Pumpkin Pancakes!

Holy universe!  Talk about coincidence...  I'm about to head over to my man's house to cook dinner and we were talking about what we might make, I suggested breakfast for dinner with waffles (I have a waffle maker - can't beat homemade waffles -yum!!), eggs and the works  - he immediately and anxiously agreed with a big MMMMMMM!  Breakfast is so darn cool that it's appropriate for any time of the day, am I right?

So as I am preparing to get my things and leave, I go to shut down my laptop and decide to check my blog... I see a comment from a reader on my Pinterest post from the other day requesting an invitation, so I head over to Pinterest to send out the invitation and, like food fate, I see this mouth watering photo of pancakes... but not just ANY pancakes - PUMPKIN PANCAKES!!  Be still my beating heart.  I never really thought of making pumpkin pancakes before, but they sound amazing.  We might just have to make these tonight!  I hope I have a can of pumpkin because it's pouring cats and dogs here and I don't want to stop at the store, arghhh!  It's beginning to sound more like food torture!  I want me some pumpkin pancakes with lots of butter and maple syrup... *droooooool*

Soooo, I had to do this spur of the moment post to share these pancakes with you...  Who else is having breakfast for dinner tonight?  Did anyone else learn this wonderful meal switcheroo from their mother??  Haha, from time to time growing up my mother would say "What should we have for dinner?"  And, after going through all of our meals options unsatisfied, sometimes she would say - how about pancakes and eggs?  ...And we would go nuts!  Yesireee, breakfast for dinner always feels special, like you're a kid again or something?  I don't know how to explain it, hopefully you get me... :)

Enough of my food and nostalgia riddled babbling, back to the pumpkin pancakes recipe!  Thankfully the image on Pinterest was still linked to the original recipe source, How To: Simplify - Tips, Tricks and Recipes to Simplify Life in the Kitchen.  What a great new blog to follow!  The author's name is Jen and she loves to bake, cook and share simple but delicious recipes.  You should definitely check out her blog, there are lots more recipes to explore on there, including the eye-bulging Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe - which my stomach is growling for right now! 

Check out How To: Simplify - Tips, Tricks and Recipes to Simplify Life in the Kitchen...  Thanks a bunch for sharing your recipes with us Jen!

If you happen to try these recipes I would love to hear how you like them!

Have a wonderful weekend!

How To: Simplify - Tips, Tricks and Recipes to Simplify Life in the Kitchen
Pumpkin Pancakes recipe
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting


(Image in this post was sourced via Pinterest and belongs to Jen at How To: Simplify Tips, Tricks and Recipes to Simplify Life in the Kitchen)

Fall and Thanksgiving Wreaths

Oh yes, the day is creeping closer, mmmmm... My stomach is growling for my mother's amazing Sweet Potato Casserole, our Five Grain-Apple-Cranberry-Sausage Stuffing and of course, Pumpkin and Pecan Pie!!  As for turkey, yeah I love it too, but the side dishes hold the key to my heart stomach, hehe.

I'm contemplating a DIY Thanksgiving wreath remix using an organic twiggy one my mother has had for many years... Let's see what I can pull together, as soon as I get around to it I will definitely share.  In the meantime I've gathered some images, various types of fall and Thanksgiving wreaths to inspire us all and get our creative minds thinking!  ;)

Thanksgiving posts from 2011:
Thanksgiving Tablescapes, Pumpkins and Decor

Thanksgiving and Christmas posts from 2010:
Thanksgiving Tablescapes and Decor
Thanksgiving Family Recipes (recipe repeat)
Christmas and Holiday Decor Part I
Christmas and Holiday Decor Part II
Suzani Christmas Stockings
Christmas and Holiday Tablescapes Part I
Christmas and Holiday Tablescapes Part II
Holiday Chandeliers and Brancheliers
Holiday Wreaths: Paper
Holiday Wreaths: Peace Signs
Holiday Wreaths: Craft and Fabric
Holiday Wreaths: Food and Candy
Holiday Wreaths: Organic and Traditional
Fireplace Mantle Decor for the Holidays
Tabletop Christmas Trees
Not Your Average Christmas Tree
Traditional Christmas Trees

Thanksgiving and Christmas posts from 2009:
Thanksgiving Family Recipes
Pecan Pie Oh My! (recipe)
Thanksgiving Countdown Comedy
Happy Thanksgiving
Unique Christmas Decor
Christmas Cards and Treats
A Merry Rebel Christmas

Source for image above: sunset.com via froggymama on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Laura on Pinterest

Source: luxefinds.com via LuxeFinds.com on Pinterest

Source: womansday.com via Kara on Pinterest

Source: ladolfina.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Joan on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via A Work of Heart SA on Pinterest

Source: littleloveliesbyallison.com via Claudia on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Julie L. Light on Pinterest

Source: littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: littlebignest.com via Tierra on Pinterest

Source: luxefinds.com via LuxeFinds.com on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Briana on Pinterest

Source: luxefinds.com via LuxeFinds.com on Pinterest

Source: luxefinds.com via LuxeFinds.com on Pinterest

Source: Martha Stewart via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via froggymama on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: None via Chantal on Pinterest

(All images in this post are individually cited and sourced via Pinterest, they are not my images.)

Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali!

Diwali - or Deepavali, meaning "row of lamps" - is best known as the Festival of Lights, a five day festival during which lots of oil filled clay lamps called Diyas are lit to celebrate the triumph of good over evil.  Diwali is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists and an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.  The significance of this holiday varies throughout the religions, however the overall message is a very good one, specifically:

"...the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the inner light". Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. The celebration of Diwali as the "victory of good over evil", refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With this awakening comes compassion and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings anand (joy or peace). Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this Inner Light." ~(Wikipedia)

Wouldn't you agree? 
Read more about Diwali here or in my post from last year.

How to make your own Diya clay oil lamp for Diwali

Are any of my readers celebrating Diwali?  If so I'd love to hear about it, what are your traditions for this special holiday?  I hope to hear from you, in the meantime Happy Diwali to all of my readers around the world, have a wonderful weekend!

All of the images in this post are examples of diya lamps, aren't they beautiful?  I'm especially in love with the very first image - that tile, that peacock plume, those salmon walls...oh my!  Delicious piece of eye candy!!How to make your own Diya clay oil lamp for Diwali

(All images in this post were sourced via Google images)