Okay, it’s not THIS cold here in Las Vegas.  I’m bundled up in my coziest fleece robe and an afghan. I think I’ll stay indoors today.  Got more Christmas decorating to do.  Need to find the Nativity Set and put the baby Jesus in the manger next to Joseph, Mary and the Three Wise Men.  I’ve got mistletoe to hang in a doorway so I can catch extra kisses from my husband.  I’ve got Mexican chocolate rounds to make Hot Chocolate.  I’ve got Christmas music to play.  I can gaze at the tree and the tiny white lights while I blow my nose.

I’ll have leftover Italian Wedding Soup later for lunch. Take a nap. Maybe even wrap Christmas gifts. They’re under the tree unwrapped right now.

When I woke up earlier this morning I reached in the frig to get my low-fat milk for my tea.  What caught my eye was the ruby red Cranberry Sauce leftover from Thanksgiving last week.  I make homemade cranberry sauce and it’s really good – but most people take just a tablespoon or so, like a condiment. So there’s always leftovers.

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You know you want ‘em. So why not surrender to the siren song of pumpkin and the glory of autumn spices?

This time of year I make Pumpkin Pancakes almost every weekend. Well, until pumpkin no longer shows up on the store shelves after the holidays.  These pancakes just feel and taste extra special this time of year.

The bonus is you’re enjoying the flavors of the season without a ton of extra fat and calories.  After all, if you were going to make pancakes anyway for breakfast – these don’t add a lot of fat and calories like an extra dessert or a few cookies.

Pumpkin is a fat-free vegetable and doesn’t contain a lot of calories. Spices add layers of flavor without calories.  Yes, there’s a little extra sugar in this recipe.  Brown sugar to be exact. But you’ll probably end up using less maple syrup at the end as a result.

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And I’ve worked pretty hard all week.

Between getting this blog going and operating my regular business it’s the weekend and I couldn’t be happier.

My husband Ernie took off a couple hours ago.  He’s on his way to Southern California to see our grandkids play soccer and flag football.  I went with him on a similar weekend two weeks ago.

He is 65 and semi-retired.  I am 52 and definitely not retired.

He’ll be back home Sunday late in the afternoon.  We gave each other warm hugs and kisses when he left and now I’m on my own for two days.

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