Pancake Sausage Breakfast Bake

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven:
   Preheat to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2. Cook the sausage:
   In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned and crumbly. Drain and set aside.
3. Prepare the pancake batter:
   In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.
4. Cook pancakes:
   Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 6–8 medium pancakes, 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and set aside.
5. Assemble the casserole:
   In the baking dish, layer one pancake, sprinkle sausage, and repeat, ending with a pancake on top. Press layers down slightly.
6. Bake:
   Cover with foil and bake for 20–25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes to crisp the top.
7. Serve:
   Slice into portions and serve warm with maple syrup.

Variations:

• Use pre-made frozen pancakes to save time.
• Swap sausage for cooked bacon or veggie sausage.
• Add chopped green onions or sautéed peppers between layers for extra flavor.

Tips:

• Don’t overmix the batter—lumps are fine and make for fluffier pancakes.
• Let the bake rest for 5 minutes after baking to make slicing cleaner.
• For added cohesion, pour a little extra pancake batter over the layers before baking.

This bake is a delicious way to bring comfort and joy to the breakfast table—perfectly sweet, savory, and made to share.