I don’t know what it is about this Winter, but it feels way longer than previous years. Maybe because we have more kids home bound or maybe it’s because we have grown to love our backyard so much the past couple seasons. Regardless, it’s long. I’m trying to implement #2 on My List by getting outside more, but it has been bitter cold and I’ve been unmotivated. The thought of getting gloves, hats and coats on all three of them gets me tired thinking about it.
We have been throwing ourselves into our projects, we did this neat one from Montessori Mama yesterday – gotta love Raffi songs. I’m trying to teach myself how to knit (not going well) , we are reading a lot more and taking it a little slower most days. We’ve also been baking a lot more, mainly pumpkin bread, making some yummy soups and drinking hot cocoa every day in the afternoon. I was glad to see that Soulemama has started a series of posts about embracing the season, the pictures alone make me want to settle in with the boys.
Here’s my pumpkin bread recipe. It’s actually from The Daily Bread, I love it because it makes 2 loaves so we can keep one and give one away.
PUMPKIN BREAD
2/3 cup canola oil
2 – 2/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 (15-ounce can) pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3- 1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 9×5 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl of electric mixer, beat together sugar and oil. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and water. Add flour baking powder, baking soda, salt nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, mix well.
Spoon half the batter into each pan. Bake 50 minutes or until the knife comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pans. If serving the next day, wrap in plastic.
