipe made about 10 pancakes.  I didn't tell my kids that I put banana in it and my picky Sydney noted about halfway through finishing her first one that she tasted banana, I just smirked and said, "you like it, right?"  She liked it!

 My Homemade and Cheaper than Starbucks Mocha Iced Coffee

Here I have my coffee concentrate that I made using the Toddy Cold Brew System that I purchased at Williams-Sonoma for $34.99.  I love the cold brewing because the coffee is milder and takes out about 67% of the acidity compared to hot water brewing.  I also have my dream cream which is 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 (12oz) can of evaporated milk along with 1/4 cup of half and half.  And in honor of Starbucks, I partake of this deliciousness in my Starbucks cup half filled with ice.

I use about equal parts coffee concentrate and dream cream and then add just a splash of low fat milk.  I don't know why I do that, I just do.  And since the concentrate is a much stronger flavor you may also choose to a little cold water to dilute it to your liking.

Add a drizzle or more of chocolate syrup and stir, stir, stir!!

The Perfect Color!

I think this will be enough caffeine to get me through laundry, cleaning, cooking, shopping and packing for my trip tomorrow.

Day Seven (7)...Donut Breakfast Sandwich and Fruit!

It's the end of my experiment and I'm quite pleased with the results.  I know technically yesterday was the last day but I didn't have time to post.  It was just one of those days.  We started the morning with hubby going out and bringing a dozen donuts home when he was only supposed to be buying diapers.  Doesn't he know I'm still reeling from the "are you pregnant" comments?  Needless to say, as he was rushing out to church and was in need of being fed, I needed to get him something quick.  I was going to the later service with my younger daughter so I had time to kill.  Well, in honor of Paula Deen, I cut the donut in half, toasted the inner side and topped it with a sausage patty and a fried egg with cheese.  I know, I know, I can hear the whispers of disapproval but it was a first and I just thought it would be fun.  I have seen her show several times where she makes a cheeseburger this way and I just really thought it was a great time to experiment. 

Later in the day, I cut up the my melons, mangoes, pineapple and some other veggies and did a combination of juicing and blending. After I juiced, I put the juice in the blender and added the mango and pineapple. Yummy.  I also took some of the fruit to a friends house where we were having a little pow wow.  And the top of pineapple I put in water to start to grow my pineapple (a project I saw on Pinterest but we'll talk about that later).  So here are a few pics from yesterday including one at the end with what I have left.  Enjoy and I'm going to hit the sack.  The whole family is feeling a little bit under the weather.  God bless!

Donut Breakfast Sandwich
1 glazed donut from your favorite bakery
1 fried egg
1 slice of American or Cheddar cheese
1 sausage patty or breakfast meat of your choice

Slice your donut in half and put in a dry skillet on med heat and toast the inside part of the donut.  Top glazed side with the fried egg and melted cheese and top with your breakfast meat.  Place one half of the donut bun on top, transfer to a plate and enjoy!

 Donut deliciousness.  Warning: eating this on a regular basis will cause weight gain and a host of other issues.  Everything in moderation. :)  And remember, sticky/glazed side in.

 The last major bit of my abundance of produce.  I really think that if I hadn't done this 7 day experiment that a lot of this would have ended up in the trash can.  I am certainly more aware of ways to enjoy a little of this and too much of that.

I have two sweet potatoes left that I will use to make a sweet potato hash or I will use it for baby food.  The clementines will be eaten just as they are and the overripe bananas will be peeled and frozen to use in smoothies.