Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

 

I bought some fresh cranberries and thought I'd try something new with my pie pumpkin. This combination of pumpkin and cranberries is tastey.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

2 1/4 c flour
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 c sugar
1 pie pumpkin, baked and pureed
1/2 c canola oil
1 overflowing cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1 c walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 2-9x5 loaf pans. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking power and salt in large bowl, set aside. In small bowl combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until well mixed. Add to flour mixture using wooden spoon. Gently fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon into loaf pans and bake 50-60 minutes until done. Cool before slicing.



Make sure to chop up the cranberries. I learned that if you microwave the cranberries first, then they will be easier to chop. I microwaved mine for two 30-second intervals. If you leave the cranberries whole, they will expand and pop when baking, leaving holes. Also, I added a bit of flour to the cranberries so they wouldn't stick together. It is important to gently fold them into the batter as they may turn the batter red/pink.

Walking In Daddy's Shoes

Here's Benjamin trying to walk in Daddy's shoes. He didn't get very far, but he had fun trying.

Fun Art Project

I finally got around to putting some art in Benjamin's room. I had fun making his name with all those monkeys hanging around.

Tuckered Out Sock Monkey

This little sock monkey experienced a fun Halloween today. Above, Benjamin is ready to go out. I took him trick-or-treating at my work. He wanted to explore and say "hi" to everyone more than get candy. By the time we were done making the rounds, he was exhausted. When we got home, he had a late afternoon nap. After dinner, we went out again to trick-or-treat at the neighbors' homes. This social little guy tried more than once to go into their homes. He saw groups of kids going from home to home and was so excited he wanted to follow. He would yell..."go, go, go, go, go"...and then would try to walk faster. I'm so glad he had a good experience!

Fall Fun

Fall fun for Benjamin while Mike and I worked to clean up the yard. Benjamin would laugh as the berries fell off the tree. He would shake the branches and then throw the berries that fell on the sidewalk back under the tree. 

Benjamin figured out on his own that piles of leaves are for jumping on. The leaves got every where--in his socks, shoes, pants, shirt and even in his diaper. Fun times!

Benjamin was happy to be outside doing whatever as long as he was outside with his mom and dad. We are happy to have him with us too!