Recipe Monday

Well, it has been a busy 5 days! My dd's 12th birthday has been a 5 day celebration! There was a hiking trip upstate, a sleepover party at our house, Saturday's trip to 6 flags great adventure, Sunday's pumpkin picking out East and a party at my parents today. I AM EXAUSTED!! But, it was lots of fun with lots of good food! My daughter wanted pumkin pie for her birthday cake so thats what she got on Friday at our house. She loves my mothers cheesecake, so my mom surprised her with a delicious pumpkin cheescake today at their house. So anyway, now I have about 5 minutes to post this recipe before it is no longer Monday. Now 4 minutes! I think I am going to hit the publish post button and then come back and finish. Be right back! Well I hope that worked. So, this weeks recipe is a really delicious pumpkin bread. A lot of the things that make baking easier and more succesful to me is to share the answers to the questions I had to ask when I did the baking. So, here goes. Hint 1: It looks like a ton of dates, but its not, they shrink when they are baked. I thought the recipe was wrong and was going to dump half of them. Hint 2: Sift the flour before you measure it and Hint 3: This recipe calls for breadcrumbs, make sure they are unseasoned NOT Progresso seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs!

PUMPKIN BREAD

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoons Cloves
2 Large Eggs
2 cups light brown sugar packed
1/2 cup canola oil
1 lb (2 cups) canned pumpkin
8 oz (1 cup) pitted whole dates, each date cut into 2-3 pcs (no smaller!)
4 oz (generous 1 cup) walnuts

Oven rack should be set 1/3 up from bottom. Set oven to 350. Butter a 10 x 5 x 3" loaf pan or 2 smaller pans. I used 2 smaller pans. Dust the pan with fine dry bread crumbs, then tap out excess.
Sift together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside. In a large bowl beat the eggs just to mix (I used my kitchen aid) Mix in the pumpkin and then the dates. Now add the sifted dry ingredients and stir or mix on low setting until they are smoothly incorporated. Stir in nuts by hand.
Turn into prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours in large pan or 70 minutes in the small pans. Bread is done when a tooth pick comes out of the middle JUST ABOUT clean.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove and let stand on a rack until cool.
Bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for 2 days or frozen for 3 months.
To serve immediatly, cut slices 3/4" thick with a serrated knife. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Enjoy!