I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth.
Just been busy…with birthday #2. Which means, banner #2,
and scavenger hunt #2. (Plus, cakes #3 and #4, and treats for class #2.)
And then came building kits for the Brownie scrapbook project. Super fun. (Super time consuming.) I’ll share more details on this in January…it’s coming together very cute thanks to all your fabulous suggestions!
And then came the annual Brownie secret sister deoupage box.
Added to that is Christmas shopping, getting and decorating the tree, a two day snow storm (super fun!), a bit of baking, an ice storm / day off of school, making a scrapbook as a Christmas gift, getting ready for my Mom’s visit, menu planning / shopping for our annual progessive dinner, plus, there’s that thing called simplify 101 to keep me busy, too. So on and on the list goes. But it’s a super fun list. I realize I like being busy…especially when I like the stuff I’m busy with. I hope you’re feeling the same way and are enjoying the holiday prep.
So in a nutshell, (for those of you who are into nutshells) I’m alive, I’m well, and I’m having a great time…just have little time left for blogging. But alas, January is on it’s way.
So enough about me, here’s something for you. I have a receipe I’ve been wanting to share for a while. (I promised it a while back to Stacy T., who was sweet enough to check in on me yesterday.) It’s my Mom’s pumpkin bread which I love to make around the holidays. I usually look at baking as one of those things to do on a weekend. I turn it into an “event” so to speak, which can make it fun, but it can also make me put it off until I have a whole day, which rarely ever comes. Why is that? Do you have things like that, too, that just seem bigger than they really are? (Or is it just me?)
Anyway, I made this on a week night, a few weeks ago. And in doing so, I realized two things:
1) Baking isn’t a big deal. I should do it more often.
2) I’m no food photographer. Thus, you’ll have to use your imagination on how this bread looks. But take my word for it, it’s yummy. And isn’t pumpkin a super-food?
OK…enough rambling. Here’s the recipe. Enjoy! Oh, and feel free to share a holiday recipe or two of your own. I love trying new recipes…as do others who read this blog. So (in all your spare time, ha ha) post a recipe or a link to your blog with a favorite festive treat. Thanks!
PUMPKIN BREAD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1-3/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts
Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices. In a sparate bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar. Add 2 eggs. Mix until fluffy.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix.
Add 1/2 of the pumpkin. Mix.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix.
Add 1/2 of the pumpkin. Mix.
Add the rest of the flour mixture. Mix.
Add chocolate chips and half of the nuts. Pour in loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 75 minues, or until knife inserted into bread comes is dry.
Enjoy!
the pumpkin recipe sounds yummy! thanks for sharing.
I so know what you mean about making something seem so huge you never get the “full” time needed to complete the project. Then you do it…and poof! like magic, it’s not nearly as big in reality as it was in my head. My head…a scary place to be, especially this time of year! Museums, presents, trees, traveling, kids that LOVE the excitement, but are so excited that they can’t settle down…I’m like you. I enjoy being busy with stuff that makes a difference in others lives. Blessings for a great Christmas and Happy New Year! t
Thanks for the pumpkin recipe – you’re the best. Looking forward to trying it upon my return from Maine. Which reminds me, I should be packing instead of reading blogs. Thanks again and Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Aby! Here’s my favorite cookie recipe, one because it’s easy, two because everyone THINKS it’s hard to make, but it’s really easy, and three because I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t love them (of course, they probably wouldn’t tell me, but that’s another story.) Here you go:
Peanut Butter Cup Tarts
1 roll refrigerated Peanut Butter Cookie Dough (don’t buy the store brand, it’s icky!)
36 mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, wrappers removed
Preheat oven to 350. Cut Peanut Butter Cookie Dough in 1 inch slices then cut each slice into 4 pieces. Put each piece into a greased mini muffin cup. Cook for 8 minutes (not any longer even though they will look like they need to cook longer because your cookies will come out too hard. (I like soft, chewy cookies…if you like the hard crunchy kind, let them cook for 10 minutes.) Remove from oven and immediately push a Reeses candy into each cookie. The cookie will deflate and form a tart shell around the candy. Put the pan into the refrigerator until the tops of the candies are no longer glossy. Pop each cookie out with a knife. (Sometimes you have to go around the outside of the cookie with the knife, but usually they just pop right out.)
I like to put mine in cute little mini muffin cup papers after they are cooked so they look fancier than just a roll of cookie dough and some candy!
Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas Aby and family!!! Take the week off and spend the time with your family!
Ann