Pumpkin Pancakes & Home Made Maple Syrup

This year we decided to ditch the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.  None of the kids can come visit, we're going to be busy with some home updates and decided to opt for something simple yet delish.

My husband's favorite meal is breakfast with all the works.  This year our menu will include eggs, bacon, sausage, pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup, orange juice and milk.  Nothing fancy, but it's his favorite.

Here's our recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes (Makes 12)

Ingredients:

To whatever mix or made from scratch recipe you prefer to use for basic pancakes, add the following:

1 Tbsp. Vinegar to the milk or water
1 cup pumpkin puree (I prefer Libby's 100% Pure)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

Hints & Tips:

Can add 1/3 cup Potato Starch or 1- 2 TBS. Corn Starch for fluffier pancakes.

Directions:

Mix well with whisk.  Not necessary to get out all lumps, but don't have them very big either.

When cooking, as you see bubbles start to form on the pancake, you will know it is time to flip them.

Top with Maple Syrup, a Dollop of Whipped Topping, and a Sprinkle of Pumpkin Pie Spice.

Home Made Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

2 c. sugar

1 c.  water

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. maple flavoring

Directions:

Place in small pan and boil till sugar dissolves.  The longer it boils, the thicker the syrup will be.  Boil at least 1 minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla a maple flavoring.

Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate

I really really love hot chocolate.  But trying to keep my weight down, I don't drink near what I would love too.

I also really like flavored hot chocolate.  My first experience I remember about a flavored hot chocolate other than mint, was Cinnamon Hot Chocolate.  That recipe will be coming soon.

With Thanksgiving just next week, I thought I would share my recipe for Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate.

Pumpkin Spiced Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

For each cup of hot chocolate made from this basic Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe, add the following in a mug.

1/4 cup canned pumpkin (I prefer Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin)
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 to 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Mix completely. Heat and Serve with a dollop of  Whipped Topping sprinkled with Pumpkin Pie Spice.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

Combine the following Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Store in small jar or spice container.

Our Family Favorite Sweet Potato Dish

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, thought I would share our favorite Sweet Potato Dish.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Dish

OUR FAMILY FAVORITE SWEET POTATO DISH
(KID TESTED AND APPROVED)

Ingredients:

1. c. mashed cooked sweet potato (about 2 1/4 lbs.)
2. 1/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3. 1/3 c. skim milk
4. 2 Tbsp. margarine, melted
5. 1 tsp. vanilla extract
6. 1/2 tsp. salt
7. 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
8. Vegetable cooking spray
9. 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
10. 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
11. 2 Tbsp. chilled margarine
12. 1/3 c. chopped pecans

Directions:

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, and stir well. Spoon sweet potato mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1/2 c. brown sugar and flour in a bowl, and cut in 2 Tbsp. chilled margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the chopped pecans, and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

This is a great fall flavored cheesecake.  Don't wait, make it today!  Enjoy year round not just Halloween or Thanksgiving. (Olive Garden was serving this during the month of August.)

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
Crust:
9 whole graham crackers (about 4 oz.), crumbled
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

OR The Easy Way ~ Just buy a 9" Graham Cracker Crust

Filling:
4 8 oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Homemade caramel Sauce

Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2-3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS
1. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Wrap a double layer of heavy-duty foil around the outside of a 10-inch springform pan. (Can use a glass or metal pan that isn't springform, but results are slightly different, especially when it comes to removing the cheesecake.)

2. To prepare the crust, combine graham crackers, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl or food processor. Blend until graham crackers are very finely ground (if you don’t have a food processor you can crush them yourself with a rolling pin). Drizzle butter over. Pulsing, blend until crumbs begin to stick together (or mix by hand with a spatula). Press crumbs onto bottom (not sides) of springform pan. Bake in preheated oven until crust is slightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

3.To prepare the filling, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add pumpkin and remaining 7 ingredients. Beat just until blended. Pour filling into prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Add enough water to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

4. Bake cheesecake for 90 minutes, or until slightly puffed and softly set and top is golden. (At this point I turned off the oven and left the door cracked open to gradually cool the cake. After a little while I transferred it to the counter to cool completely.) Transfer springform pan to rack and cool. Cover and refrigerate cake overnight.

5. Using a knife, cut around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Release pan sides. Cut cheesecake into wedges and serve drizzled with caramel sauce and a dollop of real whipped cream.

6. For perfect whipped cream, use a bowl that’s large enough to allow the cream to double in volume. Refrigerate the bowl and beaters for at least half an hour, or place them in the freezer for 15 minutes, and make sure the cream is very cold. Use the freshest whipping cream available, and add sugar, vanilla, or any other ingredients near the end of whipping; adding them too soon in the process will decrease the amount of volume you achieve.

Makes 1 10-inch cheesecake.