Day 277: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Since canned pumpkin has been a little hard to find, and very expensive it you can find it, I've been making my own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins.  I have a dozen bags in the freezer that I've been itching to try.  I found this bread recipe on the Internet, and it is supposed to be a knock off of Kneader's version.  Since I've never been to Kneader's, I can't vouch for how authentic it is, but I can vouch for its yummyness!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
10" dutch oven

3 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose Flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 2/3 cups Sugar
2/3 cups Softened Butter
4 whole Eggs
1 pound (or 1 30oz can or 2 15oz cans) Mashed Pumpkin
2/3 cups Water
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add the mashed pumpkin and mix well. Whisk the dry ingredients together and add to the pumpkin mixture alternating with water. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into three well greased dutch ovens and bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.  Use 1 ring on the top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Allow to cool completely before cutting.

**This makes three 10" loaves.  I cooked 2 in my dutch ovens and 1 in my kitchen.  I haven't tried baking a larger loaf in a 12" dutch oven, but it should work!**

The Finished Product

The Review

This is really good pumpkin bread.  I doubt its as good as Kneader's, but it is definitely delicious.  Those 3 loaves didn't even last until dinner time.  The bread is very soft.  So soft that it is a little hard to handle and cut.  I would wait until its completely cool before cutting it.  Also, the chocolate chips stuck to the bottom of the pot, so next time I'll use parchment paper on the very bottom of the pan (don't run it up the sides or the sides will be lumpy and ugly).  We all loved this and gave it an A.

Day 276: Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

Whew!  My to do list keeps getting longer and longer!  I'm glad I can finally cross today's post off it!  Its canning season at my house and I have bushels and bushels of fruit in my mudroom just waiting to be put into jars and made into jams.  I'm so glad my kids like to cook, because they've been picking up my slack!  My oldest son, Colton, made this for dinner last night.  He is really getting to be a good cook and he has really gotten the hang of the dutch ovens!  I'm one proud Mama!

Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce
10" dutch oven

1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 cup chicken broth, divided
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimentos
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh minced basil (I used 1 1/2 Tbs. dried)
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cornstarch

Place milk and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.  Dip chicken in milk, then coat with bread crumbs.  In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, brown the chicken on both sides in butter and olive oil.  In the same pot, bake the chicken at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear.  Use 1 ring on the top and 1 ring on the bottom.  When chicken is cooked, remove from the pot and keep warm.
In the pot the chicken was cooked in, bring 1/2 cup of broth to a boil over a full spread of coals.  Stir to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.  Stir in the cream and pimento; boil and stir for 1 minute.  Remove about 1/4 of the coals and stir in the Parmesan, basil and pepper and cook until heated through.  Mix the cornstarch and 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir into the pot to thicken the sauce if needed.  Pour sauce over chicken and serve.  Serves 4.

The Finished Product

Wow!  That's a bad picture.  It tastes a lot better than it looks!

The Review

This was really good.  I was sad that my basil plant died and I had to use dried basil.  It would have been even better, and prettier, with the fresh herb.  I was really proud of my son to try making a dish like this!  I helped him figure out how to do it in the dutch oven, but he did all the cooking.  We gave this a B+.

Day 275: Apple Peanut Butter Crisp

We made this dessert on Saturday in St. George.  We went up Snow Canyon and found a nice picnic area that was close to the sand dunes and some hiking areas.  While the kids played I cooked.  It was a lot of fun!  It made for a really relaxing afternoon.  My poor hubby, who had just finished the marathon a few hours earlier sat in a chair and tried not to be in pain.  :)  This dessert was the second place winner at the Youth Cook Off back in April.

Apple Peanut Butter Crisp
10" dutch oven

6-8 tart apples, peeled and sliced, with 1/4 cup white sugar stirred in
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine

Arrange the apple slices in bottom of a lightly greased dutch oven.  Mix lemon juice and water and pour over apples.  Sprinkle cinnamon on top.  Mix remaining ingredients until crumbly.  Spread evenly over the apples.  Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was DELISH!!  I would have never thought of putting peanut butter in apple crisp.  It was sweet and tart and just peanut buttery enough.  Next time I'm going to have to double this one.  My kids couldn't get enough.  This was a great twist on traditional apple crisp.  Grade A.

Day 274: Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Focaccia

I apologize for not being able to post yesterday's recipe!  My family took a weekend trip to beautiful St. George, Utah and we forgot the power cord for the laptop!  I just got home, so I'm playing catch up!  The first weekend in October is the St. George Marathon that my hubby runs every year.  So while he runs, we spend the morning climbing on the beautiful red rock hills.  It's rough duty, I know!  :)  If you're wondering, my hubby ran the marathon in 3 hours, 8 minutes and 52 seconds.  Its his 3rd best time, so we are very proud!

I made this bread as a snack for the kids before we headed out on Friday.  It is adapted from a Taste of Home magazine.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Focaccia
12" dutch oven

6-6 1/2 cups flour
2 (1/4 oz.) pkgs. yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 cups warm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2-1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbs. milk

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Add the salt and vegetable oil and enough flour to form a soft dough.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Place in a greased bowl and allow to rise 1 hour.
Punch the dough down and divide in half.  Pat each portion flat, cover and let stand 10 minutes.  Press the dough into 2 well greased dutch ovens.  Prick the top of the dough with a fork.  Brush with butter.  Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the dough.  Top with chocolate chips.  Let stand 10-15 minutes.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.  Combine powdered sugar and enough milk to achieve a glaze consistency; drizzle over warm bread.  Makes 2 round loaves.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was really good.  I was hoping the chocolate chips would melt and leave little puddles of chocolate on the bread, but the chips kept their shape.  My kids gobbled this up!  Its a really good dessert bread.  You could use nuts instead of the chocolate chips, or maybe even M & M's.  Just use your imagination.  This made a great snack for my kids.  Grade B+.

Day 273: Spinach Rice Bake

Just a quick post today.  I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off!

Spinach Rice Bake
10" dutch oven

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, cooked according to package directions
1 cup cooked long grain rice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
3 Tbs. finely chopped onion
1 Tbs. dried parsley
2 Tbs. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Combine spinach with the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Place into a greased dutch oven and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Use 1 ring on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 4.

The Finished Product

I'm having some problems with my camera so I'll add the pic as soon as I can!

The Review

I really love spinach, but I wasn't impressed with this recipe.  I won't make this again.  It had okay flavor, but it was nothing to write home about.  I have better recipes.  I think I'll skip this one next time.  Grade C-.