Brinner Time!

My family loves having breakfast for dinner (more commonly known as brinner), and honestly, what is there not to like?
Having pancakes at any time of the day is a gift from the heavens (or at least Aunt Jemima) and a perfect excuse for eating unhealthily while pretending that pancakes are a normal meal.
(Now believe me, I am an ardent and steadfast supporter of flapjacks, but there is no way that they are really part of a healthy meal. But somehow, a parent decided that he/she would let her children get away with combining cake, butter, chocolate chips (a great addition) and sugar in syrup form and it would be okay for their children to eat. I am eternally grateful to that person.)
But before I delve into how to make an exceptional brinner (which doubles as how to make an exceptional breakfast), I have to link to one of my favorite TV shows, Scrubs, and thank it for providing me with inspiration.
When making a solid brinner, it is important to realize that it not simply breakfast. Pouring cereal and toasting Pop-Tarts may be acceptable for breakfast, but not for brinner. Brinner requires a solid base of foods, using foods that typically are used in traditional dinners in a different form. Instead of having ham, have some bacon. Instead of having mashed potatoes, make some hashbrowns.
But making sure to couple those with a breakfast favorite is important.
Here is my pick for the ultimate three-course brinner. (Editors Note: I was going to make it five courses, but it turns out I am the only person that eats five-course brinners. To find out what the other suggestions were, follow me on Twitter and ask me, @adam_flango.)


First Course: Bacon
Personally, I'm a fan of breakfast sausage instead of bacon, but I will defer to the masses on this one. Bacon is not difficult to cook at all (spray pan, heat pan, cook bacon), and is the perfect starter for your meal. It is not nearly as filling as some of the other breakfast meats, but one key is to make sure you do not make too much bacon (yes, there is such a thing.) Stick to making only as much as you want to eat, or however much you anticipate your roommates eating. If you are going to eat two or three (the recommended amount by my unofficial health standards,) then do not make a dozen strips. The more you eat, the more full you'll be. (That last sentence was courtesy of John Madden's School of Obvious.)
Second Course: Fruit
This course is dealer's choice. While I have never been a big fan of fruit because I am stuck in the mindset of an 8-year-old, I have grown to be fond of a few fruits, such as strawberries and bananas.
This part of the meal largely depends on the time of the year and what fruit is ripe, but my suggestion would be to go for berries or citrus-y fruits. They can serve as a nice palate cleanser too. (Ever since I ate a fancy restaurant for the first time and had a palate cleanser before my main meal, I have been a big fan.)
Third Course: Pancakes
My love of pancakes was documented in the opening of the post, and sadly I do not have any specific recipe that I use. But honestly, my mom always made them from the back of the Bisquick box and they always turned out delicious.
Here are a 5 different ingredients that add even more taste to pancakes.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips: My personal favorite
Pumpkin: Great this time of year
Blueberry: Classic
Ice Cream and/or Whip Cream: Because you're in college, and you can.
Applesauce (on top of the pancake): A Flango family favorite. Plus it makes pancakes kind of seem healthy.
For more pancake goodness and some creative designs, check out this awesome blog. And be sure to check out the pancake toilet bowl, which had me laugh out loud. Remember, I have the mindset of an 8-year-old.