Pumpkin Pancakes

The sweet potato pancakes were such a hit with Drew, that I decided to try pumpkin pancakes.  I'm starting to really enjoy making pancakes on the weekend, and it's really nice to have a stash in the freezer for weekday breakfasts.  These are freezer-friendly too.  Just flash freeze on a foiled lined pan (spray first), then toss them in a Ziploc baggie.

These were just as easy (easier) as the sweet potato pancakes, but I still think Drew likes the sweet potato ones better.  He ate 1.5 pancakes the day I made them.  I also tried one (without syrup or any toppings).  I thought it was good, but I too think the sweet potato pancakes are better.  If I make these again, I may add chocolate chips :) the last thing anyone needs in their breakfast!

Pumpkin Pancakes*
Makes ~30 pancakes

Ingredients
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1.5 c flour
3.5 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 eggs
1 c milk
4 T butter, melted

Method
In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.  In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, milk and butter together.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and combine.  Pour ~1/3 cup of batter onto a heated (medium) griddle.  Cook ~3 to 4 minutes each side or until browned.

*This is the same recipe as the sweet potato pancakes.  Substitute the pumpkin puree for ~2 large sweet potatoes that have been peeled, baked and mashed.

Oatmeal Cookies

I wanted to try oatmeal cookies since my toddler didn't eat the oatmeal breakfast bars.  Recently, we ate dinner at a buffet, and he ate an oatmeal cookie.  I thought for sure he'd like these cookies, but again he took one bite and that was enough.  Go figure.  I even added chocolate chips to them, but that didn't fool him.  If I make this recipe again, I'll probably leave the chocolate chips out because they seemed too much for the batter (too many add-ins, not enough batter).

Anyway, I think the cookies are good.  They aren't very sweet though so I've found that I've eaten quite a few of them thinking they are "healthy."  And if you asked me if I have been eating them for breakfast this week, I'd have to reply, "I can neither deny nor confirm that," which is my typical response to Brian when he asks me something that I don't want to answer :) (and he already knows the answer anyway usually).

Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Chocolate Chips
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes ~24 small cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c flour
1 egg
1/3 vegetable oil
1 t baking powder
1 t vanilla
2/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c rolled oats
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/4 c chocolate chips

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Combine flours and baking powder and set aside.  Beat egg with sugar, oil and vanilla.  Add flour mixture to wet mixture.  Add oats, cranberries, and chocolate chips.  Mix to combine.  Dough will be very sticky.  Roll into balls and place on un-greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Rotate cooking sheet half way through cooking time.

I rolled about 6 cookies into balls.  The dough was so sticky that I could barely move my fingers after that so I cleaned up and just used spoons to place the dough.  As you can see in the picture, the cookies in front started out as balls - they are nice and round.  The ones in the back were just spooned onto the sheet hence their jagged edges.  But they taste the same.