Perfectly Pumpkin Pancakes

I love pancakes.  They represent all that is good in the world - sweet, carb, homemade, Saturday goodness.  While they beckon to the best of the weekend for most of us, I can't resist a little weeknight brinner every once in a while.  Breakfast for dinner is sure to put a positive spin on any evening.  My mom found a great recipe for pancakes a while back, and a few weeks ago, I decided to eat everything in our pantry.  Last fall, I heard there was going to be a shortage of pumpkin puree out there, so I stocked up.  One year later, I still hadn't touched any of the cans.  So I took my mom's recipe, tweaked it, and wound up with this delicious fall breakfast/brinner/snack:

Wet ingredients:

1 cup milk

3 T. white vinegar

2 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)

1 t. vanilla

1 cup pumpkin puree (1/2 a 16 oz. can)

Dry ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. allspice

1/2 t. ginger

1. Combine milk and white vinegar and set aside for five minutes to "sour". (This is a genius way to make buttermilk - whenever I buy it at the store, I never use the whole container.  And does anyone else store their vinegar under the sink even though they only  use it for cooking?  Or is that just me?)

2.  Combine all dry ingredients and stir well.  Set aside.

3. Once milk is "soured", whisk the egg and butter into the milk, then add vanilla and pumpkin puree.  

4. Whisk dry mixture into wet mixture, making sure to get rid of lumps but not over stirring.  Don't worry, this is a thick batter. I let it sit for a few minutes before putting the batter on the griddle (which works out pretty well, because I generally forget to heat the griddle before I start).

5. Use a full 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop batter onto griddle.  When I do that, I end up with at least 12 pancakes.  You'll know when to flip them as the uncooked side will have tiny bubbles all over the top of them.  Don't flip too early - being that this is a thick batter, you don't want them to be too doughy by flipping early.  

6. Add butter, and pour on the maple syrup and then savor every bit of pumpkin goodness.  At this point I need to tell you something.  Aunt Jemina was not invited to this pancake party, so go ahead and spring for real maple syrup.  You'll thank me later.

Have a great day and enjoy your pumpkin pancakes!  

Day 5: High Five for Friday!

It's Friday.  Isn't that awesome?  Eric and I both have been/will be traveling a bit, so the weekend is extra exciting.  Between my masters, his job, and life in youth ministry, we are gone quite a bit.  And we (I) love it most of the time.  But there is something about a weekend without plans where we know we get to spend it at home.   This weekend, we are going to get to cherish our home in all its autumn glory (and I may get around to some fall decor as well).  Thanks to The Small Things, I'm gonna give a high five to Friday about the things around our home that are making me smile:

1. The Mulled Cider candle from Wal-Mart.
I have become a reverse-snob when it comes to candles.  I am cheap, and I love this candle - so Wally World is the perfect answer.  I am so madly in love with this scent that I feel like a cheater just by sniffing another fall candle.  Autumn leaves?  Apple pie? Candy corn?  You ain't got nothin' on Mulled Cider.  Go get one today.  The smell will tickle your nostrils with everything you love about fall as soon as you walk in the door, and you'll instantly feel like it's time for a hayride.

2. Soup simmering on the stove
I'm cooking tonight.  It's revolutionary.  I can't actually remember the last meal I made.  We've eaten at home - tomato soup, grilled cheese, chicken on the grill ... but something that I actually labored over?  Yeah, it's been awhile.  We're having pasta e fagioli.  Not because we're Italian (we're not), but because we love Olive Garden.  My mom found the copycat recipe and we absolutely love it.  So, so good.  Plus, I have applesauce thawing from last fall.

3. A free weekend!
I have a meeting tomorrow morning, but that is the only outside-of-the-norm thing on our schedule.  Woo to the hoo!  We are trying to decide what to do - applesauce making, pumpkin farm, homecoming football game, couch potato-ing, or Eric's most likely suggestion, cleaning.  We'll see how that goes.  :)

4. Fall weather
I'm going to regret this at some point when I'm chilled to the bone in February, but I am so excited for cooler weather.  It's supposed to be in the fifties and low sixties this weekend.  Bring on the scarves and boots, and a Starbucks cinnamon dolce latte please! :)  My brother's birthday is today, so I count October 5 as the official start of fall in my mind every year. (I love my brother and love fall : perfect combination!)

5. Thoughts becoming reality
I have officially blogged six days in a row.  That's crazy - I hope I can keep it up.  Also, Sunday, we are having a youth group meeting for our mission trip to Honduras next summer (and I think some awesome young adults that I miss will be there) and that night, we are serving real, live dinner to students at youth group as a way to build fellowship together.  Both of these things have been in the back of our youth ministry brains for a while and it's super fun to see them come into place!

Linking up to Lauren at From My Grey Desk