Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Cranberry Butter & Real Maple Syrup

So my friend Stephanie found me this week. We went to culinary school together and had lost touch for many years. So far we've kept each other up past 1am every night and can't seem to stop talking shop! I have a feeling that you'll see my long neglected blog updated more regularly from here on out. It's been so nice to reconnect. I feel like a part of me that has been semi-dormant for a while is alive again! Thanks, Steph!

At any rate, another friend asked me to cook breakfast for a meeting she has Saturday morning. We did that last quarter, and it was a ton of fun. Originally I had planned to make my Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes, but then it hit me that it is finally starting to be fall around here and it might be fun to make something more in season. Here's what I came up with: Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes with a Maple Cranberry Butter, Maple Syrup and Toasted Pecans. Mmmm mmmmm goood! Well, maybe not for my waistline.....

Pumpkin Caramel Bundt Cake

Between the holidays and teaching more cooking classes, I find myself in the kitchen more and more lately. Tonight we're having a women's meeting for church, and I've ended up doing dessert for 60+ people. They wanted something fall-like, so I decided this pumpkin caramel bundt cake would be just the thing. Three other women were kind enough to bake a cake each, so all I've had to do is assemble. In retrospect, this may not be the easiest thing to serve, but it's so yummy I'm sure no one will mind! After all who can resist pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing, homemade caramel and toasted pecans? Mmmmm mmmmm good!