My Christmas Morning Menu

The only meal I am hosting this Christmas is breakfast for John's folks.  I know they would prefer I make bacon, eggs, toast...diner style.  It's a good thing they are used to my weird-ness with food so here is my menu and recipes!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Cider Syrup
Baked Eggs with Asparagus
Panettone with melted fresh butter
Fresh fruit with dip (my MIL is bring)
Bacon

The Pumpkin Pancakes are a recipe I modified from Paula Deen's Souffled Pumpkin Pancake recipe.  I wanted a fluffy pancake with great pumpkin flavor, so I changed things a bit and make them individual in a skillet.  They taste great with pure maple syrup or I made the Cinnamon Cider Syrup (50-50 blend of maple syrup and cooked down apple cider) back in the fall and left it to steep in the cellar.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 
Melt 2 Tablespoon butter in a small pan and add brown sugar, when dissolved, stir in pecan and saute about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt remaining 3 Tablespoons butter in mixing bowl and whisk in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.  Whisk in the dry ingredients and when combined, fold in pumpkin puree until just combined.

I sprinkle the pecans on top of  pancake batter as they cook, or you can use for garnish when serving.

CINNAMON CIDER SYRUP

I simply reduced 2 cups of local apple cider down to about a 1/2 cup, over low simmer in a small saucepan.  It took about an hour.  I then added an equal amount of pure maple syrup and a 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick.  I put the combo in a small jar in the cellar in October and it's delicious!
BAKED EGGS

You can find my recipe for Baked Eggs on this blog!  Just use the search bar!

PANATTONE;
If you've never tried Panattone, it's really special and delicious!  A light and airy, slightly sweet bread
 studded with candied oranges, citron and raisins that is crafted in a tall round loaf from Italy.  Tradition calls for slices unadorned, yet I LOVE a slice brushed with melted butter!  Just enough to make the slice glisten, but not enough to soak in.  You could also serve with mascarpone, a triple creme cheese from Italy or batter with beaten eggs and saute like french toast!  i just adore a hunk of it with my morning coffee too!

FRUIT DIP;
1 jar marshmallow fluff
1 8ounce package cream cheese, softened

Beat them together with flat beater until combined, serve with fresh fruit like grapes, sliced bananas, strawberry halves and cubed pineapple and watch the whole damn dish disappear within minutes.  This is evil, evil dip.

I hope your Christmas is merry, drama is little and the food delicious!