Pumpkin Spice Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 c. minus 2 Tbsp. pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 3/4 c. water
• 1 3/4 c. dark brown sugar
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 lg. eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350* F. Heat pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat until steamy. Stirring continuously, cook until pumpkin is stiff and starts to stick to the pan bottom, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; whisk in 3/4 cup water, then brown sugar, then oil, then eggs until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining dry ingredients, then fold into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Scrape batter into 3 greased miniature disposable loaf pans (or 1 9-inch pan). Bake until firm and golden brown, about 50 minutes for miniature loaves and about 70 minutes for a large loaf.
3. Let bread stand for a few minutes. Turn onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Slice and serve. Recipe doubles easily and freezes well.

Apple Butter Bread:

Follow recipe for Pumpkin Spice Bread, substituting 3/4 cup of Apple Butter for the cooked spiced pumpkin (but do not cook the apple butter). Omit nutmeg. Increase cinnamon to 2 tsp. Reduce water to 1/2 cup. Reduce brown sugar to 1 1/4 cups.

Cream Cheese Frosting

"This is a wonderfully creamy frosting that goes well with pumpkin bread, carrot cake, chocolate cake, on cookies, or between cookies. If you want chocolate frosting, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup cocoa, according to how rich you want it."

Serves: 24
Prep: 10 Minutes
Ready: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Powdered Sugar Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 c. sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix all together and drizzle over cake or dessert.

Pumpkin Cookies

My mom has made these as long as I can remember. They are SO moist! It's almost like they just melt in your mouth. I make these every year now for my own family.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. margarine
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. pumpkin
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend margarine and sugar. Add pumpkin. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to blended sugar and margarine. Add vanilla and nuts.
2. Bake at 350* for 10-15 minutes. Frost with homemade powdered sugar or cream cheese frosting.

(I posted recipes for both of the frostings.)

THIS RECIPE CONTAINS NO EGGS

Fresh Tomato Soup With Basil

You think you know tomato soup. It's velvety smooth and creamy—perfect for a cold winter day. But there's another tomato soup—one made without cream, so you can really taste the tomatoes. Usually flavored with onions, garlic, and basil, it's the perfect way to use a surplus of ripe summer tomatoes.

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 pounds ripe beefsteak or plum tomatoes , cored and quartered; plus 1 pound, cored and diced medium
• 2 onions , chopped
• 8 garlic cloves , peeled and left whole; plus 1 clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Sugar
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine quartered tomatoes, onions, whole garlic cloves, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar in large roasting pan. Roast, stirring once or twice, until tomatoes are brown in spots, about 11/2 hours. Let cool 5 minutes. Working in two batches, process roasted tomato mixture in food processor until smooth. (Pureed mixture can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
2. When ready to serve, combine diced tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl and marinate for 30 minutes. Transfer to large saucepan, add pureed tomato mixture, and simmer over medium heat until diced tomatoes are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and sugar to taste. Serve.

Fried Green Tomatoes

A quick and easy homemade salsa makes a mouthwatering addition to these fried tomatoes. The golden coating is so crispy, no one suspects the slices are light. —Ingrid Parker of Hattiesburg, Mississippi

SERVINGS: 6
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 30 min. Cook: 25 min.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon fat-free milk
• 1 cup cornflake crumbs
• 4 medium green tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup canola oil

FRESH TOMATO SALSA:

• 5 medium red tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 4-1/2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cayenne. In another shallow bowl, beat egg and milk. Place cornflake crumbs in a third bowl. Pat green tomato slices dry. Coat with flour mixture, dip into egg mixture, then coat with crumbs.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 4 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Fry tomato slices, four at a time, for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, adding more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.
3. Place fried tomatoes on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the salsa ingredients. Serve with the fried tomatoes. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving:
2 tomato slices with 1/3 cup salsa
Calories: 207
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 35 mg
Sodium: 343 mg
Carbohydrate: 25 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 5 g
Diabetic Exchange: 2 vegetable, 2 fat, 1 starch.