German houses are cold houses. Not a lot of carpeting and lots of windows. Those crazy Germans open their windows daily to let the fresh air in. They say that you should, to avoid any mold growth (yuck), but the temps have got to get above 40 for me to do so. I was thinking that even the Germans have to be cold and wouldn't really open their windows daily, but NO they really do. That is thick blood and lots of bratwurst talking there.
When I am cold, I want to do dishes (really) and bake. I don't know how many people make cookies, brownies, or bread at 730 AM, but this is the way that I warm up my house. This past week has been filled with pumpkin everything. Speaking of the big orange vegetable, why do I have 13 large cans in my food storage you ask? Well that is because I am dependant on the Commissary to supply all my needs and the commissary is funny that way. They only carry pumpkin from mid October to Thanksgiving. Fine, but I love to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies year around. I stock up now so that I can make at least one batch a month until the next time they carry the item. Oh and they charge a crazy $2.50 per can, how I miss store competition and sales. But the rule of the BX and commissary and living overseas is this… If you see it and you want it, you BUY it right then because they may NEVER get it again. I remember in Turkey they had Easter eggs in February, but at Easter none was to be found. The eggs then showed up again in May, and had to be sold at discount. Smart folks stock up and save for next Easter when they only have Valentines in stock. Overseas commissaries only carry small quantities...5 lbs of flour or quart of milk anyone? except in the strange items like gallons of coffee creamer and jumbo cans of pumpkin.
With 1 jumbo can of pumpkin I can make a batch of pumpkin cookies and 3 loaves of pumpkin chocolate chip bread. I am currently using pumpkin to thicken my blood because it has less of a lasting effect than brats do, if you know what I mean.
Here is the recipe that I am using to make my house warmer (because it is never warm enough) and my blood thicker.
Pumpkin Bread (adapted from an old recipe that I found)
2-2/3 c. sugar (yeah lots, but pumpkin plain is yucky)
3 eggs
2 c. pumpkin (Actually, take 1 cup out of a large can to use for cookies later then use the rest of the can for the bread. I don’t know how much, but it is definitely pumpkin enough)
1 c. oil (That is too much for me. So I use about ½ c. oil then about ½ c. light sour cream or plain yogurt. I say about because I just scoop and don’t get another thing dirty…my mom would be proud.)
3- ½ c. flour
2 t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
4 t. pumpkin pie spice (I usually don’t have this so I just come up with a combination of 2 t. cinnamon (in addition), 1 t. ginger, ½ t. cloves, and ½ t. nutmeg, but my mom hates nutmeg, so you can leave it out.)
½ t. salt
2c. walnuts & 1-1/2 c. raisins (Totally leave these out and replace with a cup-ish of mini chocolate chips so that it tastes awesome.)
Beat eggs until fluffy, gradually adding the sugar as you beat. Then add the pumpkin, sour cream, and oil. Add dry and then chocolate chips. Pour into 3 greased loaf pans ( I have a pan that is a little smaller, a medium, and a larger. Nothing is exact.)
Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of loaf.
(I bake for about 30 minutes on the setting that means top heat and bottom heat, then turn it to the one that only means top heat, then if necessary finish it off with the fan setting and some foil. I’m starting to figure out these crazy German ovens.)
Freezes great if it lasts that long.
Jag can eat most of a loaf by himself (at least I tell him that he did).
My early morning baking partner.
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