I will confess right now that I do NOT love everything pumpkin "flavored". The last some years someone somewhere has attempted to make a pumpkin or pumpkin spiced flavored everything, but it really doesn't work for me on so many things, so I am sometimes reluctant to try more weird "flavored" pumpkin stuff. Yucky ! This recipe though, I had before all the pumpkin rage and it has been a hit all around. It can be used for dessert and it is great for that, but I kind of like having a slice for breakfast. What a way to start a day, along with a fine cup of coffee.
When you see a recipe on paper or in a cookbook that has drips and splatters on it, that is sure a tell-tale sign that it is a keeper. I originally found it in an early Taste Of Home magazine. I no longer know what year or edition. My best guess would be around 1991 or 1992. I typed it up and printed it so that I can tape it to my upper cabinet door while I am preparing it in the kitchen. I have done this to a lot of my favorite recipes through the years, so I can get a quick glance when needed as I prepare.
Even though it does have a good handful of ingredients, it is still very simple to make as you can see from the instructions.
As always, on the cooking time, you have to know your oven and whether it cooks fast or slow... or just right. This was done in 60 minutes in my oven. I always set a timer for a little less time than it indicates, to remind me to come check it before it is quite done. That way I can keep a eye on it.... well.... most of the time.
I hand chopped my pecans last night while I watched TV. I have a nut grinder, but it grinds the nuts too small for most recipes that I make, although it is very good to use when grinding pecans for Pecan Sandies. To be honest, I like the feel and nostalgia I get from cutting them by hand, so I don't mind doing it at all. There is a company here called Elizabeth's in Turkey, NC... yeah... that's a place....LOL and they always have very nice pecans. I use to find them in a store or two around here, but since covid, I have ordered them online. They are NOT cheap ! I tell you that up front, but unless you know someone with a tree and can get them local and fresh and plump, the ones from the grocery are normally old looking and appear to be half dried up. I'm sorry, but if I am going to go to the time and trouble to make something from scratch, I want the ingredients to be excellent.
So when I clocked out of my home work station at noon today, these were ready to go.
The other thing it is good to do before starting is to prepare your pans. This recipe makes two perfect loaves if you are using the average loaf pans. (The front one looks bigger in the photo, but that is just an illusion, they are both the same size.) I like to grease them with real butter and then flour them a bit. I use to use crisco for greasing pans, but one day I thought, why would I do that? Although I won't tell you it works better or worse, I somehow like that idea better when I think of what will cook into the sides of my baked goods. I just made myself laugh after typing that last sentence. I can't help what I think and sometimes I act on it ! Been doing this every since.
Here are most of the ingredients. Of course you would use whatever brand you have. At the beginning of the baking season, I usually acquire new baking powder and replace a few other things that have been left over from last year and not used up or sometimes longer than that. This week I bought new cinnamon and allspice, I already had the nutmeg and I do like real vanilla instead of imitation, but that is just my personal preference. As always, you should use whatever it is you like.
Normally I drag out everything I need before I get started. It is not a rule, but for me it just seems to go smoother that way.
As the recipe says....you will put your dry ingredients in a bowl. Make sure this bowl is big enough to hold all the other ingredients when added later.
...and then combine evenly.
In a second bowl, put in the wet ingredients...
.... and then combine them well.
Now pour your wet ingredients in with the dry and stir just enough to combine. No need for lots of extra stirring.
Once that is done, fold in the nuts.
That was easy, right? Now it is ready to cook.
I thought I took a few photos while my pans were on the counter to show that you want to fill the pans as equally as possible so that when baking, they will both be done at the same time. Somehow though, when I downloaded my photos and came to load them here.... no photos of that... what ??... So here they are when I first put them in the over. Perfectly even...LOL ! Pretty close.
I think I left them in 3 minutes too long.. 😆 ...or had them a little close to the top burner. How dare my oven try to singe the tops !
Fortunately, the texture is great and it tastes perfect, slightly chewy on the crusted outside and perfectly moist in the inside. MMMmmmMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I like the end pieces best, but I won't quibble if it comes straight from the middle.
It's nicely spicey and tastes like the holidays. It's not the holidays yet you say? I know ! But I haven't made these in a couple of years and I am getting hungry for fall things now that the days are just beginning to offer me a little less light.
Oh... and that piece in the last photo, that one is already gone. 😊
If you decide to try it, let me know what you think !
