Pumpkin pancakes with caramelized bananas

What is better during the season of pumpkins, colorful falling leaves and hot chocolate than pumpkin pancakes, or pumpkin anything, for that matter. There is something about pumpkin that is so hearty and warming, and putting that into a pancake is the perfect package.

Pancakes are something that are so fun to experiment with, especially throughout the seasons. My favorites are my eggnog pancakes, oatmeal pancakes with balsamic strawberries or juicy peaches, and buttermilk buckwheat blueberry pancakes. These rich pumpkin pancakes will definitely become a part of my new favorites collection. One ingredient I always use in my pancakes is buttermilk, I just find it gives them a rich texture. If I don't have buttermilk on hand, I will send M out to the neighborhood market, or we will just not have pancakes, that is how serious I am about my lait de buerre.

And the caramelized bananas just seem like the perfect topping for this hearty pancake, and definitely takes the place of any syrup you could use. You can just leave your syrup in the fridge where it belongs.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

2 T grapeseed oil

2 T sugar

2 cups favorite pancake mix (I use Pamela's for this recipe)

1/2 t pumpkin pie spice

2 T flaxseed meal (optional)

1 cup canned, or fresh roasted and pureed pumpkin

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl, add the pancake mix, spice and flaxseed, if using, and mix until just smooth.

Fold in the pumpkin. Stir until combined.

Let batter sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat an oiled griddle on medium heat.

Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.

Keep pancakes warmed in stove until you are finished with all the batter.

When about halfway done with pancakes, start on the bananas......

Caramelized bananas

3 ripe bananas, thinly sliced

3 T butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

Melt butter in shallow pan, add brown sugar and stir until combined on medium heat.

Add banana slices and stir to coat and cook until the bananas reduce and become saucy, about 5 minutes.

Spoon banana mixture onto warmed pumpkin pancakes and serve.

Serves 4-5 people.

(the photo below is how they should look just before they start to break down and get saucy.)