Here’s three things about me.  One, I love a hearty breakfast.  I survived college by working as a waitress in a breakfast-heavy restaurant.  Incidentally, I almost lost my mind in college because of said restaurant.  Two, if a recipe has wacky ingredient combos, I’ll force my family to eat it at least once.  My BIL still asks, “Did you hide veggies in this banana bread?”  Three, I love the kitsch of Elvis.  Graceland is a beautiful example of Americana.  One morning in March, all three got smooshed up together.  Rachael Ray’s Elvis Short Stack.  Pancakes filled with bacon and bananas smeared with a peanut and maple syrup laced butter.  I’m guessing that a lot of people would be disgusted by this recipe, but would also be curious.  So I took one for the team.

My kids aren’t patient when it comes to breakfast.  The amount of time it takes to pour cereal into a bowl is the length I get to put breakfast in front of them.  Anything longer and I start to hear groggy whines.  I hate groggy whines.  But I figured the recipe was interesting enough to put up with it.  In the end, the boys were less than satisfied and bacon infused pancakes weren’t Mark’s thing.  I couldn’t force him to take a bite.  I think the bacon fat mixed in with the batter was a little too much.  Yes, dear readers, bacon fat doesn’t make the world better.  I wish the salty bacon married with the sweet syrup a little more.  The butter was delicious and I saved the extra for regular pancakes.  If you know a huge Elvis fan, it might be a fun dish to serve them.    Next weekend, I’m sticking to cereal.  Or normal pancakes with a side of bacon.

Elvis Short Stacks

Rachel Ray March 2012

6 slices of bacon

1/4 C. plus 2 T. of salted roasted peanuts

4 T. unsalted butter

2 1/2 T. maple syrup, plus more for serving

1 1/2 C. of flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 C. Plain yogurt

2 eggs

2 small bananas, cut into tiny pieces

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.  Drain and reserve 2 T. of the fat.  When cool, crumble the bacon.

Use a food processor to coarsely chop the peanuts.  Reserve 2 T., then finely chop the remaining nuts.  Add the butter and 1 1/2t. of maple syrup.  Puree.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Make a well in the center; whisk the yogurt, eggs, 1/2 C. water, 2 T. syrup, and reserved bacon fact until smooth.  Fold in the bananas and bacon.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it.  Drop 1/3 C. of batter onto the skillet.  Cook until the surface bubbles about 3 minutes.  Flip and cook until golden, 1 minute.  Transfer to plate and keep warm.

Spread some of the peanut butter, drizzle with more syrup, and sprinkle peanuts.

Channel the King.