breakfast

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Every so often, I manage to create something wonderful, and this time is was my spiced pumpkin bread. I decided to make one of my traditional recipes for breakfast only to discover that I was out of sugar at the Little House, so I sent RJ over the Inn to bring back some. As I got underway, I noticed that I was missing a few critical ingredients, like orange juice and cranberries, and I didn’t feel like sending RJ over to the Inn again, so a new recipe was going to be in the works. A little of this and a little of that and WOW! In fact, it was so successful that I thought I would share it. The pan I used was from Nordicware and it looks like pumpkins in a fenced-in pumpkin patch. I sprinkled it with a bit of powered sugar but it was hardly necessary. The bread was moist and quite delectable for a homemade quick bread, which made it all the more enjoyable. So here it goes…

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda, powder, and spices. Mix and make a well in center. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir until incorporated. Fold in pumpkin. Pour into two greased 8 x 4 loaf pans or one large loaf pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

ENJOY!!!

Cooking can be very therapeutic. Creating interesting dishes from local produce and products, makes some of the best eating around. My eggs come from Cindy’s farm, my honey from Baldeck’s Bees, and my vegetables from a local grower, all from Mumford and Caledonia. Everything always tastes so good. At the Genesee Country Inn, breakfast in the morning is always a treat for guests. My Sunday Strata, which is not always served on Sunday, is one of my most requested recipes. It is hearty, fresh, and tasty. It will make 10-12 generous servings. Drizzle a bit of pure maple syrup and you are in for a real treat!

Sunday Strata

1 pound bulk sausage, browned and drained
12 ounces frozen hash browns
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup Bisquick
3 cups milk
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs

Spread frozen hash browns in a 9 x 12-inch glass baking pan. Layer browned sausage, chopped green pepper, and chopped onion on top of hash browns.

In a large bowl, whisk together Bisquick, milk, salt, and eggs until blended. Pour over the layers. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight (no longer than 24 hours).

Bake in over at 375 degrees uncovered until light golden brown around the edges and the cheese is melted, approximately 45-55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 10-12

Spiced Pumpkin Bread…Yum!

Debbie’s Sunday Strata