Pumpkin Bread

'Tis the season and I've been sitting on a goldmine of a Pumpkin Bread recipe! It's the most moist and yummy pumpkin bread I've had. It makes 3 loaves and freezes really well. It's basically a recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com but I changed it a slight bit. Original recipe.

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cup water
2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 7" (or two 9") loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, applesauce, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

IKEA Meatballs

Food Network Magazine posts a copycat recipe every month and this month's was IKEA Swedish Meatballs. I changed it slightly from that and I'm very happy with the result. My recipe follows...but here's the original.


Meatballs
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used pre-made ones, not Italian seasoned)
2 Tblspns melted butter
1/2 c minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tspn Worcestershire sauce
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 egg
salt, pepper to taste


Instructions:
1. Put breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan, add in onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes or until soft.
2. Add milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer.
3. Pour over breadcrumbs in bowl and stir to combine. Let cool, just until cool enough to touch.
4. Add in ground meat and combine.
5. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on lightly greased or lined baking sheet.
6. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
7. Bake in a 400F oven for about 20 minutes.

Gravy
2 Tblspns butter
2 Tblspns flour
1.5 cups beef broth
1 tspn Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt, pepper to taste


Instructions:
1. Melt butter in skillet and add in flour. Cook for about 1 minute.
2. Whisk in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer.
3. Add in cream and meatballs.
4. Reduce to low for 10-15 minutes.

Serve with hot egg noodles, mashed potatoes, as a sandwich, or however you like. :)