Pancake Tuesday

You've heard me talk about it before. Pancake Tuesday! The one day a year when it's okay to have pancakes for dinner without guilt. This year Pancake Tuesday happens to fall on swimming night. It seems to work out best to leave from the pool right from school. They have some tables set up where the canteen used to be. We'll sit and have a snack and the kids do some homework. We get back home where we have a quick dinner. Usually eggs. So the fact that Pancake Tuesday falls on swimming night is quite convenient.

For the last little while I've been thinking about making Pumpkin Pie Pancakes. It happens that I have one bag of pumpkin puree in the left in the freezer. Using whole wheat flour, oatmeal and flax seeds should eliminate most of the guilt of this carbohydrate laden dinner. Making healthier pancakes, you can afford a little spiced whipped cream. I only wish I had so apple syrup left. When my parents lived in Ontario, the were close to an apple orchard which made the best apple syrup. Not that there is anything wrong with maple syrup.

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats, ground
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp melted butter or canola oil
1 1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:
In a large bowl add dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk together.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt about 1 tbsp butter and coat the pan. Pour about 1/2 cup batter into skillet. Once bubbles come through the middle and edges no longer look fluid, flip the pancake to cook on the second side. Repeat until batter is gone.

Serve with syrup, whipped cream and/ or icing sugar.

Yum!

Did you know you can freeze pancakes? If you have leftover pancakes, place on a baking sheet lined with waxed or parchment paper. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or so, and place them in a resealable freezer bag. Reheat in the microwave for a quick weekday breakfast.

The Waiting Game

I had a busy day planned. Skating lessons in the morning, boy scout trip to the museum in the afternoon, followed by the neighbour's daughter's birthday party. That plan went out the window when we woke up to a cold house. With the two weeks of extreme cold we've been having, the furnace just couldn't take it anymore. So now I'm playing the waiting game. I put the fire on, and was looking for a reason to turn the oven on. I decided to make some muffins. I had some over ripe bananas in the freezer  so took them out to thaw. I don't cook a lot with bananas, actually it's an intolerance. I can't really be in the same room as a ripe banana, but in this case, sucked it up for my family. My husband likes banana muffins with chocolate chips, but I didn't have any. I did have some toffee bits. That sounds good. You've heard of banoffee pie? Well, here are banoffee muffins!

Banoffee Muffins

Ingredients:
3 mashed over-ripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup English toffee bits

Directions:

In a large bowl, add bananas, sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients and mix to combine. Don't over mix.

Fold in toffee bits. Spoon mixture into muffins tins that have been sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with baking liners.

Bake at 325F for 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a baking rack.

Now that I have muffins to keep me warm, I can wait a little longer for the furnace guy.

Stay warm my friends