Pumpkin Bread

When I taught Junior High Home Economics in Mineola ,New York in the early 70’s Joanne Orlando shared her mother’s recipe for pumpkin bread with me (actually I teased her with the threat of failing if she didn’t share the recipe with me!). I still have the index card with the recipe in her own handwriting and it is still one of my all time favorite healthier snacks for my family as well as entertaining. I have added the whole wheat flour to make it healthier but that is optional.

Joanne is now fifty but I am sure she has made this for her own children for many years. You will too!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preparation Instructions

1. Grease 2 coffee cans, OR 1 loaf pan, OR 2 mini loaf pans and some muffin tins or a combination of each.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Into a large mixing bowl add the first 9 ingredients. Stir to combine. Combine all of the remaining ingredients and add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.
4. Pour into the prepared pans and bake as follows:

• Mini muffins ——— 12-15 minutes
• Cupcakes ———— 20-25 minutes
• Mini loaf pans ——- 35-40 minutes
• Loaf pans ————- 45-60 minutes
• Coffee cans ———- 60-75 minutes

GINGER ORANGE SPREAD

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 Tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon crystallized ginger

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a processor workbowl and process until smooth.