Butternut Squash Pancakes

Here's a dash of versatility for you squash lovers!

These came out delicious and the idea began with me realizing that zucchini season is coming to an end and we love zucchini pancakes. They're such a great hand-held treat... we don't even use forks and knives, it's like a major-size appetizer!

So while I was roasting squash, (roasted squash is a favorite snack around here.) I thought why not try pancakes with shredded squash?

So I peeled a smallish butternut squash, then made it two...

Just in case!

I baked the seed ends for a bowl of cooked squash that has nothing to do with today's recipe...

and then I used the blunt, thick ends for the shredding to avoid strings/threads.

I shredded it in my food processor.... so the whole thing took about ten minutes to peel the squash and shred it. Then I microwaved about 4 cups of it just a little to soften it slightly.

Butternut Squash Pancakes

Shred squash, microwave for about two minutes, just enough to tenderize it a little...

THEN, mix in a bowl:

3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (for a different more veggie taste, skip the cinnamon and add garlic and onion)
1 teaspoon baking powder

Whisk together.  Add in about 4 cups shredded squash. (I didn't measure, I just added until the batter was mostly squash.)

Heat griddle to medium/hot. Drizzle a little olive oil or coconut oil onto griddle. Ladle three or four scoops of batter onto pan... fry until that side is golden brown and flip...

Cook about one minute more.

These cook in like four minutes, and then we tried them...

We loved them with salt sprinkled on them!!!

But mostly, these became a huge hit with the younger crowd when they sprinkled powdered sugar on one and Laney had hers with maple syrup...

A total win, hands down, and how can this be bad for us?

And a fun new way to use our squashes!!!!

And for the weekend helpers, there was this:

Super-sized apple crisp.... RECIPE HERE

And smoked pork roast (Mindy, I'm learning to use the smoker!!!)

And the pork roast was so good with the apple crisp. :)

This weekend I'm out of town so the crew is feeding themselves... and it won't be as crazy busy as it's been the last month. This weekend is traditionally the last minute shoppers who need pumpkins for Halloween.... and we have some to sell, still, so that's awesome!

It's always a little melancholy to end the season. Not because it's a lot of work to unbuild displays... (although it's a workout, let me tell you!) but because it's like a wedding or a holiday...  you spend so much time prepping for it that when it ends, it's an "aww" moment... but also a chance to breathe and write more books!

The extra time now will be devoted to being ahead of the game with my stories before next year's season is upon us and I love that about winter... I can get in a lot of writing time and dog-loving time and kid time and hit the ground running next May... but that's seven months of breathing and I'm going to take it! :)

Multi-published author Ruth Logan Herne is living her dream of writing sweet stories that make people smile, laugh, cry and sigh... She thanks God for the given talent and the time to develop it, and to Him goes the praise... but she's not afraid to do her part and put the work in. Friend her on facebook, write to her at loganherne@gmail.com, visit her website or stop by the Yankee Belle Cafe (right here!) or www.seekerville.blogspot.com and see what she's got to say... because she does talk a lot! :)