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Saturday, October 4, 2014
Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
Hello, everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back and I'm SO excited it's October! I've got great new projects lined up, the kids are just getting over their first cold of the season (as opposed to starting their first cold of the season) and I LOVE FALL.
So, here's my go-to "welcome to Fall" recipe, Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread. (Don't ask me about the Maine part. I think I stopped in there when I was young, but I don't really remember it. So, in my mind, Mainers sit around and eat this all day. Lucky ducks.)
First, a funny picture. This is what happens when I take notes for myself. Depending on what I've been reading, you never know what language is going to appear. Usually, that means my helpers have to check with me before they add things, but now that my daughters are in their third year of Russian, French and second year Polish, things are a lot easier when I'm scribbling on the run.
Super bright picture of our garden pumpkins! My husband grew a great batch of calabazas this year. In his mountain town, they're serious about growing enough to last through the cooler months. Great vitamins, easy food source.
I love these looks. "No, Papa! Es MIA!" (No, Daddy, that one's MINE!) For the record, we had about 50 that looked all the same and the littles were convinced it was their special pumpkin every time we cut into one.
(LOL. Sad face photobomb.) Here is how you clean out the raw pumpkin.
Big pot. (Ha! I see my polka dotted shirt. I love polka dots. They're so playful.)
Someone just brought me a flower.
So, boiled for about 30 minutes on high, carefully cut away the pumpkin from the skin. It should be really soft. Pie pumpkins are different that the carving pumpkins. Sweeter, easier to cook. Not as stringy.
Mr. Ninja takes on the cooked pumpkins. Ten seconds. BAM.
Mmmmm. The first batch was eaten up right away. Cinnamon, sugar, hot from the pot.
BUT I wanted to make pumpkin bread, so we repeated steps 1-4... except the eating part. One pumpkin gives about two and a half cups of pumpkin. We usually boil about 3 pumpkins at a time so we have some to eat and some to freeze.
2 cups of pumpkin
So, this is all I have of the process. You'll just have to imagine it. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the eggs, pumpkins, oil, water, and sugar. We also added a cup of walnuts.
Ta-DAH! Of course, this is doubled. Your recipe will either give two small loaves (one to freeze!) or one fat loaf like that above. Now, these are the original, but we also added chocolate chips to a batch. YUM. And then we added a cup of walnuts, a cup of chopped green apples and some golden raisins to another batch and it was like the ultimate Fall bread.
That's all for now! Have a wonderful weekend!
We have a gorgeous crop of pie pumpkins and as soon as my mid-October deadlines are met, I'm jumping in on freezing a bunch. Virginia have you ever roasted them and scraped? I wonder if that wouldn't be a fun taste punch? I think I'll try some both ways, and I can't wait to do it! I love having harvest put away! It makes me happy!
Well I didn't know there was a difference between pie pumpkins and carving pumpkins! Live and learn. But oh that heart wrenching picture -- those big eyes, that sharp knife, the innocent pumpkin! My daughter had a special apple friend when she was little. It lived in the door of the fridge and she'd take it out to play, made little blankets so it wouldn't get cold in the fridge, just the typical things kids do. Sigh. She needed a sibling. That apple had a long life (for an apple) but finally he became a bit wizened and soft and got tossed into a batch of apple crumble while a certain someone was napping. Oh the drama at the dinner table that night. My little darling didn't eat anything apple for two years!!!!!!!
Hahahaha! I love that! And even my kids with many sibs do that sort of thing. I remember a little boy I used to babysit got attached to a squash. He wrapped it in a baby blanket and slept with it. Well, baby squashy was getting squishy and one night went out to the compost pile. YIKES. The DRAMA.
I want to try this! not sure about starting with a real pumpkin though esp since down here I never see them labeled 'carving or pie' but we have cans at the store (I think...one year they were a bit scarce...) but no yeast yay! though if I'm going through all this trouble maybe I should try banana since I like banana and not too wild about pumpkin huh? dont' hit me my not eating a lot of pumpkin means more for everyone else! though with all the sugar and by the time I add chocolate chips an all those add-in goodies might not taste too much like pumpkin ha ha! Susanna
I like pumpkin in theory. It mans Fall and warm blankets and toasty fires. But it's not a favorite flavor. There are some great banana bread recipes out there! And pie pumpkins are small, round, darker. The carving pumpkins are big and yellow and oblong. Pie pumpkins are usually found near the decorative gourds in the store rather than outside in the big bins at 5.99 or whatever.
It occurs to me to say that my kids loved the chocolate chips and I really felt like it ruined the bread. LOL. But then, I don't like chocolate chips in any of my breads. Just cookies.
Pumpkin pie is a favourite in our family circle, although my hubby prefers a pumpkin chiffon recipe to the custard kind. I don't make pies of any kind all that often any more. I have a soft pumpkin cookie recipe and one for pumpkin muffins that are popular alternatives.
Such sad expressions on your little ones...but I'm still smiling at Kav's story.
Oh, I just saw a recipe that had a can of pumpkin and a cake mix. And I think you made cookies with it. I was just stuck on the can of pumpkin and cake mix combo.
We have a gorgeous crop of pie pumpkins and as soon as my mid-October deadlines are met, I'm jumping in on freezing a bunch. Virginia have you ever roasted them and scraped? I wonder if that wouldn't be a fun taste punch? I think I'll try some both ways, and I can't wait to do it! I love having harvest put away! It makes me happy!
ReplyDeleteAnd those kids, so stinkin' cute! Love it!!!!
Almost all my friend roast them but it takes sooooo long we only do that when we just want pumpkin to eat, with brown sugar and butter.
DeleteWell I didn't know there was a difference between pie pumpkins and carving pumpkins! Live and learn. But oh that heart wrenching picture -- those big eyes, that sharp knife, the innocent pumpkin! My daughter had a special apple friend when she was little. It lived in the door of the fridge and she'd take it out to play, made little blankets so it wouldn't get cold in the fridge, just the typical things kids do. Sigh. She needed a sibling. That apple had a long life (for an apple) but finally he became a bit wizened and soft and got tossed into a batch of apple crumble while a certain someone was napping. Oh the drama at the dinner table that night. My little darling didn't eat anything apple for two years!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha! I love that! And even my kids with many sibs do that sort of thing. I remember a little boy I used to babysit got attached to a squash. He wrapped it in a baby blanket and slept with it. Well, baby squashy was getting squishy and one night went out to the compost pile. YIKES. The DRAMA.
DeleteHis mam got him another yellow crook neck squash, btw. :)
DeleteOh, this simply looks amazing. Yummy, yummy, yummy. Kav, what a story!!!!
ReplyDeleteI just read Kav's story to my kids and they're all giggling.
DeleteI am having such a time finding pie pumpkins right now due to the weather. But when they are roasted, it is heaven.
ReplyDeleteThose boys melt my heart every time.
Too bad we don't live closer! I gave away about 30 this year, and still froze about 15 cups of fresh pumpkin.
DeletePrecious photos!! And Virginia, your kids' language abilities amaze me! Such smart, talented kids!
ReplyDeleteIn so excited to get this recipe! I'm making pumpkin bread this week for my UMW Circle. It's my month to be hostess. This will be perfect!
Just don't forget the salt! My first batch... yup. But we just put butter on it and ate it anyway.
DeleteI want to try this! not sure about starting with a real pumpkin though esp since down here I never see them labeled 'carving or pie' but we have cans at the store (I think...one year they were a bit scarce...) but no yeast yay! though if I'm going through all this trouble maybe I should try banana since I like banana and not too wild about pumpkin huh? dont' hit me my not eating a lot of pumpkin means more for everyone else! though with all the sugar and by the time I add chocolate chips an all those add-in goodies might not taste too much like pumpkin ha ha!
ReplyDeleteSusanna
I like pumpkin in theory. It mans Fall and warm blankets and toasty fires. But it's not a favorite flavor. There are some great banana bread recipes out there!
DeleteAnd pie pumpkins are small, round, darker. The carving pumpkins are big and yellow and oblong. Pie pumpkins are usually found near the decorative gourds in the store rather than outside in the big bins at 5.99 or whatever.
It occurs to me to say that my kids loved the chocolate chips and I really felt like it ruined the bread. LOL. But then, I don't like chocolate chips in any of my breads. Just cookies.
DeleteVirginia, I don't like chocolate chips in mine either. Nuts, yes. But no chocolate!
DeletePumpkin pie is a favourite in our family circle, although my hubby prefers a pumpkin chiffon recipe to the custard kind. I don't make pies of any kind all that often any more. I have a soft pumpkin cookie recipe and one for pumpkin muffins that are popular alternatives.
ReplyDeleteSuch sad expressions on your little ones...but I'm still smiling at Kav's story.
Oh, I just saw a recipe that had a can of pumpkin and a cake mix. And I think you made cookies with it. I was just stuck on the can of pumpkin and cake mix combo.
DeleteThey weren't sad for long! I call it, " how to teach your kids to eat their friends". LOL
DeleteVirginia, I've used that cake mix and can of pumpkin recipe before. I made muffins.
DeleteThis looks wonderful. Mine comes out of a can. There. I said it. Out loud.
ReplyDeleteMine usually does, too! I've always been afraid of starting some big long process. But it was EASY. Don't be afraid!
DeleteI actually had my hand on pie pumpkins at the grocery yesterday and headed toward the cans instead. LOL I'm lazy. :)
Delete