Do you remember when you were in school that teachers would say “I was just trying to see whether you were paying attention” when they made mistakes? Well, when last week's recipe for Vegetarian Chili included 14 teaspoons of cayenne pepper in the ingredient list, I was just seeing how many readers were paying attention!

It should have listed 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (what a difference a forward slash makes). If you saved the recipe, be sure to make this correction.

Adding a little seasoning to vegetables makes them more appealing. Here are some other ways to make vegetables more interesting:

Add toppings. Sprinkle cooked vegetables with grated cheese, chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds or chopped red onion.

Make soup. Add leftover vegetables to canned or homemade soup.

Glorify rice. Stir in chopped broccoli, peas or onion when cooking rice.

Add a splash of sauce. Toss cooked vegetables with stir fry sauce or Italian dressing.

Garnish an entree. Add red or green pepper rings or sliced tomato to the plate.

Stuff a vegetable. Fill a large tomato with tuna or chicken salad or make stuffed peppers.

Make stew. Carrots, celery, onions, peas and potatoes combine well with beef, pork or chicken in a slow cooker for a one-dish meal.

Double dip. Use salsa or a spinach dip with raw vegetables.

Stir fry. Buy pre-cut fresh or frozen vegetables and cook in a frying pan or wok with a little oil.

Make bruschetta. Top sliced toasted Italian bread with diced tomatoes, garlic and a sprinkling of olive oil.

Top pizza. Add peppers, onions, broccoli and spinach to homemade, takeout or frozen pizza.

Wrap it. Fill a tortilla with a little meat or cheese and a variety of chopped raw vegetables.

Shred it. Shred carrots or zucchini and add to meatloaf, casseroles and salads.

Don't miss out on the variety of fresh vegetables available now at farmers markets in Cayuga County. Join Cornell Cooperative Extension in a celebration of Customer Appreciation Day at the Auburn Farmers Market Thursday, Sept. 25, when Becky Crawford will be serving the apple cinnamon pancake recipe with apple butter to all customers.

Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator with the Eat Smart NY program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Makes about 20 4-inch pancakes

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

6 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

3 tablespoons oil

2 cups skim milk (or more for thinner pancakes)

2 cups chopped apple (about 2 large apples, peeled if desired)

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat egg. Add oil and beat. Stir in milk. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and stir until moistened (don't beat). Stir in chopped apple. Spray griddle with cooking spray and heat to 375 degrees. Pour batter in 1/4 cup portions on hot griddle. Turn when bubbly on top. When browned on both sides, serve hot with syrup, honey or apple butter.