Pumpkin Pancakes

I decided to give pumpkin pancakes a try this morning for a change of pace for our Thursday morning pancakes. Usually we do plain or chocolate chip, sometimes blueberry, sometimes buttermilk. I had some leftover pumpkin from something else I made earlier and wanted to use it before it started to grow something. These were just as quick and easy as any other pancakes I've made. And they're lowfat to boot!

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 c flour
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp oil
1 c nonfat milk
1/3 c pumpkin

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Combine the egg, oil, milk, and pumpkin in a small bowl then add to the dry ingredients. Let sit 5 minutes to combine.

To a hot, buttered* skillet/griddle pan, add about 1/4 c batter for each pancake. Turn pancakes when bubbles appear and edges are cooked, about 2 minutes. Cook on second side about 1 1/2 minutes. Serve with butter and syrup.

*these did seem to stick more than "regular" pancakes so you may need to rebutter/spray your griddle in between batches of pancakes

Brisket Tacos

Brisket tacos are Whitney's favorite dish at On the Border; it's what she always orders when we go there. I figured I'd give them a try at home and they were actually pretty easy, if a bit messy, to make. They're just brisket and onion strings with bbq sauce in a tortilla. She said that mine tasted just as good as the ones at On the Border, the only difference was that the bbq sauce was a bit sweeter than what they use (it is her favorite sauce, though).

Brisket Tacos

1 2-3 lb brisket
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz. beef broth
water, if needed

onion strings (recipe below)
taco size flour tortillas
favorite bbq sauce (we used KC Masterpiece Hickory Brown Sugar)

Season the brisket with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic. Put in a crockpot, add the beef broth, and if needed some water to cover. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Remove from the crockpot and let rest for 15 minutes. Slice against the grain (1/8-1/4" thick).

To serve, put heat tortillas according to the package. Place 2-3 slices of meat on half the tortilla, top with onion strings, and bbq sauce. Enjoy!


Onion Strings
from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

1 or 2 large onions
2 c butermilk
2 c flour
1 scant Tbsp salt
black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
canola oil for frying

Peel the onion and slice very thin. Separate the onion slices and place them in a shallow dish; pour buttermilk over them. Press the onions down so they're submerged and let them soak for at least an hour.

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Pour 1 to 2 quarts of canola oil into a pot and heat to 375*. Using tongs, remove a handful of onions from the buttermilk and dunk into the flour mixture. Coat the onions in the flour mixture, then tap them to shake off the excess. Plunge the onions into the hot oil. With a spoon, break them apart, then watch closely. When they're golden brown, remove them from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining onion slices and serve immediately.