Resolution

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by family and loved ones. 

I decided to start this year with a good breakfast at 2 PM, and made those good-looking pancakes my first meal of 2013. They are pumpkin and chocolate chip pancakes adapted from here. And they are deliiicious. I made them in a cast iron skillet that I have had for a while and was never brave enough to use it because it requires seasoning. Well, it wasn't that hard. Just washed it with water and spread some oil on it after I used it. No big deal. So from now on I will be using it more.

I usually don't have a lot of new year's resolutions, as I think that any day is a good day to start a new project or try to achieve something. Actually, I think that any day is a good day to decide that you are starting something the following monday. However, I do have a resolution for this year:

To cook more and to blog more about it.

As I have been a very good girl this year, Santa brought me four new cookbooks full of delicious recipes that I can't wait to try and share with you.

Besides all the cooking and blogging, so many other exciting things are happening this year. I will probably be moving to a new city and I will start a new job. And the most exciting of all, I am getting married!

I wish you all a wonderful 2013 full of adventures and good things and pancakes. I probably won't be having many more pancakes though (wedding pressure is starting).

Pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes

Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen, makes 10.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons lightbrown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 ground cloves

1/8 ground ginger

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 tablespoons of butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. 

In another bowl, add the cream and the milk. Add the egg and lightly beat. Next, mix in the pumpkin puree until completely blended. Pour in the slightly cooled melted butter and mix some more. 

In two batches, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. The batter should have some small to medium lumps.

Heat up a heavy skillet over medium low-heat and brush with 1 tablespoon of butter. Scoop the batter, using a 1/4 cup measure, to the warm skillet. Top each pancake with desired amount of chocolate chips. I added about 10-15 chips per pancake. Cook until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancake and then flip. Cook on opposite side for about 40 seconds, or until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter.