Pumpkin Oat Pancakes Recipe

Have you had your fill of pumpkin yet? No? Guess what? You're in luck! I have an awesome recipe to share with you guys today. Pumpkin Oat Pancakes. Wait - what? Pumpkin flavored pancakes? That's a thing? Yes! Yes it is. Pumpkin. I adore this flavor. In fact, I keep a can of pumpkin and bottle of pumpkin spice in my cupboard all year round. I always look forward to the Fall season because of the pumpkin recipes that surface. I highly recommend serving these pancakes for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning.

I came across this recipe at Shrinking On A Budget. I've found a decent variety of pancake recipes on this site over the past couple of months. Apparently I have a thing for pancakes. A while back, I shared a recipe for Blueberry Protein Pancakes. I found that recipe on SOAB, too. Good stuff, people, good stuff.

Here's how to make them:

Ingredients:

1 cup regular old fashioned oats

8 egg whites

1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese

1/2 cup pure canned pumpkin

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

3 tsp sugar

Combine oats, egg whites, cottage cheese, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and sugar in a blender and pulse until somewhat smooth (about 10 pulses). 

Spray a non-stick pan with non-stick spray and heat to medium-low. Pour into pan using 1/3 cup

of batter per pancake. Cook on first side until edges look done and a few air bubbles stay at the surface. Flip and cook until the desired color is reached. Top each serving with one sliced banana just before serving.

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes. AH-mazing. Enjoy.

Fall-Themed Painted Leaves

Have your trees lost their leaves yet? Ours haven't. I think we have another week or two before that happens. But, let me tell you, Fall leaves are gorgeous, don't you think? Today, I have a leaf-inspired kids' craft. Leaves have such amazing shapes, so we decided to display them by painting over them to create outlines. But wait...it gets better. Instead of painting it on with a regular old paint brush, we poured it into a bottle and sprayed it on. Upgrade!  (I've been doing a lot of kids crafts lately, like the Cookie Cutter Pumpkin and the Eyeball Candle Holder Jars. I think that Fall just inspires me to be creative...probably because I'm no longer sweltering from the summer heat and my brain senses the relief!)

So check it out: leaf shapes, fall colors, and paint.

 You will need:
- paper (we used standard printer sized paper)
- an assortment of leaves (small ones work better than large ones)
- masking tape (double sided would be better, but we didn't have any)
- spray bottles
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup of warm water
- food coloring

To make the paint, combine water and cornstarch with your food color preference. We made orange and red paint. Add the paint to the spray bottles and set aside.

 

Next, add tape to the underside of each leaf and press them onto the paper. I recommend spreading them apart to create more dynamic shapes. Make sure the leaves lay flat on the paper. Use enough tape to keep the corners of the leaves from curling up.

Using the bottle filled with paint, spray each paper with paint.

Allow paint to dry completely before removing leaves.

 

Display so everyone can admire!

P.S. If you have leftover paint, you can also use it on the sidewalk for sidewalk spray paint chalk. I allowed Mac to use the rest of it outside, and he ended spraying the sidewalk, the trees, the bushes, my foot, and the house. (I cut him off after our house got some additional color) AND since the paint is made with food coloring, water, and cornstarch, it's non-toxic...which is great if your kid has a habit of eating paper.

A couple of additional tips:
-We used standard sized printer paper, but the larger the paper, the more leaves you can fit on a paper, and the more fun your project will be.
- The paint recipe is similar to a chalk recipe. So if you drench your paper in paint, it will end up flaking off. Don't drench the paper. OR you could try a different kind of liquid paint. I chose this paint because it was quick and easy to make.

Simple Pumpkin Carving Using Cookie Cutters

Pumpkin Season has definitely arrived. Rejoice friends! Let's carve a pumpkin or two to celebrate. This year, instead of hacking away at the pumpkin with a knife, I decided to try something a little more simple - cookie cutters. What? For real. I used a cute 1 inch tall star-shaped metal cookie cutter to make nice, uniform shapes around my pumpkin. So fun and pretty easy. Plus, it's a great way to get your kids involved in the pumpkin carving process, as opposed to the alternative - carving away as your child watches you (because you don't trust them with a knife).

Interested in trying it out? Here's how I did it:

Supplies needed:
- Pumpkin (with top removed and the insides cleaned out)
- Metal cookie cutter
- block of wood
- hammer
- knife (I recommend a pairing knife)

Place cookie cutter on top of the pumpkin, and the block of wood over the cookie cutter. Using the hammer, pound on the wood block until the cookie cutter has been pressed about half way down into the wall of the pumpkin. (Since pumpkins are round, it won't be able to be pressed in flush.) Be sure to leave about 1/8 of an inch of the cookie cutter sticking out.

Pull the cookie cutter out. You'll probably have to wiggle it out.

Finish cutting through the wall of the pumpkin using a knife by following the outline made from the cookie cutter. Once the cookie cutter shape has been cut all the way through, push the shape out, pushing from the inside to the outside. Repeat this process as much as you like around the rest of the pumpkin.

 

By the way, if you cut too many shapes into the pumpkin, it will end up weakening your pumpkin, which may result in the pumpkin breaking apart. I would recommend leaving a minimum of 2 inches between each cutout. Keep an eye on the pumpkin as each shape is cut and watch for cracks on the opposite side.

By the way, as I was working on my star shaped pumpkin, my husband and Mac were working on a Mac's pumpkin. After searching through numerous photos of pumpkin carvings online, Mac was absolutely certain that he wanted a Mickey Mouse pumpkin. My husband was less than thrilled. Lots of cutting. (super amusing to watch though.) But just in case you interested in trying Mickey Mouse, you can find the template here.

Have you guys decorated your pumpkins yet? How did you decorate them?

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10 Fall Themed Activities for Kids

Fall is a great time of year. It seems that so many people find creative inspiration from the rustic colors, the cooler weather, and even the flavors that make an appearance during this season. Let's take this inspiration and pass it on to our kids. Last week, we made Eyeball Candle Holder Jars for the Fall season. This week, I've compiled a list of 10 fun Fall activities that you can do with them to encourage their creativity.

Fall Leaf Lantern  - When I first saw this, I was like, "This is so awesome! Why didn't I think to do this?" Then, I was like, "Oh yeah. We live in the desert. We don't have leaves like that near us...and they haven't changed colors yet." But seriously, this project is so cute. I think that Mac and I are going to have to go on a leaf hunt in a week or so when more of the trees begin to change colors.

Apple Volcanoes - I think I need to go and dig those old apples out of the trash that I tossed this morning. Both of my boys would love to do this. Volcanoes from apples? How fun is that?

Shaving Cream Painted Fall Leaves - Shaving cream is one of the coolest things to play with. We've used it to paint in the bathtub before and Mac had a blast. Using shaving cream and paint is another creative way to play.

Pumpkin Moon Sand  - It's like playing with sand and play-doh at the same time! When you add food coloring and pumpkin spice, this moon sand becomes even cooler. I think the biggest issue you may have is convincing your little ones that they can't eat it!

Crispy Rice Candy Corn Treats - Do your kids like to help when you cook and bake? Mac does. He loves to measure and dump the ingredients. This is a terrific recipe to do with kids.  Also, it has candy corn - that wonderfully sweet & addictive Fall candy that you can't seem to stop eating until you feel sick. Ha!
 

Watercolor and ink-blown Shadow trees - What a fun idea! You know how we always forbid our children from blowing bubbles in their milk with a straw? Here's a great alternative that should satisfy their straw-blowing desires. Painting with straws!!!

Apple Smiles - Ever since I made Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Hot Cocoa, Mac has been requesting marshmallows at snack time on a daily basis. Here's a better alternative that will satisfy your kids' marshmallow cravings as well as give them a bit of nutrition. The real question is whether Mac will enjoy making this more than eating it...

Pin & Pound Pumpkins - This is an activity both of my kids would love to do (ages 1 & 4). I think there is something about pounding things that kids find irresistible (the floor, their toys, the couch, each other). I'm pretty sure this is a better alternative than what I just listed...and a quieter alternative. ;)

Wax Paper and Crayon Fall Leaves - I have yet to come across a kid who doesn't like to melt stuff. Melting crayons onto wax paper is cool, and I'm pretty sure all kids believe this. Plus, the added bonus is the fact you have super cute fall decorations to display in your home.

Leaf Picture Shirts - This is such a fun idea. Kids love creating their own shirts to wear and this is fun way for them to display their creativity. It involves a little more parental involvement and planning, but the results will be well worth it.

I'm super excited to try these activities with my kids! What kind of Fall activities do you do with your kids? Let me know how your projects go!

Eyeball Candle Holder Jars

I'm not a huge fan of Halloween. I don't like creepy things, but Mac has 3 Halloween shirts. And we made this eyeball jar the other day. So, maybe I am contradicting myself? Perhaps.

A couple of days ago, Mac and I made eyeball candle holder jars. They were pretty fun. Other than getting his fingers sticky, he loved making them. It's a quick and easy project for a four-year old. And it uses lots of eyeballs. How cool is that?

After Mac finished his eyeball jar, he proudly carried it around the house for the next couple of days (without a candle, of course). He was disappointed when I told him he couldn't drink out of it. He also repeatedly showed his younger brother, "Look! An eyeball jar!" Cheese had no idea what he was looking at. Mac was even planning on taking it to school for Show 'N Tell, but changed his mind at the last minute.

Anyway, this was fun for the both of us to do. And here's how we did it:

Supplies needed:
- jar
- orange tissue paper
- Mod Podge
- sponge brush
- a package of wiggle eyes

Start by crumpling your tissue paper to give a wrinkled look.

Tear the tissue paper into strips. Ours were about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide.

Using the sponge brush and the Mod Podge, cover approximately 1/4 of the jar.

Press the tissue paper strips on top of the wet Mod Podge. Continue painting Mod Podge in sections and covering with tissue paper until the entire jar is covered.

Once the jar is covered, do a second coat of Mod Podge, and cover with an additional layer of tissue paper. Continue with the second coat until the entire jar is covered.

Paint a section of the jar with Mod Podge, and stick on the wiggle eyes however your heart desires.

Once you have finished sticking on the eyes, allow to dry for about 10 minutes or so. (It doesn't need to be completely dry). Paint one more coat of Mod Podge over the entire jar including the eyes. Be sure to paint in the crevices between the eyes to keep them from falling off after it dries. Allow it to dry for several hours.

 A couple of tips:
-When painting over the eyes, make sure to use long brush strokes instead of blotting on the Mod Podge. Blotting creates tiny bubbles that will dry in the Mod Podge, which create a whitish film over the eyes.
-Instead of tearing strips of tissue paper, consider tearing tissue paper into 1 inch squares. This will probably be a little easier to arrange on the jar. I didn't think about this until after we finished.

5 Awesome Autumn Hot Drink Recipes

Is anyone in the mood for Fall yet? Maybe we should call it Autumn. Don't you think the word "Autumn" is more inspiring than "Fall"? I do. There are so many things to love about this season - the cooler weather, changing leaves, boots, scarves, the State Fair (ours is in September), the Balloon Fiesta, Pumpkin Patches, and no more bugs (hooray)! There's something about Autumn that makes you feel cozy and nothing helps that more than a warm beverage to sip as the chilly mornings begin.

So, here are 5 Autumn inspired hot beverage recipes to keep you warm.

1. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate - A plain cup of hot chocolate really isn't my thing. But salted caramel most definitely is. I haven't been able to shake the Salted Caramel/Chocolate flavor out of my mind lately. It's just so good! This was a huge hit when I made this for a group of my friends. They loved it so much, I had several requests for seconds. 
 

 2. Pumpkin Spice Latte - Who doesn't like Pumpkin Spice Lattes? My husband and I love making these when the weather is cool. Plus, it's much cheaper than the $5 version you purchase from your coffee shop.

 3. Caramel Apple Spice Cider - Caramel + Apples are basically a match made in Heaven. Flavor combinations like this make the perfect Autumn beverage. This is a great mock version of Starbucks' recipe. Why should Starbucks be the only who can make it? 

4. Mexican Hot Chocolate with Dulce de Leche Spiced Cream - Are you serious? This is a drink??? Mexican Hot Chocolate and Dulce de Leche??? Two amazing flavors. How did I not know about this sooner? Maybe the rest of you did and I live under a rock. Either way, this drink is definitely worth trying.

 5. Pumpkin Chai Tea  - It's CHAI and it's made in a crockpot! What more is there to love about a recipe when all you need to do is dump the ingredients into a pot, turn it on, and Bam! Like magic, it makes itself. And it has pumpkin! What more could you ask for?

Just looking at these drinks makes me feel warm an cozy. I'm now inspired to get my Fall Craft on. ;) Do you have a favorite Autumn drink?