Dessert for Breakfast at 4am

If you couldn't tell, I am on quite the pancake binge right now. My late night meals once consisted of easy mac, off-brand turkey lunchables (because the crackers are king) and beer. However, I felt as a project to myself I should teach myself a good breakfast round-up to be some sort of "Father of the Year" figure when I'm 45. Until then, I'm still 8 years old and I love candy for breakfast.

Heath Pancakes w/ Salty caramel syrup

part of any balanced insomniac's diet

To this date, I think these were the best tasting. If I opened a restaurant and happened to be a guest there, I would make these my usual. Mark, you make the best pancakes...I know. Since I have been cooking a lot more lately to bolster up some skill there, making pancakes again was pretty easy. I used a different recipe (to this day I spell it recepie and have to spell check it) that was a bit thicker than my ol' school pancakes or the matcha ones.

Salty, Buttery goodness...

Making the caramel syrup wasn't even that hard. I was freaked out when I read in the receipes (dammit, did it again) said that it violently bubbled when you added water to the caramelized sugar. Really underrated there, although it was pretty hot. I didn't have heavy cream to add to the sauce so I subbed out whole milk and a little extra butter. The result was a more viscous syrup...big plus for splashing on pancakes.

Heath Pancakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 bag of Heath (at least a half bag!)

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine eggs, milk and oil; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Serve hot and garnish with whipped cream, heath bits and caramel syrup.

Salty Caramel syrup

• 6 Tbl butter
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 1 Cup heavy cream (I used whole milk and 2 tbsp butter)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (I went a little bit higher on this one)

IHOP beware, I'm crushing the pancake scene in BG for now...but who knows?! Wouldn't it be sweet to own a pancake shop? Until then, I gotta get my late night on!