The only real failure...

"The only real failure in life is the failure to try." ~Anonymous

Well...my attempt at ravioli last night wasn't so great. Ethan thought it was good, but the dough didn't seem right to me. I'll have to try it again sometime! Maybe once I've learned to work with my dough hooks on my mixer better, and maybe when I have a pasta machine (to make the dough MUCH thinner than my rolling pin was able!) I'll try it again. Maybe with a different recipe too. We'll see. One can only learn from making food that's not such a big hit...(learn to keep cereal on hand at all times to make up for missing dinner ;-))...and try again :-)

So, today's recipe post is still pretty sweet, and happened before the summer of food officially began, but it was SO good that I have to share it!

This was our Easter Sunday breakfast, and the boys gobbled them up! Cinnamon roll PANCAKES! I found the recipe here, and followed all the instructions with one exception. Rather than having the butter "almost melty," I would suggest making it pretty melty. The cinnamon filling was somewhat stiff with the butter not melted, and it made it harder to squeeze into the pancakes.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
For the Cinnamon Filling...
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix until smooth:
1 stick softened butter, almost melty
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 T. cinnamon

Using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides, pour this mixture into a large pastry bag that had been opened and stood up in a tall tumbler. A large ziptop bag with the edges folded over the tumbler would work too.

For the Cream Cheese Icing...
In the same bowl that you used for the cinnamon filling, mix together, using the hand mixer again:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
4 T. milk

Mix until smooth and pour into a second pastry bag just like you did with the cinnamon mixture above.

For the Pancakes...
In the same bowl that you used for the filling and the icing- no need to be using or washing too many bowls now- mix together:
2 cups pancake mix- I used Bisquick's Heart Healthy
3 eggs
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 T. powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups milk

Using the hand mixer, blend until smooth. In a large non-stick skillet, over medium to medium-low heat, and using a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup, ladle 2 pancakes. Snip the tip off the pastry bag containing the cinnamon filling so that the opening is a scant 1/2 inch wide, swirl over cooking pancakes in a circular motion- 3 go-a-rounds should do. Continue to cook the pancakes until bubbles form evenly through each cake. Gently flip each pancake over and cook another 30-45 seconds, remove to a serving platter and serve immediately or keep warm covered in a warm oven. Continue with the rest of the batter. Place 2-3 pancakes side by side (too pretty to stack!) on each person's plate and drizzle each one with icing. Serve maple syrup, bacon or sausage, and fruit on the side. Makes 18 pancakes.

Note- Using a damp paper towel, wipe your skillet after each pancake is made. This will keep the next pancake from sticking to any of the cinnamon filling that has leaked onto your skillet or griddle.
After I swirled each pancake with the cinnamon filling, I returned the pastry bag, tip down in the tumbler. This kept it from leaking all over.
Store any leftover icing in the refrigerator for future use. (I put the icing into an old syrup bottle and it has kept in the fridge great!)