Tag Archive for: Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Pumpkins Play a Big Part in My Garden

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pumpkins_decorate_garden

Decorating with Pumpkins in Fall

Fall is my favorite season of the year. It stands to reason, pumpkins play a big part in both my garden, crafts, fall decor, and food!

A few years ago, I visited an Atlanta garden. This is where colorful pumpkins were scattered throughout the landscape, adding fun fall interest. This year, I added uncarved pumpkins in empty containers for added interest by my front entry. Next year, I will probably add more near the vegetable garden as well as other places.

My Pumpkin Growing Journey

pumpkin

My personal pumpkin growing experience has been rather lackluster. This is the only pumpkin that I’ve successfully grown. It was years ago and I’ve only made rather half-hearted attempts since then. I do have plans to plant some new ones in late April. This means that they will ripen in mid to late July. Then I will store them in a cool, dark, dry space until October.

Homemade Pumpkins in Fall Decor

homemade pumpkins
homemade pumpkins

On October 1st of every year, I bring out my homemade pumpkins, which I made over 6 years ago. They are made from beach balls and newspaper dipped into a flour paste. It was a fun project. I did it with my mother. I’m so happy that they are still a part of my fall decor years later.

homemade pumpkins

Pumpkin-Themed Scarecrow Encounter

This past week, I was visiting my oldest daughter in northern Michigan. I try to do this at least three times a year. As we were walking in the small downtown district, we came upon this comical bank robber who was caught in the act of robbing the bank. I loved the ingenuity of those who created this scarecrow with a pumpkin head!

pumpkin-bird-feeder

Feeding Birds with Leftover Pumpkins

Last year, once Thanksgiving was over, I sliced our remaining pumpkins in half . I placed them on the old picnic table in our side garden. The birds flocked to them. We had six different types of birds visit them regularly, eating the seeds and flesh inside. At one point, there were twelve Inca doves sitting inside of the largest half. I will be sure to do this again in a few weeks . It is so fun to watch the antics of the visiting birds.

pumpkin bread

Delicious Pumpkin Bread Recipe

To finish out my pumpkins post, I have to include a photo of my famous pumpkin bread that I make every year. This is my most-requested recipe from my friends and it is so easy to make and oh so delicious!!! The recipe is unique in that there are no eggs and the texture is so moist and perfect. It makes 6 small loaves, making it a great home-baked gift at the holidays. If you would like to make this delicious pumpkin bread, here is a link to the recipe along with its rather unusual origin story.

How do you like to use pumpkins in fall?

Happy Thanksgiving Treat…

Today is a very busy day for me…much to busy to even step out into the garden.

Happy Thanksgiving Treat

But, all my plants are happy – especially since the drenching rain they received over the weekend.

Every year, Thanksgiving is usually held at my house and I can often be seen this time of year running around, trying not to stress about how nice the tables look, whether or not I need to polish the silverware since it only comes out once a year.

Of course all that keeps me busy in addition to the cooking.

However, yesterday something happened that put a wrench into our Thanksgiving plans…my son got sick.  He has a ‘croupy’ sounding cough.  The doctor said that it isn’t croup because he just had his shots 6 weeks ago.  But, he is contagious.

So, we are having our Thanksgiving meal at my oldest daughter’s house.  Of course, I will still be making everything at our house and then driving it over to her house just 5 minutes away.

You would think that my son’s illness would stress me even more.  But, other then a horrible cough and scratchy throat – he is okay.  AND now I don’t have to clean my house, polish the silverware or set out my special dishes.

All I need to do is cook 🙂

In our family we do a potluck for Thanksgiving where each family brings something.  My mother-in-law makes delicious stuffing.  My sister-in-law brings her green bean casserole and my daughter braves the crowds at Costco for their famous pumpkin pies.

I am in charge of the turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls and making pumpkin bread.

pumpkin bread

Now this is no ordinary pumpkin bread.  It is quite seriously the best that I have ever had.

The recipe came from my pre-school’s cookbook – so it is old, like me 😉

This pumpkin bread has made its appearance every year at Thanksgiving and sometimes at Christmas.   I make 6 small loaves of it.

I can’t tell you how often I am asked for the recipe.  It is very easy to make.

So, because you are such wonderful people for taking a little time out of your day to read what I have to say, I am going to share with you this special recipe…

“The Best Pumpkin Bread You’ve Ever Tasted”

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

I wish for you all a very special Thanksgiving!

A Christmas Garden Bouquet and a Delicious Treat

Okay, so how are you all doing in getting ready for the holidays?  Are you sipping apple cider in front of your Christmas tree and enjoying seeing all of the gifts you bought, already wrapped and ready for Christmas morning?

OR are still shopping and trying to find the perfect gift for that person who always seem to be so hard to buy for?  For me, my mother-in-law – who I love dearly by the way, is very hard to buy anything for.  But this year I do have a perfect gift – I made her a ………  (I had better not say.  She does not normally read my blog too often, but I don’t want to take any chances).

This year, I am done shopping –  as in finished and everything is wrapped.  Well…..all except for the two gifts that are in the mail and I hope get here before Christmas.  AND I have more baking to do this week.

But, I did not forget this month’s Garden Bouquet.  Okay, I almost did until I looked at the calendar this morning.  So after church, I took my clippers and went searching for flowers out in my front garden.

Even with our relatively mild winters, it is not always easy to find December flowers, but I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised to find more then a few.

Christmas Garden Bouquet

I filled my Polish pottery jug with a combination of flowers from my Cascalote tree which is in full bloom right now.  In the front are the pretty daisy-like flowers from my Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata).  

In the middle are the dainty, purple flowers of my Trailing Purple Lantana (Lantana montevidensis).  Now normally my Lantana is somewhat brown and crispy due to being affected by our occasional freezing temperatures.  But this year, I covered them and I am really glad I did because they look great out in the garden with not much else in bloom.

I had a bit of trouble figuring out where to take a picture of my bouquet because there is a lot of brown in my garden (as in my dormant bermuda grass lawn).  But there is an area in the garden with is absolutely beautiful and green….my vegetable garden.

Christmas Garden Bouquet

I think it made a great backdrop, don’t you?  

I can see my carrot tops, spinach as well as my companion plants – the nasturtiums and marigolds which have done a great job at repelling bad bugs away.

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Now for my delicious treat……

I love to bake and I do keep it simple but delicious.  I do get quite a few requests for my recipes and thought that I would share some with you from time to time.

pumpkin bread.

Yesterday my daughter, Gracie and I made pumpkin bread.  

If you would like to see the fruits of our labors and get the recipe, please click here.

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Okay, now back to December’s Monthly Garden Bouquet.  I realize that it can be a bit challenging to do during the winter months, but that is where creativity comes in.

Maybe you have some dried seedheads, which would make a beautiful bouquet.  

Or maybe you have some beautiful poinsettias or amaryllis.

I also think that a bouquet of evergreen foliage is beautiful.

If you would like to participate in this month’s MGB, here are the guidelines:

1. MGB begins on the 21st of each month and runs until the end of each month. Bouquets can be submitted during this time (or even later 🙂 

2. Create your own garden bouquet as fancy or simple as you like.

3. I would appreciate it if you would provide a link back to my post inside of your MGB post, but it is not required 🙂 

4. Add your link to Mr. Linky below and that’s it! 

It can be as simple or fancy as you like.  Each month, I cannot wait to see what you all come up with.