Recipe- Old Fashioned Gingerbread

Nothing quite like the smell of freshly-baked gingerbread to get you and your guests in the holiday spirit! This recipe is easy and delicious, sure to bring cheer to even this biggest Scrooge!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup butter
• 1 egg, large
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
2.  In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg and mix in molasses.
3.  In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Blend into creamed mixture. Stir in hot water. Pour into the greased, floured pan.
4.  Bake for one hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Prep time: 25 minutes   Cook time: 1 hour  Serves 9  375 calories per serving

Recipe- Pumpkin Bread

      Fall is upon us once again, which can mean only one thing- time for pumpkin EVERYTHING!! Here’s a recipe for pumpkin bread that is perfect for enjoying with a cup of hot apple cider on a crisp fall evening.

Prep time: 15 min. Bake time: 65-70 mins. plus 10 mins. for cooling

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

½ cup canola oil

½ cup water

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

½ cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first eight ingredients. Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, oil and water; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in walnuts and raisins, if desired.
2.    Pour into greased 9x5” loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Approx. 65-70 mins.) Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes one loaf (16 slices).