Pumpkin Bread

So....Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Just a little PSA in case you forgot. And of course, Thanksgiving is the holiday of all things turkey. And cranberry. And sweet potato. And pumpkin. Maybe pumpkin pie isn't your thing. {Texture issues, anyone??} But maybe you do love the pumpkin flavor, and you need something different to try to get your pumpkin flavor without the texture issues.

If so, I'd like you to meet pumpkin bread.

It's the perfect side dish. Or dessert. Or breakfast. Or appetizer. Or snack. Or gift.

Also, don't you hate it when you get ready to make pumpkin anything, and you realize you are out of pumpkin pie spice? And let's face it: this close to a major eating holiday, you do not want to drive to the store park on the back forty, traipse inside to the back of the store, and stand in a 30 minute line to buy the tiniest bottle ever of high-priced spice. You just don't.

That's why today's recipe is a two-for-one special. Delicious bread and how to make your own pumpkin pie spice.

I have blogged about the pumpkin bread before, but I thought it was time to update the pictures and make it a little more Shafferland-y, and this time, I'm adding the spice recipe, too.

I made this a couple of weeks ago for Ryan's work buddies. I took brunch to the hospital for all of them, and this was the "dessert" of the brunch. They cleaned it right up! It's delicious when warm with some butter melted on top. And while we're talking about butter, I should forewarn you that this is NOT one of my healthy dishes. This is just a good comfort food that should be eaten in great moderation. :) Sometimes fall just requires a good comfort dish void of a calorie count. Amen?

Pumpkin Bread
 * 3 cups sugar
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 4 eggs
* 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
* 3 1/2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see below)
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 cup water
In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water. Pour into two well-sprayed loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cut into slices, serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Spice

* 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix well and store in an airtight container.

A Few Tips:

* Again, yes, I know this is not anywhere NEAR clean eating. Yes, I know you could find a healthier version. But this one is delicious, and every now and then a girl just needs comfort sweet bread.

* You could try subbing some baking Splenda for some of the sugar, but I will tell you that I made some zucchini bread not long ago, where I did just that, and after a couple of days, the bread was bitter and terrible. It tasted great when it was first baked. So experiment at your own risk!

* You could also try swapping out some of the oil for applesauce, but I haven't tried that, so I don't know how much it would alter the taste or texture.

* I did use brown eggs and wheat flour. Does that even really matter with that much oil, egg, and sugar? Probably not, but let me live in my delusion.

* I really do love to make up several loaves of quick bread and keep them in the freezer for times when I need a last minute snack or dessert for something - or a gift for someone.

* Ryan loves quick bread for a snack or for breakfast, so I try to make some for him now and then, since he's so good to be a great sport about all the clean eating dishes every other day of the week.

* I found a little container at the dollar store that is about the size of a spice container, and I use that to store whatever leftover spice mix I have. You could also use an old pumpkin pie spice container if you have one.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Last January, when we were faced with Snowmageddon, I decided I did not want to be stuck in my house with nothing to eat. (Leave it to me to think of food before...say...heat!) I didn't have much time to prepare, so I had to work with what I had on hand...and the winner was a recipe I found online for pumpkin spice bread.

I figured it would make a great breakfast and snack, plus it made my house smell AMAZING when it came out of the oven. This was definitely a keeper recipe, and I made a fresh batch of it this week to serve when Rachel came over for the Grey's Anatomy premiere. In the spirit of fall, I thought I'd share it with you! (This also makes a great gift if you're of the persuasion to give kitchen presents!) I've modified it slightly from the original, but here you go!

The Recipe
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup water
In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water. Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack; cool completely.
My can of pumpkin is a 30 ounce can, so I just saved the other half for the next round!

Eggs, oil, and sugar in a bowl. Hey, people, I never said it was low-fat.
Hand mixing works fine. (I don't have a fancy pants mixer, so I always love a good recipe that can be mixed by hand!)

Not attractive, but the pumpkin is added...
Much better once it's all stirred...

Dry ingredients mixed in a separate bowl.

It gets thicker after the dry ingredients go in, but it's still a fairly runny batter.

Pour in (well greased) pans.

It smells AMAZING while baking.

Enjoy warm. Oh goodness. Happiness on a plate.

Happy fall!!

Zucchini Bread

Ahhh a recipe. Did you think I remodeled the house and removed the kitchen? It would have been a logical guess. One of the...side effects?...of this spiritual and emotional desert I've been in lately has been the complete lack of desire to eat and along with it, therefore, the lack of desire (or need) to cook. I've made a lovely diet of apple cinnamon cheerios, salad, and single serving cups of macaroni and cheese. And water. Lots of water.

But this week I needed some zucchini bread. So I broke out the sadly neglected measuring cups and spoons, sifted through the ingredients in the cabinet, and found that much like riding a bike, I haven't forgotten how to cook.

This recipe is my Mom's. We had a garden when I was growing up. I hated that thing. It was my job to help weed (ick) and shuck corn (double ick) and snap green beans (triple ick)...and I have determined that unless it becomes financially necessary or God gives me a complete change of heart, I will never garden.

But because of our garden, we did occasionally get fun treats - like zucchini bread! So when I moved out on my own and found myself the recipient of some zucchini, I asked Mom for her recipe. I love the way this makes my house smell as it bakes, I love the way it tastes warm out of the oven with butter melted on it, and I love the way it makes me not scramble around for breakfast ideas! Or snacks! Or dessert! A three way food!

The Recipe

1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups grated zucchini (liquid too)

Mix together oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour into 2 greased bread pans. Bake at 350 for one hour.


Please note that the zucchini - to the far right - could audition for a villain on Veggie Tales. The friend of my Mom's who gives me zucchini these days grows MONSTER size zucchini! I call them zucchini on steroids, but please rest assured they are not actually on steroids.

You thought I was kidding, didn't you! This is my least favorite part of the process. I start by cutting the zucchini into chunks and removing the pumpkin-sized seeds and surrounding guts.

Then they look much prettier. I cut them down a little more if the pieces are very big.

Then I put them in the blender with just a little bit of water in the bottom. This becomes the most frustrating part. It probably would go better if I had a food processor, but I don't. And while my blender is pretty good, it's not quite good enough to make me love this.

I spend the better part of a long time doing this step. Grate, stop, stir, grate, stop, stir, grate stop, stir, vow to never do this again.

At long last it starts to look like this, which is nasty looking, but remember - work in progress.

I just keep a bowl there and add to it until the monstrosity of a zucchini is done.

I could make 400 loaves (okay, slight exaggeration) on what comes out of one zucchini, so I do this which later, I'm so happy about! I measure out single cup-size servings of zucchini, put them in plastic bags, and freeze them. Then, say, come January, when I want fresh, warm zucchini bread, I don't have to stress about whether or not I can find a zucchini in this town. I just thaw a couple of bags of it...and I'm all set!

Whether on the spot, or later, when it's time to make the actual bread, I start by putting the oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl. Yes, I do realize the sugar has taken on a questionable and somewhat amusing shape. This did not occur to me when I took the picture. But I always try to put the cups (HA!) in separate areas so I remember how many I've put in. I learned this the hard way when I mis-measured some flour in chocolate chip cookies once.

Much less offensive after it's stirred up, right?

Then I add all the dry ingredients. See? Told you I put them all in different piles!

Stir again - which ends up in nasty looking substance number two. (HA!) It will be very thick.

Add the zucchini....

...Stir...

Pour into greased pans. Very important that they're greased!

Bake (and enjoy the lovely aroma...) When they come out of the oven, I let them cool for a few minutes and then I run a knife around the edges, turn them over, and PRAY.

And if I'm lucky.....

....They don't break!

Dressing/Stuffing

I was never a big fan of stuffing growing up. It's rare that I didn't like something made by any of the great cooks in our family, but I did not like stuffing on Thanksgiving. Then I made it to college and I learned about Stovetop. I decided stuffing wasn't so bad. I hadn't known there were multiple versions of stuffing - some dry and some very..well...soggy. Apparently in our family, soggy stuffing was the creation of choice. And I didn't know that I preferred the dry version until I found out about the Stovetop thing.

And then I found out about this recipe. The guy I dated in college has an older sister and for the time that he and I were together - and even several years after - she and I were very close. We were both single and enjoyed doing crafts and shopping and watching chick flicks, so we spent a lot of time together. One year on Thanksgiving, she was alone, so she told me she wanted to make her favorite stuffing. A huge batch of it. And that was going to be Thanksgiving dinner. So after I finished spending time with my family, I headed over to her apartment for movies and stuffing. And ever since, this has been the only kind I'll eat.

Recipe:

1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup finely minced onion
4 cups coarse or fine bread crumbs or cubes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
poultry seasoning to taste.

Melt butter in large skillet. Add onion and cook until yellow, stirring occasionally. Stir in bread crumbs. Keep stirring to keep bread from burning. Transfer into a large bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake for 20-30 minutes before serving.


I forgot to put the thyme and poultry seasoning in the picture. WOOPS! So... ** not pictured: thyme and poultry seasoning. **

I don't even bother cutting the bread. I just rip it and put it in this four cup measuring cup. I do pack it down pretty tightly. The more carbs, the merrier!

I bought a whole thing of celery for this one stalk. Sigh.

I know, I know...shocking that the girl who cheats and uses minced onion for everything would actually cut up an onion for this recipe! But this one is all manual labor for me. Ordinarily I'd use my food chopper but it was in the dishwasher from making broccoli salad.

I use real butter. Paula Deen would be proud.

I cook the onion until it's pretty tender.

When I add the bread cubes, I try to spread them evenly and stir them quickly so they get equal amounts of butter on them.

After a few moments, they look a little more like this. (Note - I used wheat bread because that's what I buy these days, but it works fine with white bread too.)

I put mine in a 2 quart baking dish, but something smaller would have worked fine. This just had a serving basked I could use. Add the celery, thyme, sage, salt, pepper and sprinkle of poultry seasoning.

After baking...looks pretty much the same. And it is SO YUMMY.

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

You thought I forgot about recipes, didn't you? I didn't - I just haven't made much lately...at least much that I haven't already posted! But we had a birthday in the office this week and that gave me the chance to make something I've not posted!

As previously stated, I'm not really a morning person, so carry-ins of the breakfast hour are always a challenge for me. Mom gave me this recipe, which she got from a substitute teacher at the school where she worked for many years. Now you know you have a good sub when she's willing to pitch in on work carry-ins! :)

This is a great meal to make because it truly can be assembled in less than ten minutes...the night before! All you have to do is remember to bake it in the morning! I've taken this to church and work and it gets rave reviews. Love rave reviews on easy stuff!!

Recipe:
2 loaves frozen bread dough - thawed
1 box butterscotch pudding - NOT INSTANT
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon

Slice each loaf of bread into ten slices and arrange in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over all slices. Melt butter and mix with brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread over each roll. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered, the next day at 350 for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

I used Rhoades white bread dough because...it's the only bread dough I can find in the Wal Mart. The packages I buy come with 3 loaves, so I use 2 and keep the third for the next time. I have found that if I keep it too long, it doesn't raise (rise?) correctly. This was especially embarrassing the time I made it for work and had one old loaf and one new loaf, so half my pan was high and fluffy and the other half sat like little hockey pucks. Attractive.

I am not sure I would like this recipe in anything but white dough. I don't even know if you can buy frozen wheat dough, but I'm just saying....

Very important to remember to take the bread dough out so it can thaw! I usually cut the dough down the center and then cut each half into five slices. I score it first so if i mess up, I can re-measure before actually cutting.

The dough will come together as it bakes, so it's okay if the slices aren't all smashed up next to each other. They will be eventually.

Make sure you buy the cook and serve kind of pudding, not instant. That's the only reason I had name brand. :) I just sprinkle it liberally over each slice. It's okay if some goes down in between the pieces, but I try to get as much as I can directly on the bread. There's more pudding than you'd think in those little boxes, so you'll have a nice little pile of powder on each one.

Like I said....there's a lot in there!

I cut my butter up into cubes and melt it in the microwave. If you're speeding through it, just melt the butter while you're cutting the bread or sprinkling the pudding.

Add the brown sugar and cinnamon right to the bowl.

You'll find that the mixture is pretty thick - because you have as much sugar in there as you have butter. I've made this with real butter and with margarine and both work well.

I just kind of spoon the mixture over it - again, trying to hit the tops of the bread slices as much as I can, but it will kind of leak down into the pan as well, and that is fine.

This is what it will look like the next morning after it has refrigerated all night. No it's not mold...it's pudding powder that didn't get covered with the butter mixture.

And here is the fully baked version! So yummy! I think it warms over pretty well for leftovers, but it's definitely best straight out of the oven.