Pumpkin Coconut Bread

If you read this blog, you know I love anything and everything about Fall.  Sweaters, boots, pretty leaves, pumpkins, what's not to love?  Over the years I've posted about a bazillion recipes using pumpkin (slight exaggeration).  Point is, I like to cook with pumpkin, it's good and good for you.  I've made a lot of pumpkin bread in my life, but this recipe, that I ran across in an old Southern Living cookbook, is the best I've ever tasted.  Seriously, it's moist and flavorful and tastes like Fall.  It uses coconut cream pudding mix in the batter, which is what makes it so moist.  It's almost like cake.  Yum!  Trust me, it's good.

*Note:  If you don't dig coconut (or are allergic) you can use vanilla flavored pudding mix instead.

  

PUMPKIN COCONUT BREAD

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil (canola or vegetable)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 small box coconut cream instant pudding
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl slightly beat eggs.

Add the sugar and oil and beat with a mixer on medium speed until well combined.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pudding mix, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon,  I like to use a whisk to combine them well.

Alternately add the flour mixture and the pumpkin to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in the chopped pecans.

Grease a loaf pan.  You can use cooking spray but I like to use shortening.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn it out and let it cool completely on a rack.

This bread is just plain delicious.  It's moist and flavorful from the spices.  The coconut pudding mix gives it a little something extra.  It's awesome with a cup of coffee on a cool morning!  

You will definitely want to make this pumpkin coconut bread.  Invite a friend over for coffee and share this yummy treat (or save it all for yourself, I don't judge).

Refrigerator Spoon Rolls

There is nothing like the smell of homemade bread in the oven!  But, really, who has the time or energy for all of that work?  Well, now we do.  This recipe is so simple anyone can do it.  And, because you make it and stick it in the refrigerator, you don't have to knead it and wait for it to rise and punch it down and let it rise again, etc.  It's just sitting in the fridge waiting for you.  I love this recipe!

REFRIGERATOR SPOON ROLLS

1 envelope yeast
2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 cups self-rising flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar

First, make sure your water is the right temperature.  It should be between 105 and 115 degrees.  If you don't have a thermometer, just make sure it's very warm tap water.  If it's too cold, the yeast won't activate and if it's too hot, it will kill the yeast.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Combine the yeast mixture, butter and flour in a large mixing bowl, mixing well. (I use my stand mixer but you can do it by hand).

Stir in the slightly beaten egg and sugar.  Mix well.

It will be a very soft batter.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.  I put it in a measuring bowl with a lid, but you can just cover it with plastic wrap.

The next day it will have risen.  You can use it now or it will keep in the fridge for 4 days.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Generously grease a muffin pan (I use margarine spread.  It works great and gives the rolls a buttery flavor).

Spoon the batter into the greased muffin pan, filling 2/3 full (I use an ice cream scoop to do this).

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown.

These rolls are delicious!  They taste like you spent all day working in the kitchen, but, really you just had to spoon them into the pan.  So easy, but so good!  They'll make your house smell amazing!  I'll say it again, there is nothing like the smell of homemade bread in the oven.  This is a must-try recipe!

Beer Bread

If you've never made homemade bread because you think it's too difficult, here is the recipe for you.  No kneading, no rising, no hassle!  It really is a simple recipe.  But it tastes so good!  And it will make your house smell awesome!

I used Abita Amber beer for this recipe and it was delicious!  But, you can use any beer you have on hand.

BEER BREAD

3 cups all purpose four
1 1/2 TBS baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
1 (12 oz) bottle of beer

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a loaf pan well.  I like to use margarine spread.  It works great and adds a little buttery flavor. (Shortening or cooking spray works, too)

Next, mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl.  Whisk together well.  Add the beer.

Stir just until combined, about a minute.  You don't want to over work the dough.

Spoon the batter into the greased loaf pan and smooth out the top.

Bake for 1 hour.

This bread could not be easier!  And it tastes great!  It's got a wonderful malty flavor from the beer.  It's soft and fluffy on the inside with a great crust on the outside.

So, make homemade bread!  Everyone will be super impressed (we won't tell them how easy it was).
  

Old Fashioned Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is a classic dessert.  People have been making it for years and years.  Old time Cajuns made it a lot because they didn't waste anything!  When they had left over bread, they used it.  Sometimes they made Pain Perdu, or "lost bread", which is what they called French toast.  Sometimes they made bread pudding.  It was a favorite because it was delicious and down right cheap!  I'll bet you have all these ingredients in your kitchen right now.  If not, they wouldn't cost you much.

Here is a simple, classic recipe just like the old Cajuns used to make.  No fancy sauces, no cream glazes, just simple goodness.

BREAD PUDDING

1/3 - 1/2 loaf of day old bread (whatever you have left)
1/4 cup raisins
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt (a pinch)
1 1/3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish.  Cut bread into small cubes.  Place the bread into the dish.  Sprinkle raisins over the bread.

In a large measuring cup, combine remaining ingredients.  Beat well.  Pour over the bread and raisins.

Push the bread down to help it absorb the custard.  Place the dish into a larger baking dish filled with about 1 inch of hot water.

This is called a water bath.  It helps to keep the bread pudding moist while cooking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.  But it's pretty good by itself!

I used left over sweet Hawaiian bread to make this.  Wow!  It was awesome!  So, I thought I would also give you my recipe for the bread.  If you have a bread machine, make this.  It is so worth it.  If you don't have a bread machine, you should go buy one just to make this bread.  It's that good!  Just kidding.  (You can buy some King's Hawaiian Rolls and let them get a little stale).

HAWAIIAN BREAD

3/4 cup pineapple juice (lukewarm not cold)
1 egg
2 TBS canola oil
2 1/2  TBS honey
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
2 TBS dry powdered milk
1 pkg yeast (2 tsp size)

Place ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed.  Use the Sweet cycle on the Light setting.

Easy and absolutely delicious!  Perfect for dinner tonight and bread pudding tomorrow.

So, enjoy the simple things in life.  A great cup of coffee, good company and classic bread pudding.  Sounds good to me.