Pumpkin Pancakes

Anyone who knows me knows that I pretty much love ALL things pumpkin! Sweet or savory, if it's pumpkin, I will probably enjoy it. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin risotto, pumpkin scones, pumpkin soup, and of course pumpkin pie! Well tonight the kiddos asked for "brefquist" (AKA "breakfast") for dinner and since I love breakfasty type foods almost as much as I love pumpkin I was more than happy to make them "brefquist" for dinner. (Especially since John is currently gone.)

Today was the first really cool & rainy day we've had in North Carolina since we've moved here so I decided to "celebrate" with Pumpkin Pancakes. The results were DELICIOUS and actually pumpkiny! I loved them. The kiddos did too. Micah & Lydia both ate 3! (We won't talk about how many I ate...) :) Noah even had a few little pieces. I would suggest serving them with real maple syrup or fried apples or apple butter.

1. whisk 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt; 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; and a pinch of ground cloves.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup milk, 6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 egg; fold mixture into dry ingredients.
3. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
4. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup.

Makes 8 to 10.Read more at Marthastewart.com: Pumpkin Pancakes - Martha Stewart Recipes

Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

While I cannot claim this recipe as mine, I can claim that these cookies are DE-LISH! I made them this afternoon with my monkeys (my kiddos) to sort of break up a rough day & wait for the excuse to pour myself a drink. Ha! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the cookies. I will be taking them to the women's Bible study that I am a part of tomorrow to enjoy with coffee & the Word instead of Merlot & some whine. :) I expect that, in the company of grown-up adult conversation, a hot cup of coffee, and friends they will be even more yummy!

Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Glaze (recipe follows)
  Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease baking sheets.
  Combine flour, baking soda, baking power, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.
  
• For Glaze: Combine 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.
  Prep: 10 min Cooking: 18 min Cooling time: 2 min cooling Yields: 36 cookies
  Tip: For a variation add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts to the recipe.

Honey-Pear Gorgonzola Bruschetta

This is more of "chick" appetizer but if you've got the girls over to watch college gameday or for drinks or something you might as well treat them to something yummy! :) This was a HUGE hit at a Wives' Coffee I hosted here at Ft. Bragg.

Honey-Pear-Gorgonzola Bruschetta

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Slice french baguette into thin slices
3. Arrange slices of bread on cookie sheet
4. Drizzle slices of bread with olive oil
5. Toast in oven about 5 minutes or until just barely golden
6. Dice up about 2 pears
7. Caramelize diced pears in a skillet with some olive oil, fresh chopped rosemary, 1/2 cup walnut pieces, & 1/4 cup honey
8. Toss pear mixture together with about a cup (less if you don't want it as strong) gorgonzola cheese
9. Place about 1-2 tablespoons pear-gorgonzola mixture on top toasted bread slices
10. Re-toast bruschetta with the topping about 5 more minutes or until bruschetta is golden & topping is ooey-gooey-goodness.
11. Enjoy! :)
    

P.S. If you "need" to add meat to this to make it more "manly" you could always add some prosciutto or plain old yummy bacon. And really, how could you go wrong with bacon? :)