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Update 12/8/09 I’m thrilled to share that I’m a featured blogger for Oprah’s Holiday 2009!

Looking at this photo, you can only come to two conclusions. Either I had way too much to drink the night before, and this was my hangover cure… or I must be pregnant. Sadly, neither are true. I was just hungry. They say never to go grocery shopping with an empty stomach, and I’d like to add to that rule. Never go blog surfing with an empty stomach.

I was looking around for some inspiration, a dish to cook for live television segment shot at my home. I asked my Twitter friends for some ideas and promised to make one of their dishes. The moment I saw Alice’s Breakfast Pancake, I knew instantly that I had to make it. How can you not resist layers upon layers of fluffy pancake, stuffed with ALL of my favorite breakfast foods?

If you can’t decide what to make for breakfast, why not just make all? I say it solves many problems, as I’m sure each of your family members like different things. Plus, this is a show-stoppin’ breakfast for realz.

The Fox 13 television crew arrived at my home at 6:00am. That early in the morning, I’m not pretty nor am I completely functional. But one thing I knew for sure – I’d be the gossip topic of the block. I love stumping my neighbors.

We were broadcasting live, so they brought out the big news van with a 60 foot tall satellite thingy. So my neighbors either thought something scandalous happened at the Steamy household or I finally got arrested for posing as Rachel Ray.

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The Ultimate Breakfast Pancake Segment

How to make the Ultimate Breakfast Pancake

It’s best to make all the layers fillings ahead of time. In fact, you can make EVERYTHING ahead of time, use the microwave or oven to warm up and assemble all at once.

The first layer is the roasted potatoes – it’s a nice solid base.

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Because I’m a dork and I paid attention during underwater basket weaving class in high school, I weaved my bacon when I made the cake for the photoshoot. Totally unnecessary, because only YOU will know that the a bacon has a beautiful basket weave. To make straight bacon, lay the bacon slices on a rack, then on a baking sheet. You’ll cook them 10-15 minutes in the oven and they stay pretty flat. Plus much of the grease drips down into the pan (the rest just blot off) which makes it easier to pour the grease out into a little bowl.

Not for health reasons.

I save my bacon grease.

To dip pretzels in.

You know you’re totally going to try it.

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Then use a pair of kitchen shears to cut the bacon nice and neat if you’re anal like me. But watch out for little hands who come swooping by and stealing the little bacon pieces. Andrew likes bacon too.

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Then after the bacon, is the egg layer:

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Then whipped cream, and an assortment of fresh fruits:

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The Photography

This was a hard one. I wanted to take the photo outside to get the beautiful natural light hitting the fruit. But I was using fresh whipped cream, so I only had 5 minutes to quickly shoot. Here are more photos of the final product, with some photo commentary…which is your favorite?

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The Ultimate Breakfast Pancake Recipe

recipe adapted from Savory Sweet Life

4 – 8? pancakes
1.5 cups of roasted potatoes
3 eggs, scrambled
1 lb. of cooked bacon
1 cup of whipped cream
1 cup of sliced strawberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
2 kiwi fruit, sliced
1 bunch fresh mint leaves
maple syrup, for serving

Instructions:
Lay the first pancake down on a plate or serving platter. Add a layer of roasted potatoes all the way to the edge. Add another pancake and add the scrambled eggs. Add the third pancake and add your bacon. Add the final pancake. At this point if everything is cold, you will want to microwave everything for 3 minutes right before serving. Spread a layer of whipped cream, arrange strawberries, kiwi, blueberries and mint. Serve with maple syrup on the side.

To make the pancakes:
recipe from Mark Bittman, NY Times

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
2 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
2 tablespoons melted and cooled butter (optional), plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use neutral oil
Preparation
1. Heat an 8-inch frying pan over medium-low heat. In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Beat eggs into 1 1/2 cups milk, then stir in 2 tablespoons melted cooled butter, if using it. Gently stir this mixture into dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten flour; don’t worry about a few lumps. If batter seems thick, add a little more milk.
2. Place a teaspoon of butter or oil on griddle or skillet. When butter foam subsides or oil shimmers, ladle batter onto griddle or skillet, making 8-inch pancakes. For this Breakfast Pan”cake” recipe, we’ll be making 4 pancakes) Adjust heat as necessary; usually, first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. Flip pancakes after bubbles rise to surface and bottoms brown, after 2 to 4 minutes.
3. Cook until second side is lightly browned. Serve, or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degree oven for up to 15 minutes.

To make the roasted potatoes:
1 pound of small red potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons freshly minced parsley
generous pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425F. Scatter the potatoes onto a baking sheet. With your hands, toss with the olive oil, garlic and parsley. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Spread out the potatoes so that they are in a single, even layer. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and browned.

To make the scrambled eggs:
3 extra-large eggs
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Beat the eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with the butter. When the butter is bubbling, swirl to coat the pan. Add the eggs and using a spatula, gently stir to scramble. Once the eggs are set, immediately remove from the heat.

To make the bacon:
1 pound uncooked bacon

Preheat your oven to 400F. Lay a baking rack on top of a baking sheet. Lay the bacon slices on top of the rack and cook for 10-15 minutes until crispy.

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A big thanks to Miss Attitude for making this whole thing happen and to Alice of Savory Sweet Life for the inspiration!