September is here!
Is it technically fall yet? No.
Am I done with summer? Yes.
I’m not one of those fall fanatics that try redefining August as something other than summer. However, September 1st is practically a holiday in my world and no calendar technicality can convince me otherwise. By my definition..we’re in a new season!
It’s been a week and I’ve already pulled out the decorations, lit the scented candles, bought a pair of corduroy pants, ordered supplies for seasonal crafts, and my kitchen is starting to produce some classic fall flavors (last night was butternut squash soup!). My house is deliciously autumn at the moment and it will only get better as the season continues.
This morning I did the ultimate fall breakfast: Pumpkin pancakes with a spiced maple drizzle!
It was a fantastic way to begin the morning! Normally on school days, my kids stick with the boring non-sugary stuff like grainy cereals, cream of wheat, or hard-boiled eggs with toast, so they welcomed this sweet surprise with open smiling mouths.
I especially enjoyed making these with my son, who had the chance to help me from beginning to end without interruption while his sister slept in (one child is the early riser while the other is not…). It’s been a minute since we’ve had the kitchen to ourselves now that little sister enjoys cooking and baking. He’s come a long way from the simple pour and stir instructions. When did he get so big and responsible?
Normally little sister would throw a fit upon discovering someone cooked in the kitchen without her help, but the joy of waking up to pancakes successfully distracted her from feelings of FOMO.
The pancakes themselves tasted delicious, but the maple drizzle is really what brings the taste together. For a sweeter taste, more syrup can be added to the mix, but I was honestly surprised that the kids didn’t ask for extra.
They certainly got their fill at breakfast, and we’re looking forward to eating the leftovers tomorrow.
Happy fall! Here’s to a new season!
Pumpkin Pancakes with Spiced Maple Drizzle
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pancakes
- 2 Cups All-purpose flour
- 1/3 Cup Brown sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Low fat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 Cup Canned pumpkin
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 Cups Milk
- Oil or butter for cooking
Spiced Maple Drizzle
- 1/2 Cup Low fat Greek yogurt
- Maple syrup (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Add to the dry mixture, and whisk until smooth.
- Prepare a skillet with oil or butter and heat on ve.
- When the pan is hot, pour 1/2 cup of the batter into the middle of the pan. When the surface becomes bubbly, flip and cook for a few more seconds.
- When pancakes are finished, stir together ingredients for the spiced maple drizzle in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of pancakes and enjoy!
Originally posted September 2020
]]>Do you know those little packets of donuts sitting in the junk food display at grocery stores and gas stations? I can’t look at them for too long or else I’ll find myself battling temptation of biblical proportions. I know, they’re unhealthy and they’re not even especially delicious, but sometimes I just want a donut. No shame. We all have our guilty pleasures. Donuts are one of mine.
Now that we’re stuck at home thanks to COVID, donut shops are on my list of things I find myself thinking about often. The kids and I used to stop at one in particular while running errands every now and then, especially when celebrating or rewarding ourselves. Sometimes I surprised them with a donut just to be nice and fun.
I cannot wait for that element of normalcy.
Until then it feels wrong to include store-bought donuts in a grocery order. However, I feel less guilty about donuts if they’re homemade. I don’t know about you, but the rules of my kitchen dictate that if it’s homemade and from scratch, you don’t have to feel guilty about it.
To make these bad boys I suggest getting yourself a donut pan (which I find absolutely adorable!). I’ve got two of these laying around: one for full-sized donuts and another for mini-sized. The other tool I suggest using for this recipe is a piping bag, even if it’s a simple Ziploc cut at a corner. However, this isn’t totally necessary. In fact, I used a spoon since I had extra help in my kitchen at the time and didn’t feel like messing with the bag. It will, however, make filling the pan easier and less messy.
If you’re still homebound during this wild ride of a time, hopefully, these homemade donuts can offer you a little pick me up when you’re feeling the social-distancing blues. Baking is magical that way.
Backed Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 Cups All purpose flour
- 3/4 Cups Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tbsp Melted butter
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 10 tbsp Milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 4 cup Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a donut baking dish.
- In a large bowl mix eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and butter. Set this aside.
- In a small bowl mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry mix into the large bowl with the wet ingredients.
- Pipe (or spoon) the batter into a donut dish. Bake for 8 minutes.
- While the donuts are baking, prepare the chocolate glaze by mixing butter, milk, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips on the stovetop until melted and well combined. Mix in the powdered sugar. Remove from heat.
- When donuts are out of the oven and cooled, spread the glaze over the top of the donuts and enjoy!
Originally posted August, 2020
]]>