Cranberry Cheesecake Shakes

 

This was a start of the summer treat for my kids. It turned out with a beautiful pink color that would make a great drink for a girls summer party. Frosty pink happiness!

I keep cranberries in my freezer year round, because I love their tartness and they freeze so well. And then I always have cranberries to make Cranberry Coffee Cake or Cranberry Spice Granola or good old fashioned cranberry relish, which should not be relegated to just the Thanksgiving table.

I remembered years ago I tore a page out of Family Fun for a cranberry milkshake. I thought it was a little strange, but why not? Today was finally the day to make them. All the kids liked the recipe, since ice cream before dinner is a big deal. I think next time I'll actually make them with ricotta cheese instead of the cream cheese. I also used sweetened almond milk which I think added another layer of flavor, but you could use the original plain milk.

Cranberry Cheesecake Shakes
1 c cranberries
1 1/2 c almond milk
2 tsp vanilla
3 oz cream cheese or ricotta cheese
vanilla ice cream

Put the cranberries and milk in the blender. Pulse until smooth and a beautiful pink. Add vanilla and cheese, pulse again. Add enough ice cream to fill the blender and make a thick rich shake.

You could also add some vanilla whey protein powder to this one easily.

Apple Carrot Slaw

I had some carrots in the fridge that needed a home and I just didn't feel like cooking them since the weather here in GA has been so warm. It's absolutely crazy... my daffodils are trying to come up. I have really missed winter this year. I know those of you up north think I'm crazy, since you are underneath a mound of snow.

Mom and Dad were flying back from Dad's chemo treatment yesterday and were delayed with all the flights being cancelled. I was a little worried about them, but they are home, safe and sound. Dad is exhausted, but hanging in there.

On the other side of the family, my father-in-law has moved into an independent living place so we are sleeping better around here, since we don't have to worry about him on the stairs. Thank you all for the kind words and prayers.

This recipe is perfectly refreshing with a roasted chicken and homemade wheat bread. I love the addition of celery seeds. I usually add those to our cabbage slaw because that's how MacGuyver's Mom makes slaw. I never thought to add them to a sweet slaw. 

I have the perfect imitation recipe for Chik-Fil-A's carrot slaw and this recipe somewhat reminded me of that, so I left the raisins out of the original recipe to make it different to my family. Let me know what you think.

Apple Carrot Slaw

Adapted from Feast on the Cheap, check out their beautiful photo and original recipe

3 crisp sweet-tart apples, cored and cut into matchstick-size strips

3 large carrots, washed, peeled and coarsely grated

2 tbsp sweet onion, minced

3 tbsp low-fat mayo

1/3 c cider vinegar

1 tbsp real maple syrup

1 tbsp celery seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk mayo, vinegar, celery seeds, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside. Prep the slaw ingredients and combine in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.  

Butternut Squash Bean Chili

Difficult season of life right now...

My Dad is terminally ill with cancer. My father-in-law had a major car accident and is living with us for a bit. 

At this point, functioning is difficult. Writing complete, coherent sentences with correct spelling is a challenge. Please forgive my choppiness. I need sleep. 

I'm taking comfort in food which is a dangerous place to be. I know me - stress equals eating. 

I need to make healthy things. Vegetarian chili comes to mind. We have a butternut squash and out came this. Warm comfort in a chocolate bowl.

Butternut Squash Bean Chili

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp lime juice

2 14.5 oz cans tomatoes, undrained

2 14.5 oz cans any beans (black, red, pinto, etc), drained and rinsed

2 c butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1lb)

Salt and Pepper

Sour cream 

Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in pot over med-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and jalapenos, stir 1 minute. Add spices: chili powder, cumin, oregano and lime juice, stir 1 minute. Add in tomatoes with juice, beans, and butternut squash. Cook with lid on until squash is soft, about 20 minutes. Stir the pot around 10 minutes, add water if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges.

 

Gingerbread Latte

I posted about this beauty back here, but some of you have asked for the specifics of this recipe, so this one is for you. Just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. Make a big batch of the spiced milk and keep it in the fridge. When company comes, warm some up in a pot on the stove, brew the coffee or espresso and combine the two in mugs. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon. Voila! You have a fancy drink in just minutes and you look like the Hostess with the Mostess (as Mom would always say).

Gingerbread Latte

1 cup milk (I use skim)

2 Tbsp molasses

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (which is basically mostly cinnamon with ginger, cloves and nutmeg added) I just add a little of each, never measuring
1/2 tsp ginger (for that gingerbread flavor)

1 c strong brewed coffee or espresso

Brew the coffee. While brewing, get out a glass measuring cup, the kind you use for liquids. Measure the milk and then add the sugar and spices. Put it in the microwave on high for 1 min - 1:30. You want it hot, but not boiling. When the coffee is brewed, combine your coffee, spiced milk and vanilla in a large mug. You can top it with whipped cream and cinnamon if you want to go over the top, which I of course did!

Alternative method: Triple or quadruple the recipe and combine milk, molasses and spices. Heat and stir. Cool. Store spiced milk in a jar in the fridge until you are ready to use. When you want a latte, brew the coffee or espresso and heat up the spiced milk and combine for as many servings as you need. 

Apple Pie Smoothie

Perfect fall goodness in a cup. It's a guilt free apple pie smoothie. All of the flavor and sweetness of an apple pie, but healthy enough to drink after a run.

I made this one up because I like to drink a smoothie after working out, but I didn't have any fruit other than apples laying around. I have never blended a whole apple, only apple juice. Turns out the fiber makes it pretty filling. The kids tried it the next day and loved it, so we have a new smoothie in the rotation. I wonder how it would work as a popsicle in the summer?

We had these wonderful apples that we picked in Ellijay at our favorite stop: R&A Orchards like we have in previous years. This year was pretty hard on the harvest. Warm crazy weather will reek havoc on an orchard. All of the apples were dropping right off the trees and the Georgia Apple Festival hadn't even occurred! We managed to pick a few and of course I bought bags and bags of "seconds", which are perfectly good apples in my opinion. I made a bunch of applesauce, but no apple butter this year. I was going to make Apple Pie Soup and that's where the revelation came in - ah ha - I could make a smoothie with apples. Apple Pie Smoothie! 

Apple Pie Smoothie
1/2 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 tsp apple pie spice
2 c vanilla almond milk 
1 scoop protein powder, optional
ice cubes

Put it all in a blender and whir into a creamy smoothie. 


{Almond milk is a new product in our household and we have enjoyed it. I like it because it keeps much longer than cow milk. I used Silk brand almond milk, pictured here and it's already sweetened, so I didn't add any sweetener to this smoothie. You could use milk and add honey and almond or vanilla flavoring if you like.}

Fall Fun: Tons of Ideas and Recipes

Harvest Moon Pie Pops

I have this love affair with fall. It's when I seem to really start cooking again. I mean, it's not as if I'm not cooking during the summer. My family is not starving to death if you were worried.


It's just I don't LOVE cooking in the summer. It's too hot in Georgia. Truth be told, it would probably still be too hot for me in Maine, but whatever.

Fall, on the other hand, begs for cooking. The amazing apples, sweet potatoes, squashes like butternut and pumpkin. All of them are glorious!! It's a joy to pull out the food processor, and hand blender to make soups and homemade apple sauce.

As I was reminiscencing and thinking of some fall recipes I really wanted to make, I thought I'd share some from the past....


Chocolate Acorn Treats

Mummy Dogs

Rice Cake Eyes and Apple Teeth (I know this photo is TERRIBLE. Thankfully I've learned a few photography tips since then!!)

Gumdrop Apple Turkeys

And of course, we can't forget the silly family costumes that have come in the past. This year it's another book. Stay tuned to see what we come up with!

Here are the scientist and four seasons.

http://fromchapelhilltochickenville.blogspot.com/2011/11/christian-scientists-halloween-costumes.html
http://fromchapelhilltochickenville.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-halloween-from-four-seasons.html

This one seems to be the online favorite.


The Three Little Pigs




Butternut Squash Wedges



Apple Pie Soup





Pumpkin Lattes and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes


Creamy Spiced Pumpkin Soup




Hot Chocolate Cake


Crockpot Apple Butter

Happy Fall and Happy Cooking!!

Acorn Squash Soup with Parmesean Cheese

Dinner tonight was AMAZING! Really. I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals in our dinner routine both for health and for expense. I've encountered resistance from just about everyone in the family except the baby - she's happy to eat anything. My darling husband, Mr MacGuyver on the other hand insists on meat - protein for him he says. I think he might be finally softening after a few really good meatless meals we've had.

Tonight was one of them. Acorn Squash Soup that was delicious...creamy, tangy, sweet. So many flavors, it was hard to pin down and perfect for a cold night after everyone had played outside all afternoon. The recipe is pretty easy too, which always makes me happy on weekends when I really want/need to do other things besides cook. I'm guessing I'm the odd-ball there because most of you probably want fast dinners on weeknights. With homeschooling and really limiting what are kids are in involved in, weeknights are actually easier for me. I can start dinner anytime after 4pm when the baby wakes up, so I have plenty of time.

Weekends are are another story. There is NEVER enough time on the weekend. I want to play games with the kids, work in the yard, work on the computer, go on adventures, everything gets done on weekends around here. Whichever night you choose, this soup is one you should pin, stumble, or bookmark for an easy dinner meal.

Acorn Squash Soup with a Lime Twist
Adapted from Sargento's Website

Ingredients
2 large acorn squash
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 can chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. nutmeg 
1/4 tsp. salt  
4 slices Parmesan cheese

Place whole squash on paper towel in microwave oven; cook on HIGH 5 minutes. Turn over; continue cooking 4 minutes more or until squash is barely tender when pierced with a knife. Let stand 5 minutes. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 8 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring occasionally. Cut squash in half; scoop out and discard seeds and membrane. Keeping squash shell intact, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4-inch thick shell. Add squash pulp to onion mixture; cook 1 minute. Add chicken broth, nutmeg and, if desired, cayenne pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until squash is very tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer squash mixture to food processor or blender; process until smooth. Reheat soup until very hot. Arrange squash shells, cut sides up, in ovenproof bowls; place bowls on baking sheet; fill with hot soup. Top with toast and cheese. Place under preheated broiler 5 inches from heat; broil 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Eggplant, Roasted Tomato, Polenta Stacks

When this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment arrived, I went straight to the blog of A Couple in the Kitchen. I was jealous you see. 

Oh, how I wish I could be part of "a couple in the kitchen". I wish my wonderful husband cared just a little about cooking, but that is just, not how he rolls. I mean, he REALLY enjoys the eating, and definitely helps with the cleaning, but he is never gonna join me in the cooking. It's just not his deal. With all of his other wonderful MacGuyver traits, I suppose that is okay. I guess I've come to terms with it. 

It's just, when I read the title of my new friends Amy and Chris's blog, I couldn't help but be a little jealous. I wanna be a couple in the kitchen...waaah. I know, I know. You are saying, "get over it Aimee"!

After I looked through Chris and Amy's blog, I came upon Slow Roasted Tomatoes and I knew this was the recipe I wanted to make. We have tomatoes coming out our ears. I canned some, sliced some for sandwiches, eat some right from the bush, gave away some, and even tossed a few rotten ones to the Girls in their coop. (Yes, until recently, they were still trapped in their coop so they didn't eat my hard work.) Roasting some tomatoes and storing them in oil, seemed like a perfect way to prolong our season.

Once I had some roasted lovelies, I had to think what to do with them. I froze several half pints for presents later in the year. Hee hee, I'm getting ready for Christmas already and I love it! I served some with my Roasted Chicken and saved some for Eggplant, Tomato, Polenta Stacks.

This easy vegetarian dinner was a product of what was laying around....lots and lots of Japanese eggplants! My one bush has given us a ton of these purple beauties. This dinner was fabulous!!! Course, if you don't have any eggplant laying around, you could always substitute zucchini for the eggplant or make orzo (small rice shaped pasta) dish also from A Couple in the Kitchen.

Eggplant, Roasted Tomato and Polenta Stacks

Ingredients

1 lg Japanese eggplant (or zucchini can be used)

salt and pepper to taste

3 c water

1 c polenta

1/4 c butter

1/2 tsp salt

olive oil

roasted tomatoes

1/4 c greek yogurt

2 tsp honey

chopped nuts for garnish (I just used an assortment we had from the pantry)

Slice eggplant into thin disks. Lay on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 15 minutes or so.

Bring water to a boil in saucepan, add salt. Slowly add polenta and whisk into water. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted and polenta is thick. Pour into a greased pan or bowl. Set aside.

Rinse eggplant with water and pat dry with paper towels. Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan or skillet. When hot, carefully put eggplant slices in pan and cook for a 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook another minute until golden brown. Cook in small batches until all the eggplant is done.

Mix honey and yogurt in a small dish.

Slice polenta into squares like you would brownies. Put a slice of polenta on each plate and then stack the eggplant on top. Sprinkle with roasted tomatoes. Add a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Serve.

Roasted Tomatoes

from A Couple in the Kitchen

Ingredients:

4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade (which is a fancy way of saying slice small strips)
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil for storage

Preheat oven to 200 F. In a large bowl, place the halved tomatoes and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix well with your hands. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats (you know how I love these). Then line sheets with tomatoes in one layer, place garlic cloves in different areas on the baking sheet. Bake for 2-3 hours, until tomatoes look mostly dry. If storing, place them in canning jars, packing them in well and using a metal knife, get the air bubbles out. Cover completely with olive oil and seal with airtight lid. Store in refrigerator for up to six weeks or freezer for several months.

Brown Butter Glazed Pineapple with Vanilla Bean Icecream

Ahh, palm trees, ocean breezes, crabs, and snorkeling...you guessed it, I'm not in Georgia anymore! We are visiting relatives in sunny, steamy, south Florida. That's right -- at precisely the time of year when most people are fleeing the summer heat of the tropics, we're enjoying the quiet beaches and light traffic of Florida in the summertime. My kids are totally grooving on the screened in pool in the backyard, as well a diverse selection of Florida critters including lizards, snails, land crabs, cicadas and manatees. OK, it may not be everyone's idea of heaven, but we adore the beach in all types of conditions, and when you have a free place to stay that's (literally) right around the corner from the beach it makes us want to stay for a LONG time! And by offering to cook in exchange for a place to stay, I get the best of both worlds: wonderful food AND the beach!   

Since it's Secret Recipe Club time, I was hoping to find the perfect tropical desert. For our main menu, I made these fresh amazing chicken feta tacos (which I actually made into fish feta tacos this go round since we're, duh, at the ocean). I was hoping for something fresh & fruity, something light, something that tasted like.... well, Florida! And then, as I was searching through Cairns Manor, I came across the perfect dessert for the occasion:  Brown Butter and Rum Glazed Pineapple.

Fresh, fruity, tropical and delish -- what's not to love? Off we went to the store to get pineapple and few hundred other things I'll need on this trip. Along the way I made some adjustments to Jo's recipe, removing the rum and adding some extra spices, including salt and pepper because sweet and salty always go together. The end result was delicious with a great blend of tastes and textures and warm pineapple pairing nicely with ice cream.  

Before I get into this yummy recipe, a quick side note to introduce: Jo over at Cairns Manor: Jo is a Midwife, and people like her hold a special place in my heart because I could never do her job. I'm a real medical wimp and I stand in awe of those in the industry. My Mom was a Nurse  and actually is still involved in the medical field as a consultant. Jo and my Mom are heroes. I'm so glad God did not create us all alike, because wimps like me could never give anyone a shot!! Thank you Jo for all you do.

On Jo's blog, she made this pineapple dessert and served it with angel food cake. I decided on pound cake AND ice cream. Really good Breyer's Vanilla Bean ice cream. It was delicious. Everyone asked for seconds. The pineapple glaze ran over the cake. The heat of the pineapple melted the ice cream a little and they all mixed together for sweet, salty, tangy perfection. Go out and buy a pineapple, make this poundcake and serve this dessert tonight. If you don't want to heat up your kitchen, grill the pineapple. Ah-may-zing!

Brown Butter Glazed Pineapple
1 pineapple
1/2 c butter, unsalted
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cut top and bottom off the pineapple. Following the curve of the pineapple and cut off the skin. Cut pineapple in half from top to bottom. Cut again in quarters. Now the core can easily be cut out by cutting off the point of the quartered pineapple. Cut into 1/2 inch slices and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once melted allow to continue to cook until it foams up, the foam subsides and the butter starts to brown, then let it cook to your desired browness. Just be very careful not to let it burn! Add in the brown sugar and spices. Cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Add the pineapple to the pan. Lower heat to medium low. Cook until deep golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pineapple to a bowl, leaving as much glaze as you can in the skillet.

Return the pan with glaze to medium-high heat. Simmer until again thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Grilling option: melt butter in microwave. Mix butter, sugar and spices in a large bowl. Toss with pineapple to coat. Grill pineapple over med direct heat for 5 minutes until warm with lovely grill marks.

Serve immediately with ice cream and pound cake if you dare.

Chai Tea for Now...or Later

As I mentioned yesterday, I want to share a Chai tea recipe. Not only because I love chai tea but I've been promising my Aunt a recipe for a few years. (I am a procrastinator.) I had given my whole family chai tea fixins (that's Southern for "ingredients") in canning jars for Christmas one year. Aunt Sharon asked for the recipe, which I didn't have, since I just made it up...as usual. How do you write down "a little of this and a little of that" and expect someone to follow it? When I saw this recipe on Lavender and Lime, I knew it might get me out of the dog house. Will you forgive me now Aunt Sharon??

Chai Tea Mix

Adapted from Lavender and Lime

Ingredients
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cloves
2 tsp green cardamom pods
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp anise seeds
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
6 c water
10 black tea bags
1 c sugar (use more or less according to your taste)
2 c water
milk

Bring all the spices and 6 cups of water to a boil. Add tea bags and let steep until very strong tea is made. Remove tea bags and add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add 2 cups more of cold water. Store this concentrate in the fridge in a closed pitcher.

Pour concentrate into a mug, filling halfway. Fill the rest of the way with milk and heat in microwave.

My kids request hot tea often, for afternoon snack or for special occasions, but they LOVE chai tea. Super Bear even requested it for his Secret Agent birthday party.

This makes a great gift  - end-of-the-year teacher gifts, new mom, get well, etc. Just change the colors I used that Christmas long ago and make it whatever colors you like. To make chai tea into a gift, bag the spices together. Fill a container with the sugar in the bottom. Lay the tea bags on top of a square of wax paper. I wrapped mine in colored tissue paper to jazz it up. Add the spice bag on the top. Tie a ribbon around the container with instructions. Your container could even be a pretty pitcher to keep the concentrate in!!

Crusted Butternut Squash Wedges

During the winter I love cooking with hard winter squashes, but sometimes I feel like I'm in a rut. I make butternut or acorn squash soup, we have roasted squash. I microwave it and serve it mashed with butter and salt. I needed something different. I finally found it with this recipe I discovered in one of my neighbors hand-me-down magazines. I adore hand-me-downs like those - thanks Trish!

This recipe sounded fancy and looked fancy, but ta dah, turned out to be pretty simple. I'm thinking it's the perfect recipe to keep in my arsenal for company when I want to whip something up, but not work too hard. All you really do it slice the squash (in the recipe they call for pumpkin, but I used butternut and it was perfect). Then you mix up the topping and sprinkle it over the slices and roast. See??? I told you it was easy!! And guess what, it's delicious too. Always a bonus :)
Crusted Butternut Squash Wedges
Yotam Ottolenghi

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs of butternut squash (or pumpkin)
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is best)
3 tbsp dried bread crumbs
3 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
sour cream, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash into 3/8 inch wedges (this part is pretty important as you want the slices to be uniform so they will all be cooked at the same time) and lay them on a greased (or lined with a silicone mat) baking sheet. Brush the slices with the olive oil.

Mix the cheese, bread crumbs, and seasonings together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the slices until they are completely covered.

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until fork tender. Can be served with a dollop of sour cream, but I didn't think it needed anything. The seasonings make this a very flavorful dish.

Warm Pumpkin Spice Pancakes & Pumpkin Spice Lattes (or Gingerbread)

I love pumpkin: pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread. I mean really love it as much as I love cranberries and apples and well everything else fall. Fall is probably my favorite season despite the fact that the fresh air kills me. I'm allergic to all the pretty flowers that grow in the spring AND all of the pretty leaves that fall and get moldy in autumn. It kinda stinks when your favorite times of the year to be outside are the ones that make you miserable. MacGuyver always says he's going to buy me a bubble to live in. (I've never seen it, but I heard there is a movie.)

I made these pancakes last week and the kids were thrilled and even the husband liked them, which is saying something because he doesn't love pumpkin. So even if you a not the most pumpkin loving person, you might try these out. You can also adapt both recipes to create a gingerbread taste, by omitting the pumpkin, adding more ginger spice and a little molasses.

Every Thursday the kids and I enjoy a "day in". Since I homeschool the kids, we have decided that once a week we will stay home and do whatever we feel like. It always starts with a yummy breakfast. You know the kind that you promise your kids you will make and never have time to on normal crazy days? A normal morning for us involves a lot of "hurry up", "eat your food" and "stop kicking your sister". I'm I the only one with mornings like these? This is why my little family has Thursdays - for "yes" time. Yes to pancakes, yes to games, yes to stories read at the table, yes to wrestling, yes to bike riding and whatever else they can think of. BTW, there is a great book called "Yes Day" that my 3 year old told me about. It's so cute and all the kids love the idea of a "yes day" at our house.

I usually make extra of whatever they choose for breakfast on Thursdays (pancakes, waffles, coffee cake, quiche, or bacon) and save them for one of the hectic mornings as a reheat. This pancakes starts out like our traditional buttermilk pancake recipe, but you just add the spices and the pumpkin puree. And if you make the pancakes, you are going to want to make the latte...trust me they go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Warm Pumpkin Spice Pancakes - Chocolate chips optional :)

2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/3 c buttermilk
1 c sourdough starter or milk
1/2 c pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp oil
1 egg

Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl with whisk. Add buttermilk, starter, pumpkin, oil and egg to the dry mixture. Whisk until combined. Can be thinned with milk or water if the batter is too thick to easily pour. When griddle or pan is hot, pour batter on. At this step you can add chocolate chips if you like. Cook until bubbles form and then flip.

If you want to make gingerbread pancakes, you need to increase the ginger to 1 tsp and decrease the cinnamon to 1 tsp. Then omit the pumpkin and sugar and add 1/4 c molasses.You can even serve them with molasses as the syrup!

Pumpkin Spice Latte OR Gingerbread Latte

1 cup milk (I use skim)

1 Tbsp canned pumpkin

1 Tbsp sugar (or substitute)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (which is basically mostly cinnamon with ginger, cloves and nutmeg added) I just add a little of each, never measuring

1 c strong brewed coffee

Brew the coffee. While brewing, get out a glass measuring cup, the kind you use for liquids. Measure the milk and then add the pumpkin, sugar and spices. Put it in the microwave on high for 1 min - 1:30. You want it hot, but not boiling. When the coffee is brewed, combine your coffee, spiced milk and vanilla in a large mug. You can top it with whipped cream and cinnamon if you want to go over the top, which I of course did!

Variation: if you want to make a gingerbread latte, you omit the pumpkin and up the ginger spice a little and add use molasses as your sweetener. Equally delicious!