The annual what-to-do-with-all-this-extra-pumpkin-puree" question

We started our weekend cooking up our Luna pumpkin. We pureed the sucker and made our two pies. Next we roasted our seeds. Now what? We made the worlds most yummy chocolate chip pumpkin bread, six loaves to be exact! Believe it or not we still had puree leftover from our lone pumpkin. So. We had a lovely dinner of creamy pumpkin soup and hearty bread. Wow what you can make with just one pumpkin!

Here are those recipes. Enjoy.

Completely Yummy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups white sugar
• 15 ounce pumpkin puree
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Deliciously Creamy Pumpkin Soup

    Ingredients

   • 3 tablespoons margarine, softened
   • 1/4 cup brown sugar
   • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   • 4 slices whole wheat bread
   • 1 cup chopped onion
   • 4 minced garlic cloves
     
   • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
   • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
   • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
   • 1 teaspoon salt
   • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
   • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
   • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

   Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F(200 degrees C). Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread butter mixture evenly over one side of each bread slice. Place bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until bread is crisp and topping is bubbly. Cut each slice of bread into 8 small triangles or squares.
   2. Saute onion in butter in a medium saucepan until tender. Add 1 can chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
   3. Transfer broth mixture into the container of a blender or processor. Process until smooth.
   4. Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground pepper; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally..
   5. Stir in whipping cream and heat through. Do not boil. Ladle into individual soup bowls. Top each serving with Cinnamon Croutons. (we just dip a hearty bread....have never tried the croutons)
      
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Good Ol' Banana Nut Bread....the great steady

In normal households people use the bananas that have been fully ripened, that aren't so pretty any longer for this recipe. Not a possibility in this house. As this picture indicates, I had to mark our bananas "don't eat me" insuring the successful ripening to sweet perfection. Yes food disappears fast with two teens under one roof. We made four loaves of this yummy staple. Enjoy... the recipe follows.

Gotta love it Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. oil
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• 2-3 bananas (ripe)
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Beat oil and sugar. Add eggs and bananas; mix well. Mix together dry ingredients, then add to wet mix. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add nuts if desired.
2. For a sweet change substitute 6 ounces of chocolate chips for nuts - the kids love it!
3. Pour into greased floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let cool and wrap in saran wrap or foil. Tastes even better the next day.

TAKE TIME

Take time to think –  thoughts are the source of power.

Take time to play –  play is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to read –  reading is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to pray –  prayer can be a rock of strength in time of need.

Take time to love – loving is what makes living worthwhile.

Take time to be friendly – friendships give life a delicious flavor.

Take time to laugh – laughter is the music of the soul.

Take time to give – sharing brings joy to your heart.

Take time to work – work is the price of success.

Take time to dream – dreams show you what is possible.

Take time to do your work well – pride in your work nourishes the mind and the spirit.

Take time to show appreciation – it's the frosting on the cake of life.

This poem is based on an old English prayer adapted from a Bible scripture (Eccl 3:1), and the original author of this version is unknown.

The Serenity Prayer

"Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference"-.Reinhold Niebuhr

"They say happy parents make for happy children. So go ahead, be the mature one, set the mood"-unknown

"There is a joy in the journey, there's a light we can love on the way. There's a wonder and wildness to life, and freedom for those who obey......." Michael Card