Pumpkin Pancakes

Sister Cafe

2 cups flour (I use at least 1/2 freshly ground white wheat flour)
3 Tb brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground all spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk (I do an overflowing 1/2 cup)
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 Tb canola oil
2 Tb vinegar

In one bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, oil and vinegar. Combine dry ingredients separately and them stir into pumpkin mixture just until combined. Heat your pan or griddle (lightly butter or oil if it is not seasoned), using about 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with apple cider syrup.

Favorite Granola

3 ¼ cups Oats (Old Fashioned or Quick—any combination)
1 ¼ cup white wheat flour-freshly ground if possible
1 1/3 cup shredded coconut
¼ cup flax seed (optional)
1 cup or more coarsely chopped almonds and/or pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/3 cup water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom

Preheat oven to 300. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, flax seed, coconut and nuts. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, and water and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbly. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture together until smooth, and then stir in the salt, vanilla and spices. Pour mixture over the oats mixture and stir will to coat. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
Spread mixture on a large baking sheet, separating it into irregular clumps with your fingers, and allowing space between clumps for the hot air to circulate. Slide it into the middle of the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to break up the mixture into medium sized clumps. Return to the oven and bake again for 15 minutes before stirring again. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the granola is uniform golden brown and completely dry—this usually takes me about 45 minutes . Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Chocolate Buttercream

Serves: 3 cups

A simple recipe for classic chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for frosting cakes, cookies, brownies, or cupcakes.

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions
Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Stir Fry Beef and Broccoli

1 cup or 1 steak lean tender beef sliced into strips
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
2 T. oil
2 cups broccoli
1 can mushroom pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup beef stock
1/4 cup peanuts
1/2 cup green onions (about 6)

Toss beef in mixture of cornstarch and soy sauce. Stir fry 1/4 tsp. salt and garlic in oil; add beef. Stir fry beef to degree of doneness desired and remove from pan. In same wok, bring broccoli and mushrooms to boil with 1/2 tsp salt, stock, peanuts and green onions. Cover wok, reduce heat and cook 3-5 minutes. Return beef to wok and cook briefly together.

For flavorful variation use celery in place of broccoli.

Sandy's Orange Jello Salad

Cook until Thick:
1 3-ounce box cook and serve vanilla pudding
1 3-ounce box cook and serve tapioca pudding
1 3-ounce box orange jello
2 cups water

When cook add:
1 can mandarin oranges
1 can pineapple
2 bananas, sliced
1 carton 8 ounce cool whip

Makes a large jello salad.

Cinnamon Rolls

from Tonya Ferrin

2 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. yeast
6 cups flour (more or less)

2 pounds brown sugar
2-3 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped (optional)

1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
2 pounds powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 cup milk

1. Add hot water into mixing bowl with kneading hooks. Add (in this order): powdered milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, 4 cups flour, and yeast. Beat for a few minutes.
2. Add an additional 2 cups flour. Slowly add flour until dough slightly pulls away from bowl (want as sticky as possible, while still handleable).
3. Turn on high and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl that has been coated with pam. Cover and let rise until doubles in size (about 20-30 minutes).

***While dough is rising, prepare filling***
4. in a quart size pan, add brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. Melt and stir. Add pecans if desired. Keep warm on low heat to maintain spreadability.
5. Roll out half of the dough at a time on a floured board. Roll into a rectangle, spread with half the filling, and roll. Slice into approximately 1" portions.
6. Arrange in pan and allow to rise until double in size. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375*
7. While baking make the icing. In a mixer combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1/4 cup milk. Add enough milk to make the icing easy to spread.
8. Let cinnamon rolls cool for 5 minutes before icing.

Salad with Swiss

Salad we had at Marci's
For the Salad:
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 head ice burg lettuce (or 2 heads red leaf)
1 bunch spinach (or 2/3 bag pre-packaged spinach is easier)
3/4 lb. swiss cheese (grated)
1/2 of a purple onion (chopped)
1 small can mandarine orange (drained)
1/2 lb. bacon (cooked and crumbled) If you have to you can use "real bacon bits" but cooking and crumbling your own bacon is yummier
approx.
1 cup sliced red grapes (You can use as many or as few as you want)
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup sugar

For the Dressing:
3/4 TBS poppy seeds
1/3 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 TBS mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup grated onion


Cook almonds in sugar over medium heat until sugar is melted. Stir constantly and don't scorch the sugar.
Cut chop and toss everything together.
Blend or shake dressing. Toss in dressing right before serving.