pumpkin

Award-Winning Apple-Pumpkin Bread

Every Fall, I make at least one batch of my award-winning Harvest Apple-Pumpkin Bread, and it’s a huge hit with the whole family. Earlier this week, Turkey reminded me that I hadn’t baked any yet this year, so after we got home from the pumpkin patch today, I got to work.

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup cinnamon applesauce
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, and apple cider in large bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Soup Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Saute onion and garlic in butter in a medium saucepan until tender. Add 1 can chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Transfer broth mixture into the container of a blender or processor. Process until smooth.

Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and ground pepper; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cream and heat through. Do not boil.

*If you desire a thicker soup, add 3 Tbsp. flour to onion mixture before adding chicken broth. Cook onion and flour mixture for 2-3 minutes, then add broth, and continue following recipe.