Pumpkin May I?

Hey!  It's Monday...again.  And the first Monday after the time change.  I don't have a problem with the Fall Back time change, but my kids must've missed out on the memo because one was up at 4:45 and the other was up by 5:15.  It is nice to drive in to work with some sunlight, though.  But that also means it'll be dark by the time I get home.  *sigh*  Why can't we be cool like Arizona and just not "observe" the time change?

In case you haven't noticed, I like pumpkin.  I make as many things with pumpkin as possible during the Fall and Winter.  In fact, one of the docs I work with brought me two HUGE containers of fresh pumpkin puree that he whipped up at home.  Perfect!!  I suppose I could make pumpkin stuffs throughout the year, but I think it would take away from some of the specialness of the recipes if I did that.  So, buckle yourself in because I'm throwin another pumpkin recipe at ya! I found this recipe off Allrecipes while searching "pumpkin". 


Pumpkin Gingerbread
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. 

In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice cinnamon, and clove.

In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans. 

Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.


NOTES:  I didn't change any of the ingredients of this recipe.  Wait.  No, I lied.  I forgot that instead of using 3 cups of sugar, I used 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1/12 cups of packed brown sugar, as per some of the recommendations on Allrecipes.  *duh*  It easily makes two regular loaves of bread.  I don't have two loaf pans, so I did one regular loaf and then poured the rest in a greased 9x9 baking pan.  It didn't rise quite as much as the regular loaf pan, but it tasted just as good!

Look at all those ingredients!!  The spices weren't too overpowering and you could taste both the pumpkin and the gingerbread.

I made this Halloween afternoon - it made the house smell so good!  If I could bottle that scent, I'd make a million bucks.

As soon as the loaf cooled off enough to take a taste, I cut out a big chunk for all of us to try.  Nate could take it or leave it, but everybody else loved it. 

I saved the loaf for us and then made two plates - one for my MIL and one for the office.  The one at the office was devoured by the end of the morning and I know the boys got more than their fair share at grandma's house.

So, I have all this pureed pumpkin waiting for me in the freezer here at work.  I have a feeling it'll be way more than I need.  Do you have a specific pumpkin recipe you'd like to see me try?  Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe that I could have?  Gimme, gimme, gimme!  LOL

Have a great rest of you Monday.  I don't have anything exciting planned for the rest of my day, but I know I can look forward to a cranky car ride home courtesy of my two boys (thank you time change).  I'm not really complaining.  Really.