Pumpkin Pancakes

Sending your child off to school at the tender age of 5 is sometimes difficult.  As I dropped my son in the kindergarten rooms at Kelly Elementary some 9 years ago and watched him walk into the classroom with tears streaming down his face I continued out to the car with duplicate tears falling down my own cheeks.  The 4 hours that he was gone seemed to last an eternity, but I knew he was safe.  Thoughts of "bad guys" entering our school trying to hurt any of our children never entered my mind.  Yet that is exactly what happened at Kelly Elementary in Carlsbad, CA last Friday. 

Details are still sketchy, but at 12:15 PM, lunchtime, a man hopped the school fence and began shooting into a group of 2nd and 3rd graders on the playground.  Circumstances could have been so much worse, and we count our blessing that only two girls were superficially wounded in the ordeal as a couple of nearby construction workers (our local heros) tackled the shooter to the ground, sustaining him until police arrived.  Children who heard the shots and saw the man ran for distant classrooms and safety with stories of little heros emerging such as one 8 year old girl stopping to carry her injured 7 year old friend.  

There is no word regarding the, "Why?" that everyone is asking.  The school was on lockdown for a number of hours and the two injured girls were life flighted to Children's Hospital.  Their physical wounds have been tended to, but I can't imagine the psychological scars that will remain to be dealt with. 

Every parents nightmare is to be involved in this situation... this is something that you read about in People Magazine, or hear on the Nightly News happening in some other city.  But it happened here.  My own children were blocks away at different schools, Liv having promoted from Kelly Elementary, our home for the last 9 years, last June.  My husband and I nevertheless rushed to Liv's school to be ready for pickup and to just be there as word was that there was one more suspect in the area.  Our phones were in constant action receiving news from Kelly Elementary just a few blocks away and arranging rides for older children as our friends were at Kelly anxiously waiting to be reunited with their little ones.

Liv had two of her girlfriends over last night, returning life to girl giggling and a bit of normalcy.  They didn't talk much about the incident and enjoyed a good movie along with a big bowl of popcorn with extra butter while wrapped up in toasty blankets and comfy pajamas.   The sun rose again this morning bringing pangs of hunger which we immediately filled with a big batch of our favorite Pumpkin Pancakes drenched in maple syrup.  Light and fluffy with a nice autumn spice, these pancakes most definitely hit the spot.  

Pumpkin Pancakes
Thick batter cooks into light, fluffy, spiced cakes of pumpkin goodness!

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (may sub A/P flour)
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 1/2 cups milk (I use nonfat)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
bananas, nuts and/or raisins for topping


In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.  In a small bowl wish together the milk, pumpkin, eggs and oil.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined, being careful not to overmix.  The batter will be thick!  Ladle batter in desired portions over a nonstick pan or griddle and flip when bubbles begin to break on the tops.  Cook another few couple of minutes and remove from griddle.  


Liv says these are best served plain and drenched with maple syrup, but I prefer mine topped with sliced banana, a spoonful of raisins and a sprinkle of walnuts!