snowed in

There’s something magical about the first REAL snowfall of the season.  

Every year, no matter what my feelings are about driving in snow, leaving my house in snow, or the downright coldness of snow, I always look forward to it.

In fact, I always wake up in the middle of the night – and if snow is forecasted, I’ll look out the window… just in case, hoping it has made its way to the ground.

I always feel like a child when I look out my back window and see my yard filled with the fresh white snow.

I often rush through life – and being snowed in is quite possibly the best thing for me.

It forces me to slow down, appreciate rest, and to live in the moment.

Of course, it also forces me to spend some quality time in the kitchen. 

You’ll be happy to know I finally switched it up in the kitchen today. Yesterday afternoon after school, I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up some baking supplies… just in case.

I also picked up my very first bottled of un-sulphured, organic molasses. With this, I bring you Pumpkin Spice Molasses Oatmeal – inspired by Holly’s cookies (which I am so making today).

Pumpkin Spice Molasses Oatmeal with Grilled Bananas

• 1/3 cup gluten free oats
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. molasses
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Topping:

• 1/2 ripened banana, sliced down the middle (lengthwise)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter

Gather your supplies – and take a photo of the lineup (and mention the cute picture of your husband and yourself hiding behind the ingredients).

Warily determine that it’s okay you bought a different kind of peanut butter – (verdict? Delicious.)

Bring your oats, milk, water, and vanilla to a rapid boil in a small sauce pan. Stir frequently and add your pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and molasses to the mix. Stir until pumpkin is incorporated.

Meanwhile, Preheat a greased skillet and place your banana slices facedown in the skillet, Sprinkle the first side with cinnamon. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, flip, and sprinkle other side with cinnamon. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

Plate it up!

I never knew how much I liked molasses – it gives the oatmeal a “gingerbread” feel, without adding too much sweetness.

Blogging behind the scenes….

On the agenda today:

• Holly’s Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
• Mama Pea’s Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Balls
• Sugar cookies for the Husband
• Perhaps a workout in the form of playing in the snow with my niece and nephew

Question: What’s your favorite part about the snow? OR If you don’t live near snow, have you ever been in it? I love looking at the snow – and playing in it… but I hate the cold and I hate driving in it even more!

Tagged as: baking, first snowfall, grilled bananas, oatmeal, pictures of snow, pumpkin molasses oatmeal, snowed in, winter scenes