Pumpkin Cornmeal Bread and pumpkin cookies

October 2010


October Breads


Since fall is here and who doesn't like the smell of freshly backed bread I went to Beth Hensperger book A Bread For All Seasons for a tasty fall bread. This recipe includes pumpkin puree, cornmeal and rye flour for a unique flavor and texture. For some reason I measured out 1 cup pumkin instead of 1/2 cup pumpkin. At first I panicked but then continued on to see how things went. It was moist but that how I prefer the dough. Half the recipe I made into rolls while the other half I shaped into a round. Both came out fine. So I would include a full 1 cup pumpkin in the future and perhaps substitute white whole wheat flour for the rye  to see how the flavor turned out...Yummy

A Bread for all Seasons

gathering the ingredients

rising dough

bread and rolls

Out of the oven and ready to wrap in coth

Rolls

So I had some pumpkin puree left over so I opened a second can and made pumpkin cookies. Also very yummy. More like a muffin top or cake than a cookie and tastes like pumpkin pie. When stacked on top of each other they stick to each other. I haven't quite figured out how to store these cookies. Sometimes I drizzle icing on the top although it doesn't call for it. This cookie dough stores quite well in the refridgerator for a couple of days and in the freezer for longer. I love freezing cookie dough. I find we eat fewer cookie and it is faster to have a batch ready a week or so later. The recipe is in a set of cookbooks my father had given me 20 years ago and many of the recipes have become family favorites.

Pumpkin Cookies

I also made a couple of loaves of white bread to satisfy my family.

white bread

And Ms Hensperger's Fresh Apple Walnut bread which tastes a bit like cinnamon raisin bread without the guilt of being loaded with sugar

Fresh Apple Walnut Bread

moist & yummy

November looks like cranberry, oranges and rice in the breads from the book. I have to say that I have my recipes gathered for Thanksgiving and my shopping list compiled so I hope this provides me with more time to sew and bake!

Gratefully
Ileen