Cozy Pumpkin-Spiced Pecan Pancakes

An overnight stay from my precious sister, a cool September morning, (and a lazy one at that) called for pumpkin spiced pecan pancakes with real maple syrup and a side of crispy bacon!  What a great way to start off our Labor Day!

I lit a few warm scented candles, including my favorite, 1803's Candle "Pumpkin Cornbread", when I first woke up on Monday.  So happy to have my younger sister come over for some girl time and coziness over the weekend.  Mr. Cozy ground fresh some delicious World Market Peaberry coffee and added some Chai Spices to the beans to infuse the coffee with flavor.  

Awe, I wish every morning could start off so relaxed and lovely!

This is a not a complicated recipe at all.  Not much of  "recipe" anyways, but more of a good idea!

Using one of our favorite pancake box mix...

Yes,  box mix.

Maple Farms of Vermont Buttermilk & Honey--it's rather yummy and always lends a fluffy pancake...

I added some creamy canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.

I say that very loosely here, because I was technically out of the true Pumpkin Pie Spice, so I more or less threw in some cinnamon, nutmeg and a bit of allspice.  I was also out of ground cloves.

Yes, I know, I know!  I am soon going to the grocery for the much anticipated annual trip of buying seasonal spices and baking things! Yay!  I look forward to this every year!

Back to the pancakes:  Pancake mix, canned pumpkin, spices, and chopped toasted pecans make up easy and delicious pumpkin spiced pecan pancakes.

Here's a breakfast that should be quite enjoyed on a brisk morning!  This is just a hint of what yummy things lie ahead in my cozy little kitchen in the next couple of months!

Pumpkin Spiced Pecan Pancakes

Pancake Mix 

(and ingredients that are called for)

Canned Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Spice

(or Cinnamon

Nutmeg &

Ground Cloves)

Chopped pecans, toasted

Butter

First off over a low heat, toast pecans in a skillet for a few minutes until slightly darkened and fragrant.  Set aside.

Mix up the pancake mix according to the package's directions.  I like to substitute half of the oil it calls for with melted butter.   

Stir in the pumpkin.

I don't have exact proportions for the pumpkin, but I know that I made about 15 medium sized pancakes and used about 3/4 c. pumpkin puree.  I could have used 1cup

 and it would've been perfect!  

Stir in the spices.

I also eye-balled them. 

 I used more cinnamon than the other two, but if using actual pumpkin pie spice it would be about 2 tsp.  (I'm almost afraid to guesstimate here....don't hold me accountable for an exuberantly spicy pancake, please!)  

In a pan over medium heat, swirl enough butter just to coat the bottom.  Carefully pour your beautiful batter into the sizzling butter.  Sprinkle the pecans into the batter pools.  Watch carefully, as the butter will brown your pancakes quickly.

Remove and repeat until all of the batter and pecans are used up.

Serve with warm maple syrup and enjoy your blissful breakfast!

 { When taking this picture, I wasn't expecting to put it on the blog, because the table is far from perfect!  This is it folks...as we are about to dig into all the goods! }

I'm linking up with:

Summer Morning's Best Blueberry Pancakes with Fresh Peaches

We love a cozy breakfast around here!  Pancakes are a treat that we make occasionally on a weekend morning, and Mr. Cozy is one of the best pancake makers!! He's been making me pancakes for years now and they just keep getting better.

 This past weekend was a wonderful, relaxing weekend for the two of us.  We didn't have any plans (yay!) so we decided to stay home all weekend and take advantage of all the free movie channels we got.  Yup, we cooked and watched movies all weekend, if we weren't outside soaking up the radiant sunshine!  So, it was a perfect way to wake up to delicious summertime blueberry pancakes with peaches on Sunday morning before church.

This is not necessarily a "recipe post" because the recipe is so simple.  This breakfast was just so pretty, and seasonal and delicious that I had to share with you guys.  I felt like I was eating farmer's market's bounty!  Not to mention, anything my Love take the time to make me is special!

 Have a blessed day whatever it starts of with!

We have a really good and simple pancake mix, Maple Grove Farms of Vermont, where you just add water!  Mr. Cozy always adds a smidgen of sugar and sometimes vanilla extract.  This time he also added some frozen blueberries (that I bought fresh).  He sprinkles right onto the pancake batter in the skillet.  Cook these in a small bit of butter, enough to keep from sticking.  Once golden, remove and slice a freshly ripe peach over and pour on real maple syrup to finish off the plate of fruity-sweet goodness!!  A steamy cup of Captain Micheal's coffee from Savannah and a small glass of oj washed it down just right!

Lovely Baked Apple Pancake with Homemade Caramel Sauce

  
     February is the month of love!  Valentines Day is on the way, and I'm reminded of all the wonderful family and friends that God has placed in my life.  You know, Valentines Day isn't just a celebration of love for couples, but I find that it's a time to share with any loved one in your life how much they mean to you!  Of course this is something that we should try to do all throughout the year, but I think that it's pretty neat for there to be a specific day set aside to highlight romance for couples and God's love to our family, friends...also lonely elderly people and widows that are too often forgotten.  Thank you Lord for blessing us with loved ones!  Happy Valentines Day!!!

  
     Where do I start telling you how much I LOVE this beautiful pancake?!  My amazing husband actually was first to make this!  The morning after getting back home from a week long girl's trip with my mom and sister he surprised me by waking up early to prepare this lovely, personal sized heart shaped pancake that he drizzled with luscious homemade caramel sauce!

Talk about love!!!

He's such a thoughful husband that I have to brag on for minute.  As busy as he stays being in medical school (and trust me whenever I say that "busy" is an understatement), he has always taken the time to make me feel as though I'm the only important thing to him on this earth!  He never forgets the details in life--and he knows that I appreciate every one of them:) Honey, I love you so much!

  
     So, back to this scrumptious breakfast treat.....This is a pancake that is baked in the oven and is made to slice and share.  It consists of a batter that is poured over sugary apples and pecans in a buttery skillet and baked to golden brown.  The delicate pancake is then turned over onto a platter for the pretty apple design to show.  It is then showered with snow-like powdered sugar and drizzed with caramel sauce for a perfectly wonderful presentation that will not be left for long!!  This is a recipe that is every bit tasty as it is beautiful!  I love the heart shape pancake my husband made me.  That would be perfect for a Valentines Day treat for your Love or your lovely children!  Otherwise I use my 7 in. cast iron skillet, and it turns out great!  The recipe calls for Granny Smith apples originally, but we use Jonathan's when they are in season.  The caramel sauce is an added decadence since it is homemade!  Rich, dark and almost buttery--it's the perfect combination with the tart apple!  While the pancake is baking is the perfect time to make the sauce, and that way it's still warm and ready when you flip out the pancake.

     I really hope that you've been inspired to try something different, like this Baked Apple Pancake to treat yourself or someone special in your life!  Let this melt in your mouth and it will feed your soul as well as your tummy!  What are you waiting for?...go get your apron and get ready to surprise someone YOU love!

Baked Apple Pancake with Homemade Caramel Sauce


8 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
cooking spray
1/2 c. butter
3 Granny Smith or Jonathan apples,peeled & thinly sliced
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
Powdered sugar

Chopped, toasted Pecans

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients.  (Mixture will be lumpy.)  Add buttermilk and vanilla, whisking until batter is blended.

Coat a 7in.(ish) oven safe skillet with cooking spray, and sliced stick of butter.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes or until the butter melts.  Place apple slices evenly, going around in a circle into the skillet.  Pour the batter into the skillet to coat the apples.  Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  Bake 35-45 more minutes.

Carefully turn out the pancake onto a plate or platter.  If a few apples are out of place, don't worry, put them back!  Right before serving, dust the pancake with powdered sugar and drizzle with homemade caramel sauce or maple syrup and sprinkle with chopped, toasted pecans.  Serve warm!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Caramel Sauce
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. whipping cream
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar and whipping cream in a heavy saucepan; cook over med-low heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes or until bubbly. (mixture may look curdled)  Cook, stirring constantly 2 more minutes.  Remove from the heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring until blended.  Cool 3-5 minutes.

Linking up with:

The Best Banana-Nut Bread Pancakes

I am so excited about these pancakes we just now had for dinner--yes dinner!--that I just have to share them with you! I got home late from work tonight and what better for a quick late night dinner than pancakes?!? I must preface that Heath and I love pancakes.  He is really the pancake maker between the two of us, but I am improving! We make everything from chocolate chip pancakes to blueberry or just cinnamon and sugar pancakes.  They're all so yummy and special for a celebration breakfast or just a lazy morning with the family.  So, tonight Heath noticed there were a couple of ripe bananas that were too spotty to eat, and just suggested I add them to the pancake mix.  So that's where the goodness begins!

This recipe is not from scratch, but I used this yummy Meijer Natural Pancake mix that is already so good and fluffy. That is the base (you just need milk and canola oil for the mix) and I always add a little sugar.  So, for these unbelievably delicious banana nut bread pancakes I also added cinnamon, one whole very ripe banana, and chopped pecans.  I mashed the banana very well and stir it gently into the batter. The batter is a little thicker than normal because of the banana so i added just about 1 Tbsp. more of milk. I use a little bit of butter one very hot large skillet or griddle and cook these baby's up!  I ladled about 1/3 cup batter in the skillet for each pancake and then sprinkle the chopped pecans.  They browned up beautifully. Serve while hot with warm real maple syrup and sliced bananas and you think that you've died and gone to Heaven!

No kidding, these are quite possibly the best pancakes I have ever eaten, and I can't believe we have just now thought to make them.  So take it from us, after a long day you should make yourself a short (or tall) stack of the best banana nut bread pancakes with warm maple syrup and you will end the evening with sweet satisfaction and a good night's sleep!