pumpkin is in the air

Over the past few days I've really been wanting to get myself in the kitchen and do some fall baking. I love love love pumpkin in any shape or form so that was definitely going to be the main ingredient in whatever it was that I was going to make. So I pulled out my growing collection of fall cookbooks and scanned the recipes trying to find something that caught my eye. I finally settled on this yummy looking quick bread that featured none other than pumpkin. Too sweeten the pot, or loaf pan, it also called for chocolate chips. Can you say 'Heck Yeah!'.

Ahem....

It was Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread and I couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on the ingredients and pop these babies into the oven. And in the oven they went and boy did it smell gooo ooooo oooood!!! When the timer went off I hopped up off the couch and checked to make sure that they were done with a toothpick and was so happy when they were. I let them cool for a few minutes before slicing into one of the loaves and I had to get a picture of it. It looked so yummy!


I'd love to share the pumpkin joy and give you all the recipe from Betty Crocker's Fall Baking cookbook. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon round cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups butter or margarine; softened
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips*
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of two 8x4-inch loaf pans with shortening, lightly flour (or spay bottoms of pans with cooking spray; do not flour)

2. In medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until mixed; set aside. In large bowl, beat 2 cups sugar and the butter with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Beat in water and pumpkin on low speed. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed about 1 minute or until moistened. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Spread evenly in pans. Sprinkle tops with remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, the pecans and 2 tablespoons sugar.

3. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, remove to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

*I just noticed as I was typing the recipe that I misread and used regular chocolate chips in the bread and then used the mini chocolate chips for the top of the bread. Came out just the same!

Let me know if you try it out....it's sooooo goooo ooooo ooood!!!!

Happy Fall Everyone!