No doubt about it, fall is my favorite time of the year. The weather is absolutely perfect- crisp and cool in the morning, sunny and bright all day. The air smells different in the fall and I want to be outside ALL THE TIME- not like in the oppressive heat of the summer when just opening the door makes you feel like you’re suffocating. For me fall is jeans and light jackets, leaves crunching under my feet, planting pansies, and carving pumpkins. There are a million and one things to do this time of year– apple picking, haunted houses, hayrides, pumpkin farms, county fairs, demolition derbies, scary movies– the list goes on forever. Also in the fall, if i straighten my hair it’s not curly again in one hour.
And lets not forget the food…
Oh the joy of fall foods. Adding pumpkin to anything makes it better. Apple pies, cranberry muffins, chocolate cookies, breads, all the halloween treats, and if I lived anywhere near a Starbucks I would have a Pumpkin Spice latte 3 times a day.
On the first day of October this year we hung little ghosties that I made from all the trees in our front yard.
And on the second day of October, while I gazed out my kitchen window at that happy little ghoulish accomplishment, I made these warm and cozy Banana Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes.
I don’t always make my pancakes from scratch. There are definitely days that Aunt Jemimah with her “just add water” reigns. But I had some more bananas that no one ate again, and I love oatmeal pancakes.
So I threw in my dry ingredients.
And added some eggs and vanilla and milk. I used a cup of cooked oatmeal because I did not have any quick oats on hand, only rolled oats (I was afraid if I didn’t cook the rolled oats first that the texture might not be right, and as it happened, cooking them made for really moist pancakes. But it did add an extra step).
Then I smashed my bananas and chopped my walnut pieces and added them in. I mixed everything by hand.
I heat my griddle pretty high when I make pancakes (my brother, Michael, got me this one for my birthday!). I’m not sure there is a science to cooking on an electric griddle, so I just crank it up. IT IS GREAT FOR PANCAKES.
So the first couple of days in the best month of the year yielded some happy fall-like results. This October is gonna be a good one.
Banana Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour (you can also use whole wheat flour)
1 cup quick oats ( or 1 cup of cooked rolled oats- to make just follow package instructions for stovetop cooking, about 1 serving. I think you could also substitute couple pouches of instant oatmeal, just make sure the flavors are compatible)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons oil
2 eggs
1 large ripe (or 2 small) banana, mashed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for garnish if desired
To Make
Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add your oatmeal (wet or dry), milk, vanilla, oil, and eggs. mix completely. then add in your mashed bananas and walnuts. Stir until bananas and walnuts are evenly mixed throughout. Cook. Top with warm maple syrup and more chopped walnuts. Enjoy!
Love Notes « Sugar Dish Me
Saturday 4th of February 2012
[...] but mostly I write them love notes with food. Sometimes it’s warm brownies after school. Or pancakes on a Sunday morning. More often than not though, I pen the best love notes to my boys at the dinner [...]