Easy dinner recipes: Breakfast for dinner for pumpkin lovers

Are you one of those people who likes breakfast for dinner? Why should French toast, pancakes and doughnuts be limited to mornings? Enjoy breakfast any time of the day with these tempting ideas. Oh, and they’re perfect for pumpkin lovers.

Pumpkin-spiced French toast: With all the pumpkin spice-flavored and -scented things out there, I’ve found that some combinations are better than others. Flavor French toast batter with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove and whisk in a little pumpkin puree, then fry up that toast. It’s just like eating pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin pancakes: Pancakes are an easy dish for any time of the day. This recipe uses canned pumpkin along with a medley of spices for fluffy cakes that come together in less than 30 minutes.

Pumpkin fritters: Try eating just one of these fritters, from Farnsworth House Restaurant in Gettysburg, Pa. Start to finish, a batch of fritters fries up in only 40 minutes. You can find the recipe below.

PUMPKIN FRITTERS

Total time: 40 minutes | Serves 7

Oil or shortening, for frying
3/4 cup cooked or canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

1. Add enough oil to a heavy skillet to reach a depth of 1 inch. Heat the oil to 375 degrees.

2. Combine the pumpkin puree and beaten eggs in a bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon of the nutmeg and the cinnamon. Quickly stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until blended. Do not over-mix the batter or the fritters will be tough.

3. Drop the fritter batter into the hot oil using a level tablespoon for each. Do not crowd the skillet. Fry, in batches of 4 or 5, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. The fritters will turn as they fry. Use a slotted spoon to remove.

4. Combine the sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Roll the hot fritters in the sugar mixture. You’ll have about 21 fritters.

Each serving: 155 calories; 314 mg. sodium; 59 mg. cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.91 gram fiber.

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