Pumpkin Pancakes

I have been dying to try this recipe since it appeared in a May 2011 issue of "Parents" Magazine, but apparently canned pumpkin is quite the novelty in the off season! A friend on mine happen to find a store that carries it all the time, so we were finally able to sample this simple yet delicious recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 egg slightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk (alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice with one cup of milk; let stand about 5 minutes)
• 1/3 cup canned organic pumpkin
• Maple syrup (Little Joy did NOT have syrup, too much mess)
• Fresh berries

Steps:

1. Preheat griddle to 225 degrees (alternatively, use a non stick skillet on medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon melted butter in pan).
2. In a medium bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter
4. In a separate small bowl whisk together butter, egg, buttermilk and pumpkin; whisk just until combined.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until combined, not too much! Mixture maybe slightly lumpy.
6. Spoon 1/8 cup of batter onto a griddle. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, flip. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.
7. Serve warm with fresh berries.

Yield: 12 3 inch pancakes; about 228 calories per THREE pancakes---not bad.

TIP: Love this recipe has a 5 minute version......Whisk together 1 cup buttermilk pancake mix, 2/3 cup lowfat milk, and 1/3 cup canned pumpkin. Cook as directed above and it yields about 8 3 inch pancakes!!!

Storage: Refrigerator for 3 days.

Difficulty: 2 out of 3; love this! I can whip it up in about 15 minutes!

Epicutie Rating: Yummy in the Tummy--see right side of page for descriptions

Although I was skeptical because I COULD taste a lil pumpkin, Little Joy gobbled up two pancakes along with several strawberries in no time!! We will make these again.

Next up in the pumpkin world---Pumpkin WAFFLES submitted by a reader and friend of mine!

Ingredients

Cooking on the griddle.

Ready to eat!

First bite

CHEEEEEESE...it's YUMMY!!!