Suzie's Pumpkin Bread

I needed some cheering up today. Almost a year has gone by since we have seen our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter.  It was Thanksgiving last year when spent a very memorable long weekend with the three of them and they announced they were having twins.

We miss them so much and look forward to the day we can see their entire, newly expanded family.  Our son sent us photos of the kids at their pumpkin patch festival they went to last weekend.  They are getting so much bigger and it just reminds me of how fast our two girls have grown up.  I remember taking them to their first pumpkin patch with their Papa.

Big sister and new little brother.

Big sister and new little sister.

I needed to do something to take up my time and keep my mind off all these beautiful blessings of ours that are growing older right before our eyes. Baking was going to be my plan of attack to help pass the time today.

I received this pumpkin bread recipe about 20 years ago from a lady I worked with.  Back in the day I worked the retail world for awhile to earn some extra money, as my future husband and I were just starting out.  It was an upscale boutique and the manager's name was Susan.  She always made trays and trays of these to set out every holiday season.  It made the husbands very happy (and occupied them) as their ladies spent a whole lot of money in one afternoon.  We even had a few celebrities shop there and they also loved these breads.

Find the largest bowl you have.

Lined up for some love'n.

Once I tried these little pieces of heaven, I could not stop eating them through my work schedule.  I think I gained 5 pounds that month - not a good thing when you are trying to portray a high-end image in their clothing...just as well, since I wasn't a fashion design major anyway.  I brought loaves of these to everyone last Thanksgiving. Friends and family all devoured these - especially our granddaughter, she loves Nana Suzie's Pumpking Bread.

Suzie's Pumpkin Bread

(7) cups All Purpose Flour
(6) cups White Granulated Sugar
4 tsp. Baking Soda
4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
(2) cups Canola or Vegetable Oil
6 Eggs
1-1/3 cup Water
(1) 29 ounce Canned Pumpkin (like used for pumpkin pies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Get the largest bowl you can possible find - this makes a huge amount of batter for 14 mini loaves or 6 regular loaf size pans.

Spray your loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray (spray bottom and sides of pans).

Mix all wet ingredients well with hand held mixer.  In a separate bowl mix and blend all the dry ingredients.  Add one cup of the flour mixture at a time to the wet mixture, making sure that it is well blended after each cup has been added.

Pour 1 cup of the batter mixture in each mini-loaf pan.  (I bake 7 loaves at a time for even baking and let them bake on a large sheet pan for easy transportation to and from the oven).

Bake 45-60 minutes.

Pumpkin Pancakes Morning

It's pumpkin week here for my little teen pumpkins.  We are on to the countdown before Halloween arrives. I don't know anyone who loves fall more than my girls, especially the younger one (also known as Baby B, as she was born one minute after the first one).

I think my favorite part of the this season is bringing out all their special decorations they have made over the years.  I love seeing them every fall, pulling them carefully out of their hibernation from being stored the past year and reliving the memories of when they were made.

Many fond fall memories of Halloweens past.

My mom still has the custom painted, paper mache pumpkin that I made in kindergarten.  The top was cut off and all the kids each hand tied their black ribbons through the top to make a handle and be used for trick-or-treating.  To this day, my mom still uses that pumpkin to display the candy she gives out to today's children at her front door.

This morning Baby B, my Saturday morning buddy woke up with a craving for her usual pancakes. I have made them hundreds of times for her and could probably do it blind folded by now.  However, this time she threw a spin on it....she wanted pumpkin pancakes.  I have never made pumpkin pancakes in my life.  I know my pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars and pumpkin spice cookies.  Not a problem, I got this....Now, there is a long running debate in our household on pancakes (soft and fluffy vs. thin and small).  My husband was out golfing this morning taking advantage of the warm weather, so Baby B and I had the majority vote: soft and fluffy it was!!  I am curious, what is your vote??

I pulled out my trusty Bisquick and got creating. I played with the spice drawer and kept adding a little here and a touch there.  The end result was so delicious, and easy.  This recipe may need to be added to our annual fall decorating weekend traditions.

Homemade decorations and our new semi-homemade pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Inspired by Baby B

2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
1-1/4 cups Milk
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (add more depending on your spice level)
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tbl. Canola Oil (or Vegetable Oil)

Mix all ingredients until well blended.
Pour slightly less than 1/4 cupful onto hot, greased griddle or frying pan.
Cook until edges are dry and middle starts to slightly bubble.  Turn and cook until golden.

Serve with butter and fresh maple syrup.