Update: Just fixed the dead KA Flour link.

I love making a nice warm breakfast for the kids before we start school. It warms the kitchen up, and gives a nice smell....but it can be a lot of work. I've stumbled on a versatile, healthy all-in-one recipe that mixes and matches beautifully...and best of all, the kids beg for it.

THE DO-ANYTHING BREAKFAST RECIPE

4 eggs

milk

sugar as suited

dash vanilla

1 cup flour*

*I've been using "White Whole Wheat Flour" by King Arthur flour.

That's it!!! I PROMISE.

With this recipe, I make pancakes on Mondays, crepes on Wednesdays, and waffles on Fridays.

THE PANCAKE RECIPE

Take your four eggs, and whisk in 1 cup milk. I add about 2 tbsp. of sugar, the vanilla, and then change to a stirring spoon, and stir in 1 cup flour until "unlumpy." I cook my pancakes in a nonstick skillet with just a bit of cooking spray. Cook on medium heat, and flip when bubbles break towards the center (but you know how to make pancakes, don't you). ;-)

THE CREPE/SWEDISH PANCAKES RECIPE (my kids' favorite)

Take your four eggs, and whisk in 1-1/4 cup milk. I add about 3 tbsp. of sugar, the vanilla, and whisk until bubbly. Then I whisk in (not stir in) the flour. Be mean. Whisk away...bubbles are good. Now, the trick to a good crepe, is a nonstick skillet. If you don't have one, I'm sorry, but I wouldn't even attempt this. Spray the skillet lightly, and over medium heat pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan. Rotate the pan so the batter makes a large, thin pancake. Cook one side until little brown spots appear, flip (I use a rubber spatula) and cook lightly on the other side (again, until telltale brown spots appear). In my pan, it takes exactly one minute per side (I set the timer for one minute so I can clean between flips).

If it is kind of thick/undone/rubbery in the middle, you may need to decrease the amount of batter. After cooking both sides, fold the pancake into quarters, and serve, or make a pile of them. You will be amazed how long they hold their heat folded this way!

Many people eat these dusted with powdered sugar...or with some jam tucked inside. In Denmark, they serve thise with a square of ice cream inside (for dessert, not breakfast)!

So, same recipe...little more milk. Get it?

Okay, recipe number three.

WAFFLES

UPDATE: NOT RECOMMENDED FOR WAFFLEMAKERS WITH LOCKS*

Take your four eggs, 1 cup milk, vanilla, and sugar (I think I use 2 tbsp.)...whisk together, and add 1 cup flour. Now, you may have a great nonstick waffle iron. Mine is nonstick, but it sticks...know what I mean? So I add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the batter, and whisk it in. It all evens out because we don't eat anything (butter or maple syrup) on our waffles...the choice is yours.

I use 1/3 cup batter on my iron which makes a small waffle. My waffle iron makes a waffle with this batter in 2 minutes exactly. I set a timer...go do a chore...and come back in two minutes...load the iron with batter again, set the timer, and do another chore.

You will find that the waffles do not rise very much (due to lack of baking powder in the recipe), and resemble Eggo-brand waffles more than traditional starchy waffles.

*If a liberal amount of batter is used, the steam can break your waffle lock (as happened to my friend. Sorry!). I still use the recipe, but I use just enough to cover the middle of my iron now.

There it is. The DO-ANYTHING BREAKFAST RECIPE. With minor variations (cinnamon, diced apple, blueberries, or craisins added) you can use one recipe with virtually no boredom.

Admittedly, the recipe is heavy on eggs. We go through a LOT of eggs. But for growing bodies (and athletic children), the protein can't be beat. The ratio of protein to carbohydrate is excellent...there is no hydrogenated fats (just check that box of your pancake mix!!!!) -- in fact the only fat is what's used to keep it from sticking to the pan -- and if you can get whole wheat flour in the white version, you have a healthy source of fiber as well.

Now, I just need to tinker with the recipe so it does muffins too....