Pumpkin Bread

PUMPKIN bars, PUMPKIN cobbler, PUMPKIN custard, PUMPKIN cheesecake... so much to do this season!  PUMPKIN bread was the first this fall, and what a fabulous start! It was my meal for breakfast, lunch and snacks in-between until it was gone. Perfect combo of spices, and dense and sweet... what's there not to like?! 

Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Loaf

3 c. flour
3 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. oil
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
2 c. canned pumpkin
12 oz. bag chocolate chips

Mix everything together except pumpkin and chocolate chips. Mix well. Add pumpkin and mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide mixture between two greased and floured 9x5x3" loaf pans.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Might make a great gift for someone if you can handle not eating it all. :) Enjoy!

Flan

Mexican food is one of my favorites, and the desserts are surely included! Flan doesn't taste like it should be this easy to make, but it is! All it takes is:

3/4 c. sugar

1 can (12 fl. oz) evaporated milk

1 can (14 fl. oz.) sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

 Heat sugar in small, heavy-duty saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes or until dissolved and caramel colored. Quickly poor onto bottom of deep-dish 9-inch pie plate; swirl around bottom and sides to coat.

Combine all other ingredients in a blender. Blend until well mixed and pour into the prepared pie plate.

Fill a roasting pan with warm water to about 1-inch depth. Place the pie plate in the roasting pan. (The water provides an even, moderate temperature, so the eggs won't curdle.)

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove flan from water. (This can be tricky since the water and pie plate are hot. You can use a ladle to remove water before taking out flan... just be careful.) Cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. When you are ready to serve the flan, run a small spatula or knife around the edge of the pie plate. Invert serving plate over the pie plate, and flip it over (shaking gently to release). The caramelized sugar forms the sauce on top of the flan. 

¡buen provecho

Banana Muffins

What a glorious sight! When my bananas look like these (or even black), my mind immediately goes to my mom's banana muffin recipe. I make them for breakfast or an after-school snack... my whole family loves them!

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas (large)
1 stick of butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease muffin tins. Mash the bananas on a plate with a fork and set aside.

Add butter to mixing bowl and beat in sugar for about 2 minutes or until it looks whipped. 

Add eggs and mix lightly.  Add baking soda, flour and mashed bananas to the mixer and mix until well incorporated. If I only have 2 bananas, I use a little applesauce to fill in for the 3rd.

Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full, and bake for 20-25 minutes. If you use mini-muffin tins, bake for 13-15 minutes. Let cool a little, then pop them out of the tin and enjoy!! I like them plain, but my mom would eat with a smear of butter, peanut butter or cream cheese. You pick... bananas have lots of friends!