Pumpkin Pancakes

Made these for Halloween breakfast this morning!
Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

Mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Add brown sugar.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt.  Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake making bats, pumpkins, witch hats, jack'olanters, etc.  Use chocolate chips for eyes and teeth.  Brown on both sides and serve hot. Serve with heated cinnamon applesauce and maple syrup.  You may add whipped cream too.  Use your imagination.  Serves 6.

Mummy Dogs and Pumpkin Shakes

Last night we had a kids Halloween party and I served mummy dogs and pumpkin shakes.  Sorry no pictures -- missing camera, bummer for the holiday.

Mummy Dogs (Serves 8)
8 Hot Dogs or Veggie Dogs
1 Package breadsticks in a can
Mustard and Ketchup
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a cookie sheet.  Pop open the can of breadsticks.  Separate them into 8 pieces.  Wrap one long piece of dough around 1 hot dog.  Leave a space for the face of the mummy.   Repeat until all 8 are wrapped.  I let each wrap their own.  Bake and when the hot dogs are cool, dot the ketchup and/or mustard with a toothpick and make eyes on the face.  Serve.


Pumpkin Shakes (Serves 2)
1/2 Cup Pumpkin (I used canned)
1 Cup Rice, Almond or Cow’s Milk
Pinch Cinnamon
Pinch Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1. Place all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Puree until smooth.
3. Serve.

Thanks to Weelicious for this recipe.

Halloween Salads

We spent some time this Halloween with Governor Sarah Palin 

and ret. Quarterback Steve Young 

and their flip cell phones!

We had so much fun.  All of them attended our ward trunk or treat.  Gov. Palin was a little hesitant at first.

Steve Young even attended our ward Harvest party earlier.  And they all stopped by our kids' schools.  What a Halloween treat!

My husband and I also attended a couples Halloween party.  I was asked to bring a Halloween salad.  Although one can find many Halloween main dishes, breads, desserts, drinks, and even appetizers, one area lacking in Halloween choices is the category of salads.  I did find this orange and black Halloween salad recipe and decided to make it to share.  Here is a picture of how it turned out.  I think I was supposed to mix it altogether, but liked the look of the orange bed of "spider legs" and the sunflower seed "fingernails" and the black bean "eyeballs" this way.  I'm not sure why parsley was added, but you can read more about this recipe at the link above.   My friend has some more pics from the party. 

The recipe calls for plum vinegar, safflower oil mayonnaise and french herbs.  I was unable to find all of these here, so I improvised with fig vinegar, olive oil mayonnaise and used what french herbs I did have on hand.  French herbs include basil, lavender, rosemary, tarragon, thyme and winter savory.  They are optional, but do add to the taste.  It tastes best the same day.  

Another choice I had was from the kid cookbook "Gross Grub" by Cheryl Porter my brother's family gave me years ago for my birthday.  Every Halloween I get a kick out of reading these recipes, but they sound to sick to eat.  

Hairball Salad with Saliva Dressing
Kitty's thrown up some fabulously fiber-filled hairballs!

ingredients
1 large ripe avocado
2 cups alfalfa sprouts
5-6 large carrots, washed, peeled and grated
Italian dressing

tools you'll need
paring knife, spoon, mixing bowl, fork, carrot peeler, grater and 4 salad bowls

Cut the avocado in half. Use spoon to scoop out the single large pit. Scoop the avocado meat out of its skin and into a bowl. Add alfalfa sprouts to the avocado meat and mash with a fork. (It is okay to leave small lumps.) Set the mixture. Divide the grated carrots between four salad bowls. Using your clean fingers and a spoon, make walnut-size hairballs from the avocado mixture and arrange them on top of the grated carrots. Pour Italian "saliva" dressing over hairballs and serve. Serves 4 cat fanciers

Sicko suggestion -- squeeze ribbons of chocolate icing "hairball medicine" out of a paper cone and onto the backs of your guests' hands, to be licked off for dessert:)