Holiday Treats

Moist Pumpkin Bread
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
2 cups white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar (this makes your bread super moist)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 45-50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Buckeyes-The best chocolate covered treat you'll ever eat! I'm not even kidding.

2 sticks of butter-softened

1 lb peanut butter

1 1/2 boxes powdered sugar

Dipping chocolate

Mix together till creamy. Roll into nickel sized balls and place on wax paper. Melt chocolate into a small bowl. With a toothpick, dip buckeyes into chocolate. Leave a bit of the peanut butter showing. When done, lightly cover the whole in top with the smooth part of a spoon. Chill then serve.

Pumpkin Bread

Being Thanksgiving and all, I thought it would be fitting for a pumpkin recipe. It's super easy and yummy! Sorry, no pictures tonight. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Pumpkin Bread
1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin (a little more than half a small can)
1/3 c. water
1 3/4 c. flour ( I used half wheat and half white)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 c. choco. chips (optional--I used the baby chips)

Mix everything together and pour into 2 well oiled bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 20 minutes. Check and bake for 5-10 more minutes if not done.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

3 cups water (warm)
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1 Tbsp yeast
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup applesauce
Flour (about 6 cups)
2 tbs milk (divided)
1 egg

Cinnamon Sugar Mix
1/4 cup sugar
5 tsp cinnamon

Put all ingredients except yeast and flour together in mixer then add 2 cups flour to water mixture, pulse to just mix then add yeast on top. Mix for 1 min then let rest for 1 min to let yeast start. While mixing, continue adding flour 1 cup at a time until dough doesn't stick to the sides anymore then let mix for 10 min Then let rise to double in size in the bowl. Once doubled punch it down and remove from bowl and let rest on the counter for 10 min. Divide dough into loaf size balls and roll one at a time out on counter to 16x8 rectangle then brush with milk and sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on the dough. Roll dough up into loaf form sealing he ends and place in greased pans making sure the seam side is down in opposite corner so it won't unroll as it bakes. Use the remaining milk to mix with egg and brush egg mixture on top of loaves. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with pam so they don't dry out and let rise to 1 inch above the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. (by the way this makes great french toast!)

Recipe from Rachel Hanchett

Oatmeal Molasses Bread

5 cups water (warm)
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (for whole wheat flour)
1 cup sugar or honey
3/4 cup applesauce or oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup molasses
4 cups oats (I use quick)
3 Tbsp yeast
4 cups whole wheat flour
5 cups white flour (about)

Put ingredients together in order stopping after oats mix together then add the ww flour and yeast mix for 1 min then let rest for 1 min to let yeast start, continue mixing in the white flour one cup at a time until dough doesn't stick to the sides anymore and mix for 10 min. then cover and let rise to double in bowl. Once doubled punch it down and knead on a floured surface into loaves and put in greased pans. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with pam so they don't dry out and let rise again to desired loaf size. Preheat oven at 400 degrees then turn down heat to 325 degrees just before placing loaves in the oven and bake for 33 min. When done brush tops of loaves with butter and turn out on a wire cooling rack. Do not bag until cool or they will sweat in the bag. This makes 4 loaves but don't worry they freeze well and you can just pull one out when you need it! Note: I have done this with all white flour too and you just omit the vital gluten, enjoy!

Recipe from Rachel Hanchett

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Banana Bread-So good!

2 c. flour (I use half wheat and half white)
2 eggs
1/2 butter, softened (10 seconds in the microwave works great too)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 bananas
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. nuts, optional

Cream bananas, butter and sugar. Add eggs and stir. Mix in dry ingredients.
Place in a greased bead pan, 9x9 pan or a bunt pan (I use a bunt pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Every oven is different, so it may need a little more time. Mine is done in 48 minutes. Enjoy nice and warm with creamy butter on top.