Too much Pumpkin? Let's make some Ginger Pumpkin Bread

So, Thanksgiving is over and you realize that you bought too many cans of pumpkin puree. You know… because you though there was a shortage again this year and stock piled your pantry with so many cans you don’t know what to do with them. Well.....at least I know I did, that doesn’t make me crazy just overly prepared, yeah overly prepared. Anyway, it’s November how can you not have some form of pumpkin. Whether it's pie, cake, or even bread. It’s like an obligation to this season! So, if you did go over the deep end this season with buying canned pumpkin, but you don’t want to be subjected to another pumpkin pie, this is the treat for you.

I found this recipe in an old issue of Everyday Food, a monthly food magazine published by Martha Stewart but, you can also find this recipe on Martha’s website. And I love this recipe! I cannot stress that enough; it smells so good in the oven. It has a nice balance of sweetness and spice. Plus, I don’t even like ginger, but really like this. This bread is the perfect comfort food after a long cold day.

So, if you want to spread the bliss with your friends you can buy mini loaf pans like I did. I got these pans from Michael’s craft store. They come in all types of neat colors and patterns for any occasion. They’re only a $1 a piece, but you got to be quick because they sell really quickly. If Michael's has already sold out of them you can instead buy a four pack of paper loaf molds for $6 , these are nice because they do not need to be greased and come with their own wrapping.

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cups)
3 large eggs
Sugar Glaze, (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pans (or 5 mini loaf pans); set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and stir until just combined.

3. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; invert pans and transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely. Glaze, if desired.

Sugar Glaze: Whisk 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Drizzle over bread.

For the recipe online: Ginger Pumpkin Bread

For the mini loaf pans: Mini loaf pans

The Mystery of the Missing Butterscotch Toffee Square Recipe

To bring in the Fall season I baked one of my favorites Butterscotch Toffee Squares. Now I found this recipe 5 years ago in a magazine called Relish. However, this magazine is not printed anymore and the recipe is not on their website either. Relish use to come in the Pittsburgh Tribe Review's newspaper on the first Thurs. of every month. I wish they would go back to printing their magazines, since they offered a ton of recipes in each issue. And wasn't just baking, Relish carried a lot of different meal ideas for dinner parties and entertaining. Luckily, I kept my old issue to share with everyone, so this delicious blondie is not lost. The recipe calls for Heath bars, but I use Nestle Butterscotch chips for a smoother texture. They are crumbly on the outside, but soft and chewy in the middle. This is a really simple recipe to make in a short amount of time. You could really throw any type of toffee or chips you want and make it your own. These blondies go really well with a cup of warm apple cider.

Butterscotch Toffee Squares (Yields 16 bars)

Recipe by Jean Kressy

Ingredients:

1 Cup of all-purpose flour

1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

1/3 Cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 Cup packed light brown sugar

1 Egg

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Cup of crushed Heath bars (or Butterscotch chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil letting the edges extend over 2 sides. Then Coat foil with spray.

2. Stift flour and baking powder in seperate bowl. Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla with mixer until blended. Turn to low speed, add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Beat in candy bar bits or chips into batter. Then spread evenly in pan.

3. Bake 22 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan with foil and cut into 16 bars.