Pumpkin Walnut bread with Cream Cheese filling

I love the way my house smells when a loaf of bread is baking and Lord have mercy, this pumpkin bread is AHHHHmazing. My favorite part is eating a nice thick slice topped with butter.

This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread, but I wanted to make one loaf and a dozen muffins, so I could share with the office.

Here's what you do....

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounce package softened cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Pumpkin Bread:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter two 9" loaf pans.

Cream Cheese Filling: Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and mix slightly. Stir in the flour. Set aside.

Pumpkin Bread: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the sugar and melted butter and whisk until blended. Stir in the pumpkin, water, vanilla, and walnuts.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix, the bread will come out too tough.

Divide the batter in half. Take one half and divide it evenly between the two prepared pans. Divide the cream cheese filling in half and place each half of filling on top the two pans of batter, smoothing the tops. Top with the remaining half of batter. Bake the breads for about 50 minutes, or until cooked through.

Allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator.

Happy October!!!!

Yes, it has finally arrived and yes, it is my favorite month, and Yes, I realize it's already the 14th! But Happy October!!! However, I've been working so hard this month on wonderful delicious pumpkin recipes. It is a month of pumpkin!!!!

Let me tell you just how hard it is to find pumpkin...mid October and I have yet to find it on the shelves at any grocery store locally and I'm not the type of girl to prepare my own pumpkin from a real pumpkin. It's just not my style. So, in my frustration, I ranted and raved on Facebook at just how hard it is to find pumpkin and lo and behold, a friend from Arkansas was kind enough to ship me 11 cans of this harvest time favorite!

I'm sure you can imagine the ideas I have for all of this!!

Aside from the traditional pumpkin pie, pumpkin can make some of the most decadent desserts, but can also be used in soups, stews, and as a base for all kinds of recipes.

Here's a great recipe from BHG for Pumpkin Barley soup with Andouille Sausage.

8 oz. cooked andouille or smoked sausage links, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon snipped fresh sage
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup quick-cooking barley
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

In a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven cook sausage, onion and sage in hot oil over medium heat 3 minutes, stirring often. Add barley, 4 cups water and bouillon granules. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in pumpkin, maple syrup and vinegar; heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. garnish with apple and more sage.

*I omit the maple syrup.
*Instead of water, you can substitute chicken stock.
*Barley will cook up, be sure you have enough liquid to even out the soup.

If a squash can make you smile.....

All I could think of when I saw this beautiful Butternut Squash was...sing it with me, "Veggie-taales, veggie-taales, veggie-taales, veggietales." Ah, the memories of my children so small with their need to watch these veggie videos over and over and over again. No matter how long it's been, we still love to occasionally sing "Where is my hair brush?" and my personal favorite, "I ain't got a belly button." in the style of a boy band!!

This time of the year, I see so many wonderful varieties of squash, pumpkin, and other gourds. Not only do I love to decorate with these harvest time favorites, but I love the smell of these baking.

Butternut squash is a shapely gourd with a smooth surface and a dull yellowy peach skin. It's typically a winter variety and has a sweet flat flavor and similar texture to a pumpkin. Although there are many ways to prepare it, I love it roasted. But butternuts are also great pureed into soups, casseroles, & breads and they also pair well with apples and poultry.

*Note: Be careful when preparing, sometimes one can come in contact with the skin of a squash and get a rash. Cortisone cream will help.*

Butternut Squash Soup

6 tablespoons chopped onion
4 tablespoons margarine
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

In a large saucepan, saute onions in margarine until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Apples ain't only for the teacher!!! When I worked in the mall (many years ago) in Savannah, our store was located directly across from the Savannah Candy Company. I was mesmerized by the beautiful assortment of candy and caramel apples! Through the glass windows, you could watch their employees hard at work in the kitchen, the scent of sugar wafting through the air was irresistible. Their pralines were sinful, confections lined up in candy jars along the window in beautiful bright colors. Fudge in every kind of flavor imaginable. But my favorite part was watching the girls give these gargantuan apples a royal treatment, dipping apples into creamy caramel, then given a jacket of nuts, crushed oreos, milk or white chocolate or crushed butterfingers.

Apples are so versatile! From making a savory apple stuffing paired with chicken or turkey, or you can turn them into a decadent dessert.

I make this fabulous Caramel apple Cake that is simple and delicious! It's a fall favorite and I think you'll love it.

Here's what you do....

Start with a buttered cake pan or glass dish.

Next use a basic caramel sundae syrup. I like the Smucker's squeezeable :)

Now for the apples, you need apple pie filling (you can easily substitute your own apple filling here if you have time)... canned Apple pie filling is a quick alternative, which is what I used here. top the apples with drizzled caramel sauce and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Next, mix together a basic yellow boxed cake mix (for ease), and pour evenly over the apple filling. Here, if you like a from scratch recipe, you can use your favorite basic mix.Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a cake board, while the cake is still warm, allowing the apples and caramel to melt into the cake.

Serve warm. And enjoy!!

Sour Cream Cornbread

I am more than ready for the autumn. There is no time of the year quite like it. Football, crunchy leaves, carnivals, not to mention my favorite holidays...Halloween and Thanksgiving!!

There are so many recipes that just taste better with the flavor of harvest time veggies and gourds...I love pumpkin and butternut squash. I love beans flavored with ham, and chili and soup. One of my favorite sides is homemade cornbread. I especially love cornbread dressing. This recipe for sour cream cornbread is a great compliment to any of those hearty dishes on a cool crisp autumn day. These cornbread muffins can be frozen, too. They're great served warm with fresh butter.

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
8 ounces sour cream, regular or light
1 can cream-style corn
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons melted butter

Heat oven to 375°. Grease your muffin tin (or spray paper liners)

In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and sugar.

In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, corn, eggs, milk, and melted butter. Combine the two mixtures and stir until just blended.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4-full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the muffins are firm and lightly browned.

Makes 18 to 24 muffins.