Pumpkin Baking

I am a big fan of using pumpkin for my baking. I wait for this all year long.

First, if you haven't tried the Pumpkin Smash smoothie from Jamba Juice, go try that right now! It's delicious. I have been getting my weekly fix and I hope they keep it around at least until Thanksgiving, which will give me the chance to suck down four or five more.

And now, pumpkin baking. With my current avoidance of most things sweet, this year hasn't been too eventful.

First, I tried a new recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, from Betty Crocker's fall baking magazine. I have a million pumpkin recipes but I always like to try different variations.

If you are looking for something not too sweet, this is a good one. Even though it has mini chocolate chips, it's very bland (someone said he thought it was bitter, but it's someone who doesn't like pumpkin, so hard to judge).

The recipe is:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (and if you need this, please ask me, I bought a new one just to make this bread not realizing I still had a container from last year, and I'll never use it all before it expires)

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted these)

After you bake this for 65 minutes it calls for a glaze. I only glazed half. Use a 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2-3 teaspoons of milk. The gaze really sweetens it up, since you're just covering it in more sugar. So I would try it first and unless it's too bitter, save yourself some sugar and skip the glaze.

Overall, this recipe is okay. It's not to die for. I liked trying it once and I could see making it once a year. It just makes one loaf of bread, so if you don't like it you haven't wasted too much.

The only other thing I have made this season is Pumpkin Bars. I don't know where this recipe originally came from, but my dad made these once when I was a teenager and I copied down the recipe because I loved them. I didn't love the raisins and nuts, so when I make these every year I leave them out. I love these pumpkin bars and I think you should give them a shot if you're looking to try yet another of the million pumpkin recipes.

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cloves

1 cup oil

4 eggs

1 15oz can (2 cups) pumpkin

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup raisins

Beat at low speed until moistened, then beat at medium speed for two minutes. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into greased 15x10x1" pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely, 40-50 minutes.

Combine until smooth:

1/3 cup softened margarine

3 oz softened cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsn milk

1 tsp vanilla

Ice cooled bars.

I made these bars just three days ago for a Halloween party (no pictures). I had to have something to make them for so I wasn't tempted to eat the whole pan (because I am sure I could). I wanted to try the pumpkin whoopie pies from bakeat350 for the party, but I didn't have enough time. Maybe next year.

Currently I have a cake cooling. I am hoping to find time this afternoon to turn it into Pumpkin Cake Pops. I'll keep you posted.