Posted on No Comments on My Favorite Pumpkin Bread

My Favorite Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread Closeup

Sing it with me now: “It’s beginning to look a lot like…Fall.” It’s still Fall. We may be starting to sneak a little bit of Christmas music and books into the house, but there are still a couple weeks of it being socially acceptable to have pumpkin fever. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin brownies, and a couple more loaves of this pumpkin bread are all on the menu before we jump into the official Christmas season.

The pumpkin spice crazy is out of control these days. The grocery store shelves are lined with fake pumpkin spice everything. Cookies, cereal, crackers, candy, pop-tarts…even milk. Milk! It’s pumpkin spice insanity. I don’t know about all the artificially flavored pumpkin, but there’s nothing like going back to the basics with a classic pumpkin bread. The original pumpkin spice. This pumpkin bread is practically perfect in every way. I have a feeling that we’ll be making this bread for many years to come.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (if you have an Aldi near you, it’s by far the best price I’ve found)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Pumpkin Bread Loaf

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray loaf pans generously with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl or Kitchenaid stand mixer, thoroughly mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
  4. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until blended (be careful not to overmix).
  5. Pour into the prepared pans.
  6. Bake for about 35-45 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Bread Slice

Recipe adapted from All Recipes

Posted on No Comments on Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Homemade Banana Bread

Does anyone else get a little excited when they see the last couple of bananas from the bunch that’s been sitting on the counter start to turn black? No? Some may see more food that they have to trash because their family didn’t finish eating it, but I choose to see the potential in those sad looking bananas that have lost their bright color…I see a delicious loaf of homemade chocolate chip banana bread. Mmm….

Banana bread is seriously one of the best comfort foods. Most of my personal favorite comfort foods are more savory than sweet, but banana bread is one of the exceptions. There’s just something so cozy about it. That’s weird. Food isn’t supposed to be cozy, but grab a slice of warm banana bread and I just feel like snuggling under a warm, fuzzy blanket while I enjoy it. It may not have pumpkin in it, but it’s perfect for cool weather.

Banana Bread Slice

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 3-4 medium-sized overripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or regular if that’s what you have)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Cream butter and brown sugar together.
  4. Mix in eggs, adding them one at a time.
  5. Add mashed bananas and mix until well blended.
  6. Stir in baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour one cup at a time. Be careful not to over mix.
  7. Add in mini chocolate chips and give the batter a final stir to incorporate.
  8. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until browned on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan to slice and enjoy.

    Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Posted on No Comments on Resurrection Rolls for Easter

Resurrection Rolls for Easter

Easter Resurrection Rolls

We have been talking a lot lately about what fun Easter traditions we could start that are more focused on Christ. Don’t get me wrong, we love bunnies, baby chicks, and eggs…but we would still like to have a couple of Savior-centric traditions for our kids to enjoy each year.

These Resurrection Rolls were right up our alley. We decided to do a test run this year and really enjoyed making these as a family and talking about what they represent. What a great family activity to tie in with the Scriptures. Happy Easter!

Ingredients:

  • 1 10 oz. can refrigerated crescent rolls
  • 8 large marshmallows
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2 Tbs ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tbs white sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a Silpat non-stick baking mat on your baking sheet or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
  4. Dip a marshmallow into melted butter. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.
  5. Place marshmallow into the center of a dough triangle.
  6. Carefully wrap dough triangle around the marshmallow. Pinch the seams together tightly to seal in marshmallow as it melts.
  7. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat.
  8. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
  9. Prepare to be amazed.

Recipe from All Recipes