Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Oh yum!...this is a favorite recipe!  I don't remember where I got it, but it's probably another one that I came across, and just had to try!

 It's been published in the  (drum roll please)...

American Profile "Hometown Recipes for the Holidays" cookbook -

right across the page from my Poppyseed Bread recipe too. *-*  Pretty doggone exciting!

I think the cloves and the chocolate are an excellent combination.  The bread can be made ahead and frozen to help you get ready for Christmas, if you don't have time to make it for Thanksgiving!

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BREAD

1 cup packed (dark) brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 eggs

1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin

1/2 cup milk or water

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

2-1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 5 - 6 " X 3" mini loaf pans, or 3 medium ones.  Combine the sugars, butter and eggs in a large bowl.  Using a mixer at medium-high speed, beat until creamy.  Add the pumpkin, milk, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves and beat at low speed until smooth.  Stir in the flour just until blended.  Fold in the chips.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake 35 - 40 minutes (A little longer if using bigger pans) or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.  Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

(I don't like dry bread either, so I usually begin checking it 10 minutes before time is up)

Hint - I don't normally have dark brown sugar, but you can use light brown, and just add 1 Tb. of molasses to substitute for the dark brown.

Linked to...

Meal Plan Monday

Spicy Pumpkin Pancakes

I love to get pumpkin pancakes when eating out during this season of the year, so I was tickled to find this recipe to satisfy my craving at home. Hope you enjoy every bite!

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

1 cup all purpose flour
3 Tb. brown sugar (lt. or dk.)
2 Tb. baking powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
4 tsp. margarine, melted
1/3 cup pumpkin puree (or solid pack pumpkin)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice into a large mixing bowl; set aside. Separate eggs. Stiffly beat the egg whites. Combine, in a separate bowl - milk, margarine, slightly beaten egg yolks, pumpkin and vanilla.  Add to sifted dry ingredients.  Stir, by hand with a spoon, only to combine and moisten dry ingredients.  Fold egg whites into mixture, but do not try to incorporate completely. Heat griddle to 380 degrees.  Grease griddle as needed and cook pancakes according to preferred size.  Turn when bubbles appear on top and begin to dry. Turn only once and complete the cooking process. Serve with warm maple syrup or powdered sugar.

A friend just shared this creation with me so I'm passing it along. I haven't tried it yet, but I trust her recommendation...

JOANNE'S EASY PUMPKIN PIE PANCAKES

3 cups Aunt Jemima pancake mix
1 Tb. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 Tb. brown sugar 
1 cup pumpkin
water
chopped pecans

Mix dry ingredients together, then in a separate bowl, blend pumpkin with 1/2 cup water before stirring into pancake mixture. Add more water until it reaches the right consistency for pancakes. Before flipping pancakes to other side, sprinkle with chopped pecans. Serve with warmed maple syrup.

Yum-Pum-Pum Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

I prefer crispy cookies, but these are my all time favorite soft cookie. Very easy to make and oh-so yummy! Try 'em...you'll like 'em. 

Top them with browned butter frosting???  Yes please!

                                                                                               

PUMPKIN COOKIES

1 cup shortening (Crisco)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream together shortening and sugar; add pumpkin and beaten egg.  Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Bake at 400 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes. Frost when cool.

Browned Butter Frosting:

Heat 1/2 cup butter until golden brown.  Stir in 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Stir in 2 - 4 Tbs. hot water until spreading consistency.

These are great with cream cheese frosting also.

Linked to Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight
       Gooseberry Patch Roundup
Recipe of the Week
     Ingredient Spotlight - Pumpkin

Make Ahead Meals With Taco Meat

I know some of you women are working outside the home, and it always feels good when you can get a few things done ahead for dinner. This is one of those ideas that can help you prepare some simple-to-throw-together meals.

TACO MEAT

2 - 2/1-2 # ground beef
1 - 2 pkg. taco seasoning, according to taste
1/3 cup water

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef.  Break up the larger pieces with your wooden spoon and stir occasionally until no longer pink.  Drain - place back in skillet and stir in the seasoning.  Add the water and let it simmer a few minutes until liquid has evaporated.

When meat has cooled, place it in a container and refrigerate, or divide into 2 or 3 labeled freezer bags for use later. It can be frozen up to 3 months.  When ready to use - defrost in the microwave and heat through for a quick meal.

TACOS

10-12 flour tortillas (taco size)
1 tomato, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
lettuce, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ozs. sour cream
To make the tortillas more pliable, place the stack of tortillas between damp paper towels and place in the microwave for 10 - 20 seconds on high.  Fill each tortilla with meat mixture and your favorite toppings.

(I love tacos with a crunch, and love to use the hard shell inside the soft shell, for easier eating).

TACO SALAD

1 head of lettuce, torn into pieces
5 plum tomatoes, diced
8 ozs. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 - 12 oz. bag nacho cheese or taco Doritos, crumbled
Catalina dressing
Prepare tomatoes, lettuce and cheese a day ahead. (Don't use a knife to cut the lettuce - the edges will turn brown). Cover and store in refrigerator.  You may heat the meat a little, but not too much, because it will wilt the lettuce if added to the salad when it's hot. Yield 8 - 10 servings

I recommend keeping everything separate - once you mix the tomatoes, lettuce, cheese & chips together, the leftover salad does not keep well.

Enjoy!

Clearance & Bargains & Sales - OH MY!

I just LOVE my sales and bargains - one of my biggest 'kicks' in having to spend $$. (Or is it having $$ to spend?=) Just wanted to share some extra special things God has blessed me with recently. 

I shop at my local grocery store weekly, and buy mostly sale items and stock up that way.  They have recently begun printing out, not only coupon savings, but the savings on sale items as well, so I've really been thrilled over my savings.

This is what they've looked like the last couple of weeks....

I paid out $19.23 & saved $12.20.

Last week I paid out $19.63 and saved $16.13!

MY OH MY!

I had a 'mental health' day last week and got to spend the day away with a dear friend.  We shopped til we dropped and got lots of great deals then too.

I love Kohl's stores - their clearance racks are sensational!  Since neither of us had a coupon to take in with us, I decided to open a charge account, because they were giving 15% off when you do.  I did all my shopping at the clearance racks - plus the new cashier 'accidently' gave me a double discount...another 15% senior discount.  (Only to be told AFTER she rang me up, that they don't double discount...but since she had already given them both to me...well, OK. -Thank you Lord!) 

My receipt says I spent $66 & saved $255!  IT DOESN'T GET TOO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT NOW DOES IT???



I praise the Lord for all the smiles & sunshine He sends my way - these last couple of weeks have been very trying for me, so these special deals are very meaningful and uplifting. No doubt - heavenly gifts to me at this time in my life.