Pumpkin Pancakes and a Bread to make with pumpkin puree leftovers

Usually, people are in the mood for pumpkin recipes in the fall, but my family loves pumpkin all year round, so we continue with our favorites throughout the winter. A few weeks ago was no exception, when the boys were clamoring for pumpkin pancakes.
In our pre-gluten free days, I had received a pumpkin pancake recipe from a cookbook writer I interviewed when I was a food writer for the local paper. After the first try, it immediately became a family favorite. When we became gluten free, the boys were a bit sad about not having these anymore. However, by doubling the dry ingredients from a regular pancake recipe I had and combining it with a GF recipe that required an expensive mix, I made the boys happy again. We couldn’t tell the difference from our original wheat flour recipe. So, here is the inexpensive, but easy recipe.
GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN PANCAKES
Dry Ingredients

1 cup rice flour
½ cup bean flour
½ cup potato starch
4 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

1 egg
3 Tbs. brown sugar
2 cups soy milk
1 cup pumpkin puree

Blend the dry ingredients well.
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients with a handheld electric mixer or a whisk. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until there are no lumps.
Use a 1/3 hot cup measure to scoop out pancake batter onto a hot, lightly oiled skillet. Flip the pancakes when the bottoms are golden brown. Serve with maple syrup.
Of course, that leaves us with an extra cup of pumpkin puree in the can. Rather than let it go to waste, we bake pumpkin bread. This recipe is a convert from a regular flour recipe my husband wanted to try one day. I told him that I wanted him to make pumpkin bread that I could eat, too. So, we sat down and made some changes. Success! It doesn’t get dry (a downfall of a number of gluten free bread recipes). We brought it to a church potluck brunch a few weeks ago, and there were no leftovers. The non-gluten free people liked it, too, apparently. We’ve baked it as loaves in the oven or in the bread machine. It works well either way.

GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN GINGER BREAD
1-1/2 cups sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/3 cup water
½ can pumpkin puree
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1-3/4 cups gluten free flour
¾ tsp. xanthan gum (if it isn’t already included in your GF flour mix
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
3/8 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9”x5” loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil and eggs until smooth. Blend in the water. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, xanthan gum (if not already in the flour mix), soda, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and just until all the ingredients are mixed. Divide the batter between the prepared pans or pour the batter into the bread machine pan. Bake four one hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.