Welcome to the second installment of Passanante’s Home Food Service’s “Life Hack Recipe” series which provides easy DIY recipes for some of your favorite meals at popular restaurants. We hope you enjoy these three popular breakfast recipes for IHOP buttermilk pancakes, Denny’s french toast, and Cracker Barrel breakfast casserole. Grab the ingredients, gather the kids and make a memory preparing a delicious breakfast feast and start the day off on the right foot.

IHOP Buttermilk Pancakes

• 1 Egg
• 1 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 Cups buttermilk
• 1/4 Cup granulated sugar
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 Cup cooking oil
• 1 Pinch of salt

1. Preheat skillet over medium heat.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together. Have a sweet tooth that won’t stop? Feel free to add in peanut butter or chocolate chips. 🙂
3. Melt a small amount of butter in the pan and pour batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles.
4. When the edges firm up, flip the pancakes.
5. Remove pancakes from heat once both sides are light golden brown.
6. Serve with your choice of butter, powdered sugar, syrup, peanut butter or any other delicious topping and enjoy!

Denny’s French Toast

• 4 Eggs
• 2/3 Cup whole milk
• 1/3 Cup flour
• 1/3 Cup sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 6 Slices Texas toast (thick bread)
• Lots of powdered sugar
• Plenty of syrup

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon to create the batter.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and once hot, add 1 tablespoon of butter. Make sure the skillet isn’t so hot that it burns the butter.
3. Dip each slice of thick-cut bread into the batter until saturated. Let the excess batter drip off and place the bread on the skillet.
4. Cook each slice of bread for about 1.5 minutes on each side until both sides are golden brown. You may need to add more butter to the skillet to prepare all 6 slices of toast.
5. Dust each slice of french toast with powdered sugar, and serve with butter and hot syrup.
6. Need a little whipped cream in your life? Check out this guide to making it at home!

Cracker Barrel Breakfast Casserole

• Slices of sourdough bread, no crust
• 4 to 5 Eggs, beaten (1 cup of eggs)
• 1/4 Cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 Cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1/3 Cup lean cooked diced ham

1. Coat casserole dish with non-stick spray and place sourdough bread on the bottom of the dish.
2. Add salt, pepper and evaporated milk to the beaten eggs and mix thoroughly.
3. Pour egg mixture over the bread.
4. Sprinkle diced ham and shredded cheese over egg mixture and cover with plastic wrap or casserole dish lid.
5. Refrigerate the casserole overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, depending on how deep the casserole dish is. The casserole is done when the eggs do not wiggle when the dish is shaken lightly.
8. Serve with your other breakfast favorites and enjoy!

Check out other Life Hack Recipes:

Chick-Fil-A sandwich & Texas Roadhouse honey butter