Pumpkin Baking

I was craving pancakes (mostly because I bought a new pancake spatula at Target today), so I decided to make pumpkin pancakes. In an effort to not waste all of the extra pumpkin in the can, I tried my hand at a nice loaf of pumpkin bread. Best decisions I made all day.

First I made the pancakes. I found a great recipe from All Recipes as the base, with a few modifications of my own.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cup whole wheat pancake mix
• 2 1/2 tablespoon Equal Spoonful
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup fat free milk
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Start by mixing the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate bowls. Combine the two mixtures, stirring just until all of the ingredients are moistened. At this time you may want to add more milk to ensure you have the right consistency.

Now its time to start turning that batter into flapjacks. As healthy as that batter may be, I go with the most unhealthy option for greasing my griddle - shortening. Trust me, this is the best way to have perfect browned pancakes. Totally worth the extra fat that the pancakes soak up. If you use a 1/4 cup measuring cup, you should get the 4-5 inch circles everyone loves so much.

I topped my pancakes with sugar free Smuckers syrup and chopped pecans. Pause to enjoy!

After enjoying my creamy yet hearty dinner, I moved on to the pumpkin loaf. This is equally delicious and simple to make, just a little less healthy. The full recipe from Food Network can be found here.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 16 ounces canned unsweetened pumpkin
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 2/3 cup water

Get your oven good and warm at 350 degrees and butter your bread pan. I used a great silicone pan, my new favorite for breaded goods - the end result just falls out of the pan.

Start by mixing the sugar and the oil together until well mixed. Stir the eggs and pumpkin into the sugar mixture. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients before mixing them into the wet ingredients, alternating with the water. Pour the batter into the bread pans (half in each). Sprinkle the top of the batter with chopped pecans for an added crunch.

Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, test it by inserting a knife through the center to ensure it is fully cooked. Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Serve warm or save for later.