I'm all about breakfast, the most important meal of the day. It's especially fun when you make something seasonal and themed, like these pumpkin and pecan pancakes. They'd fit right in with the fall theme anytime from now until Christmas, but who doesn't think about pumpkins, especially around Halloween? They're made from scratch, but they're really easy. Try them out this weekend.
Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
Wet ingredients:
6 TBS of canned pumpkin puree
1 cup of milk
2 TBS melted butter
1 egg
Dry ingredients:
1.25 cups of all-purpose flour
2 TBS sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Fun stuff:
A bag of crushed pecans
Maple syrup
Butter
1. Easy as pie (well, cakes!). Mix all the dry ingredients together in
a bowl. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix all the wet ingredients.
Then, slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, folding
gently to incorporate. Don't overwork the batter, or it will make for
tough pancakes.
2. Check the consistency of the batter. It should be smooth and thick
enough to coat a spoon but just thin enough to pour. You can add water
to get it right, but don't add too much, or you'll get into a vicious
cycle of adding more flour to compensate.
3. Preheat a griddle or iron skillet to about 325 (medium high heat).
Let it warm completely, then melt about a 1/2 TSP. of butter over the
cooking surface.
4. Pour your batter out into three-inch rounds. Sprinkle the top of
each pancake with a few crushed pecans. Check for bubbles -- you'll see
them form along the edges of the pancakes, which will start to harden
slightly. At this point, flip. You're looking for a crisp, browned
exterior, but not burnt. It takes a little practice, but you'll get it
right.
5. Move finished pancakes to a baking tray or plate and place a clean
dish towel on top to keep them warm until ready to serve. Then add a
pat of butter, pour on the maple syrup, and go to pancake town!
