Pumpkin Pancakes

Sundays are pancake days here. Based on the ingredients on hand we rotate between standard pancakes, banana, gingerbread with lemon curd, buttermilk.....Bacon or breakfast sausage and fruit on the side.

I came up with this recipe when I was presented with a beautiful ripe pumpkin from my Aunt's garden a couple of weekends ago. It is delicious and the pancakes rise wonderfully high from the griddle. The cinnamon and nutmeg smell like fall to me.

The recipe makes a lot because we eat a lot! Leftovers can be stacked between squares of wax paper and then stashed in the freezer to be reheated in the toaster for a yummy breakfast later in the week.

3 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp each baking soda and salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 1/2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
2 eggs
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree

• Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl (flours through spices). Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients except for pumpkin puree. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently fold together with a fork. Just before ingredients are combined, add pumpkin and finish folding mixture together. It will be thick.
• Spoon batter onto a non-stick griddle or greased frying pan set over medium heat. Spread the batter around with the back of your spoon a bit.
• Cook until undersides are lightly browned and the edges are set. Flip and cook other side. Since the batter is so thick you will not get tell tale bubbles breaking on the uncooked surface of the cake. Watch the edges!

Makes around 15 pancakes, depending on the size.
Serve with your favourite toppings. Maple syrup is fabulous with these, as are slices of peaches.

Summery Farmer's Market Stirfry

Ok, so, I didn't actually get all of the ingredients at a farmer's market, but I did use summery vegetables and some of them came from my Grandma's and my Aunt's garden. To me, when someone says stir fry I think of Asian flavours, but the ingredients in this one are decidedly Prairie home cooking.

two ears of corn
three medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (only peel if you think you need to)
a generous handful of grape tomatoes
1 small zucchinni, or half of a monster from your Aunt's garden, chopped
1 cup (or so) of sugar snap peas, ends and strings removed. (these came from the farmer's market!)
half of a large onion, chopped
1-500 gm package of turkey breakfast sausage chopped into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup or so of your favourite balsamic vinagrette
1/4 cup or so of light feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

• Steam corn in microwave on HIGH for five minutes and set aside.
• Steam potatoes in microwave on HIGH for five minutes, or until just tender. Set aside.
  
• While potatoes and corn are steaming, cook turkey and onions in your largest skillet with a bit of no-stick spray until no longer pink.
• Cut kernels from corn and add to skillet with potatoes, salad dressing and the rest of the vegetables.
  
• Stir fry until the zucchini is cooked, and the tomatoes have popped. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Spoon into bowls, sprinkle with feta cheese and eat on your porch.

Feeds four hungry people.