Festive Breakfast: Part One

This fall has been the Season of Pumpkins. Over the course of less than a month, five pumpkins along with at least half a dozen lesser squashes have passed through my home. They've been roasted after being filled with cinnamon oatmeal, they've been pureed and tucked into tender ravioli, they've been tossed in tiny chunks into soups and stews, and they've been baked into moist, delicious muffins, bars and pies. But when they find their way into breakfast, something special happens.

In a month when folks tend to focus on dinner and Thanksgiving dinner in particular, I'm all about the breakfasts. In fact, I think I'll do my best to include a post on breakfast each week from now until the end of the year. It's too often overlooked and it really is one of my very favorite times of the day. And really, who is going to say pumpkin waffles aren't fantastic? Those managing food allergies will be happy to see this is a pretty simple recipe that lends itself to various tweaking (almond or rice milk work quite well in place of the low-fat milk and gluten free flour blends can be used instead of all-purpose flour. This batter works equally well in a standard waffle iron or a Belgian waffle iron. Either way, you'll get enough waffles to feed four hungry folks. But, if you're like me, you might be able to stretch that if you're including these as part of a festive fall brunch menu. They play incredibly well with other baked goods, bacon or sausage and a variety of egg dishes. Keep your eye out for more great breakfast ideas in the coming weeks and you can easily form your very own holiday brunch!