Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I love Great Harvest Pumpkin Loaf, but it costs too much, so I searched for a good bread recipe and found it on the sisters cafe, I love it:
Here it is 
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread you can go here  to see pictures, they are the best site ever! 

Perfect Pumpkin Bread
submitted by~Melanie

1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 c vegetable oil
2/3 c water
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves

*Optional Variations–see below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour pans (this will make 3 small 7×3 loaf pans or 8 mini loaf pans).

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.  Pour into the prepared pans. *if desired stir in mini chocolate chips or sprinkle loaves with crumb topping (recipe follows) before baking.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven.  Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Do not over cook!

*Optional Variations

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup butter
1/2 c quick oats
1/2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
6 TB chopped pecans (if desired–we leave out)

Using a pastry cutter combine topping and sprinkle on top of loaves before baking.

Brown Butter Glaze
1/4 cup butter, warmed in a pan until it turns light brown
2 c powdered sugar
3 Tb hot water or milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
Combine the warm butter and vanilla with enough powdered sugar and water to get the right consistency to pour over loaves.  I put it on pretty thick pictured above, but you could definatly make the glaze thinner by adding a little more hot water or milk.  Also–you can heat it up again if it starts to stiffen.

Nourishing of our souls today:

The Task ahead of you is never greater than the Power behind you!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

If I ever lost my Sandridge Ward Cookbook I would be lost, as I seem to pull a lot of my recipes from my old ward friends.  This one is from Cathi Olsen and is one of my favorite!

Mom's Pumpkin Cookies
1/2 cup butter (it called for shortening)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
Chocolate chips (I like the mini ones)
1/2 cup nuts, optional and 1 cup raisins optional

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and mix well.  Add vanilla and mix.  Sift flour, baking powder, seasonings, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin.  Beat after each addition until smooth.  Fold in chocolate chips, raisins, nuts.  Drop on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 10 min (start at 9 min to check for doneness, I like them more undone than too done!)
These cookies freeze well if you have any left over.

Nourishment for our souls:
Last night was our election for President, and as soon as the media announced who they predicted won, hundreds of texts and facebook comments began appearing, and my daughter read them all to me, and I got on my own facebook and read a comment from one man who said:   What are you guys teaching your kids, Like it or not he is the president of this country...The country we live in with our families. The country that is by far better than any other country in this world.. So be mad or be happy but do not teach your children that they should not respect our president....no matter who he is. We are all blessed to be a part of this great country. Bigotry is taught to us by people that claim to love us...Get over it all ready.

I thought he made a good point, and then I read this:

We congratulate President Obama on winning a second term as President of the United States.

After a long campaign, this is now a time for Americans to come together. It is a long tradition among Latter-day Saints to pray for our national leaders in our personal prayers and in our congregations. We invite Americans everywhere, whatever their

political persuasion, to pray for the President, for his administration and the new Congress as they lead us through difficult and turbulent times. May our national leaders reflect the best in wisdom and judgment as they fulfill the great trust afforded to them by the American people.

We also commend Governor Romney for engaging at the highest level of our democratic process which, by its nature, demands so much of those who offer themselves for public service. We wish him and his family every success in their future endeavors.

~The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints~

I am so glad for a living prophet who shows us the way!

Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

I love soup and I just realized I have not posted very many soup recipes.  Today I am making this soup and had to "search" for my recipe, I am so glad to have all my favorites in one spot now!

I got this from another food blog but cant remember where I got it, when I do find the source I will link my recipe to it, I like to give credit to where I find recipes


Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
1 8 oz pkg of wild rice, cooked ( I buy the boxed ones)
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, sliced
1 1/2 ribs celery, sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup butter (you can not use any if you dont like the fat but I do use it!)
Diced, cooked chicken (about 2-3 chicken breasts worth. . or as much chicken as you prefer)
1 cup flour
8 cups hot chicken broth/or stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup half and half
Prepare your rice
Saute the onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms in butter (or olive oil) for about 3 minutes or until veggies are just soft.  Sprinkle in the flour, stirring and cooking until flour is mixed in, but do not let it begin to brown.  Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring until all the chicken stock, and flour/butter/veggie mix is well blended.  Add the rice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Heat thoroughly and stir in the cream.  Add the chicken.  Heat gently for 20 min to an hour, but do not let it boil.
YUMMY!
I cooked my wild brown rice last night (it takes 45 min ) and my chicken last night, then put it in the fridge for this morning so I can whip together the soup, and now I am off to make this, served with some of my homemade bread and cinnamon butter!
Happy Daylight Savings Day, I get an extra hour today!

oh yes, for the nourishing of our souls:
I like this scripture found in D&C 49:26-28
"Behold, I say unto you, go forth as I have commanded you: repent of all your sins: ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you, Behold, I will go before you and be your rearward: and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded.  Behold, I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly.  Even so Amen.

We are in the last days! We must repent daily and be prepared, and it is so comforting to know that Christ is always with us! One time I had to go to the tax office (I owed taxes when Dan left me) and I was so afraid, I remembered this scripture and prayed that I would not have to face the scary tax people alone, I prayed that Christ would be with me, before me and behind me (rearward) and I have to tell you, I was not scared as I knew I was not alone.  The tax officer was so kind to me and I felt strengthened and empowered that I could do this.  It all turned out okay! I still owe the taxes but it all turned out okay!

The Best RAW Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough to Eat

My daughter Jenna asked me to make some cookie dough for her and a friend to eat, a batch with no eggs so they would not get sick, and I found this one and really liked it.

from: www.ladywiththeredrocker.com

The Best {Raw} Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Recipe

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces)  butter at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Greek yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter
1 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I know we’re not baking them, it’s for flavor)
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips or reg milk choc chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and a wooden spoon) cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes in the machine.  Beat in yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
*(Stephanie’s notes: If you use applesauce or yogurt, you may have to add more flour. I made a batch with applesauce and I had to use 2 cups flour.)
(Sandee's note:  I also made this with applesauce and I used 2 cups flour as well, she called for unsalted butter ,I used salted butter and I just used a bowl and wooden spoon to stir)
You can use this recipe for any recipe that calls for raw cookie dough
For a picture go here:
It is very yummy!
For the nourishing of our souls:
I want to share some of the quotes I have gotten off of Pinterest, I love them:
"Wisdom doesn't come from speaking, it comes from listening"
and "jealousy is when you count someone else's blessings instead of your own" and "The next time satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future" and "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything- Mark Twain" and one last one "Do not quench the spirit" and that is in Thessalonians 5:19
Have a wonderful Fall day, I am!