Time Off

I have taken full advantage of not working this week. Tuesday I spent the entire day cleaning and baking. I was definitely in the Fall spirit! I got out all our Halloween decorations and put some up in the front of the house. I think my neighbors thought I was putting up Christmas lights already so I made sure I turned them on so they could tell it was definitely Halloween lights :) I made two loaves of Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars (recipes and pictures below). They are delicious and my house smelled wonderful! I didn't realize until I already had started making the bread that it made two big loaves so I gave one away as I just made zucchini bread 2 weeks ago and have banana bread in the freezer still. These were 2 new recipes for the month, so mark #71 off the list...I think while being off work I might be trying a lot more than just 2 new recipes a month!! Also, yesterday I carved my pumpkin and toasted the pumpkin seeds. How can anyone not love Fall?!?!

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Not too shabby huh! I did it all by myself

Recipes:

Pumpkin Bread

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 4 eggs
• 3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2/3 cups water
• 1 15-oz can pumpkin

1. Preheat oven 350 F. Grease 2 9x5 inch loaf pans. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well; set sugar mixture aside
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Alternately ass flour mixture and the water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Beat in pumpkin. Spoon batter into pans
3. Bake 55-65 minutes or until toothpicks inserted near center come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool completely, wrap and store overnight before slicing

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

• 25 Nabicso Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 4 pkgs. (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Heat over to 325 F. Mix ginger snap crumbs, nuts, and butter, press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 13x9 inch pan.
2. Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups batter into another bowl. Stir remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices into remaining batter.
3. Spoon half of pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half the plain batter. Repeat layers, swirl with knife.
4. Bake 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely, refrigerate 4 hours.