Pumpkin Pancakes

The other day I decided to make some pumpkin pancakes. I was going to put actual pumpkin puree in it but we didn't have any more and well I was too lazy to drop everything and go to the store just for pumpkin! So I made some pancake batter.. not even the homemade kind (*gasp!*) ..just the kind where you add water and some oil.  I added some food coloring and this is what we came up with:

I think he's kinda cute! What do you think?

To make these pumpkin pancakes:
First you make your favorite pancake mix, whether it is homemade or box (You do have to make sure there are no clumps so make sure the batter is completely smooth)  


Separate the batter into different bowls and add food coloring (I added cocoa powder to make brown).  


Pour the batter into separate squeeze bottles.  


Then draw your design out on your frying pan or griddle! (Remember it will need to be flipped over so you whatever you draw make sure it looks good backwards too!)


You need to make sure the heat is low so that it cooks nice and slow and doesn't burn your design. Start by drawing the outline of the pumpkin first, and then draw the inside eyes, nose and mouth.  Let it cook until almost fully cooked.  Then fill in the pumpkin with the rest of the orange batter.  Let the inside cook until fully cooked.  Then flip it over ever so gently and cook the other side.  I made the leaf and pumpkin stem separately because I thought it would be easier that way.


On another note, by doing all of that work to make a shaped pancake I believe it is highly justifiable to use pancake box mix!  I usually love making things by scratch but with all of the extra works that goes into these pancakes its much easier to use a boxed mix! :)


Once you get the hang of this it is not that complicated and the designs are endless! And of course, next time if I am making pumpkin shaped pancakes I will have to make sure we have pumpkin in the house! :)

Here is what I used to make these pancakes:

I link up.

Easy Leaf Lunch

To celebrate all things fall and the falling of the leaves we made this super Easy Leaf Lunch:

I made a grilled cheese sandwich and cut it with a leaf cookie cutter. I then cut the apple (freshly picked!) and the organic fruit leather with a mini leaf cookie cutter.

And that's it! Simple as that! 

You could always add decorations to the leaf on the top (make leaf veins), or make the grilled cheese with added vegetables inside. I went the simple route this time and just did a simple grilled cheese. Maybe next time I will add sliced carrots or sliced ham inside :)

Creative Food Supplies:

Linking up here :)

Hungry Squirrel

I'm all about using what you have in your kitchen... and well we had a lot of colored bell peppers so I figured I would make another fall inspired lunch for Eliana :)

The Hungry Squirrel gathering acorns! :)

This cute squirrel looks hard to do but really didn't take much time :)


The Squirrel is a jelly sandwich cut with a squirrel cookie cutter.  For the tail I put some Nutella on the top and used a toothpick to add some texture. An edible candy eye and a chocolate sprinkle mouth add simple final touches :)


The branches of the tree are pretzel rods and pretzel sticks.


The leaves are cut red and orange bell peppers, cheese and sun dried basil tomato tortillas.


The acorns are dark chocolate Hershey kisses, Mini Nilla wafers and peanut butter chips (all "glued" together with peanut butter. Eliana wouldn't eat the acorns but they were super cute!)  I got this cute acorn idea here.


This lunch was loved by Eliana and it was fun to make :) It also worked as a great way to explain how squirrels gather acorns for the winter! :)


Until Next Time... :)

**update** (June 2012)
We have officially learned that Eliana is allergic to peanuts, cashews and pistachios.  She never ate them because she never liked peanut butter or nuts. However now we are aware of the actual allergy, not just dislike, we are avoiding peanuts and all nuts. I had "glued" together the acorns with PB  for this lunch. If I were to do this again I would use honey or soynut butter to use as "glue" and would use chocolate soynut butter instead of nutella for the tail to make this completely peanut free and tree nut free :)

Here is what I used to make this lunch:

I Link up.

Oak Tree

In the spirit of welcoming Fall weather I made Eliana this Oak tree lunch :)

It's raining acorns!

The tree trunk is a jelly sandwich.  I made one side of the sandwich with the crust to make it look more like a tree.


The pumpkins are american cheese cut with mini cookie cutters. I drew on them with food safe markers.


The leafs are red, yellow, orange bell peppers and sun dried basil tortillas cut with an oak leaf mini cookie cutter.


The "falling acorns" are pomegranate seeds.


Eliana loved this lunch and ate everything :) While making it I wasn't the happiest with it but when it was done I loved it and Eliana loved it and then proceeded to show me the one tree in the backyard that has colorful leaves :) 

Happy Fall everyone!

Here is what I used to make this lunch: