Apple Pancake

We are having a pretty low key Thanksgiving this year as opposed to the super crazy years we go to Chicago and pile like 40 of us in my sister’s house, cooking and eating until we all explode.  I will miss the greater gathering, but the relative calm of this year allows me the time to think about what I would cook if there were children covering every inch of floor space in my little house.

I love to make breakfast, and it is even more fun to me when there are extra little bellies to fill and no one has to rush out the door to school.  I will be making breakfast when everyone descends for Christmas, but if you have company this week, you might consider making this easy oatmeal which can be assembled the night before or these scones, which can also be made ahead.  Of course you can always make pancakes or waffles, but for a special treat on a cold morning, here is one more breakfast item that is always completely consumed when I make it at our house.

 

I got up early this morning and made three cast iron skillets full of this yummy apple pancake.  Every bite was gone by 8:30, when the last person left for the day.  Cole’s skillet was already empty when I took the picture, because he has to be at school at like 5.  Not really, but it feels like it!  Get up and make it on Thanksgiving morning to fill your house with the smell of cinnamon and apples.  Then your oven will be all hot and ready for your turkey.

Apple Pancake

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large tart apple

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sifted flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional)

Put a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet in the oven.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Peel and core apple.  Slice thin and sprinkle with half the cinnamon and sugar.  Set aside.  Mix eggs, milk, flour and salt.  Beat with rotary beater for 2 minutes.  Pull out hot skillet, drop one tablespoon butter in and swirl around.  Pour batter on to melted butter. Place apple slices on top of batter, covering in full.  Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.  Puncture pancake with fork a few times, turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake about 10 more minutes.  Remove from oven and pour melted butter over pancake (if using) and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar.  Loosen from pan.  Slice and serve immediately.

I triple this recipe and divide it between three random cast iron skillets.  I could use one giant skillet but I like having the smaller ones so you get more edge pieces.