Orange Pumpkin Bread
Its early October, the leaves have begun to change and I can see my breath when I run in the morning. Fall has officially arrived.
To celebrate the season, I dragged out an old family recipe given to me by my mother. What goes better with a chilly morning that a hot cup of coffee and Orange Pumpkin Bread?
This recipe belongs to my great-grandmother Gladys. A woman I’ve only known through stories and pictures as a child. She was married to William, my great-grandfather and namesake and lived on a farm where she and my great-grandfather raised horses and cattle.
Earlier this year, my mom gave be two boxes of family recipes from my great-aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. As I’ve been working through the recipes, I’ve thought about who these women were, what they were like and what they would think of me. Of these three ladies, I only met my great-aunt Ruth. My great-grandmother passed long before I was born and my grandmother passed away from cancer at 49 (one more reason why I quit smoking). All the same, I’ve known these women through stories told to me by my mother, uncle and their family friends. Despite not meeting them, cooking their food is giving me a connection to a life I didn’t know and gives me a comfort I struggle to articulate.
Orange Pumpkin Bread
makes two loaves
Ingredients
2/3 C Crisco
2 2/3 C granulated sugar
1 orange
2/3 C water
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
3 1/3 C all purpose flour
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t baking powder
2/3 C chopped pecans
2/3 C raisins
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 and grease two 9x5x3 loaf pans.
In a stand mixer, cream shortening and sugar thoroughly
Cut the orange into wedges and carefully remove any seeds, then toss it into a blender or food processor with the water and puree until smooth.
Add the orange mixture to the creamed sugar and shortening along with the pumpkin and eggs.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder in a separate bowl and carefully add to the pumpkin mixture in batches. Fold in the pecans and raisins.
Pour the mixture into the loaf pans and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
How to Poach an Egg
Sundays should be savored. They are the day of the week we should take time to do the things we enjoy and be with the ones we love. Whether that means going for a hike or staying in to read a good book, Sundays are perfect for taking it easy.
Sticking with this theme, I love to make Sunday breakfast. In my family, Sunday breakfast is a cornerstone of the week. Growing up, Sunday's meant poached eggs and toast. For as long as I can recall, my dad has made perfectly poached eggs for my mom, sister and me every Sunday. We prefer our poached eggs jammy, chopped and mixed with butter, salt and pepper.
When it comes to poaching eggs, there are two main ways of doing it. One way is with an egg poaching pan and the other is simply to drop them in a swirling pan of boiling water. Both methods yield deliciously poached eggs with velvety yolks.
Poaching eggs can be intimidating but its really not. Just boil, swirl, drop and scoop. Poof, you're done and you look like a boss. Here's my latest Sunday morning favorite: Poached Eggs with Arugula and Toast. What's your favorite breakfast?
Breakfast Salad with Poached Eggs
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 cups arugula
Crusty bread
Butter
2 Eggs
white vinegar
Directions
In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss the dressing with the arugula and set aside.
Place the buttered toast on a plate, top with the arugula and set aside.
Fill a wide, low pan about two-inches deep with water and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
As the water comes to a gentle boil, crack an egg gently in the middle of the water Simmer over medium high heat for 6 minutes or until the white around the yolk has set. Scoop egg out with a slotted spoon, nestle it gently on top of the salad and toast.
Caramelized Onion and Potato Fritatta
Everyone needs at least one great breakfast recipe in their arsenal. Sweet or savory having a go-to recipe for the morning is not only impressive but gratifying.
For me, this is it. I love eggs and this is savory, light and simple. I almost always have the ingredients on hand and I can saunter around the kitchen while it finishes in the oven. The result is light, fluffy and delicious. What else do you need on a cozy Sunday morning?
Caramelized Onion and Potato Fritatta
Ingredients
6 Eggs, separated
1/4 C ricotta
2 onions, sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and black pepper
1 large russet potato, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1/4 c cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 300
2. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, ricotta, goat cheese and half the cheddar. In the bowl of a stand-mixer, whip the egg whites to soft peaks - about 2 minutes.
3. In the bowl of a stand-mixer, whip the egg whites to soft peaks - about 2 minutes.
4. In a heavy skillet, heat half of the olive oil. Add the onions and season with salt, pepper and thyme, sauté until the onions begin to caramelize - about 5 minutes.
5. Arrange the potato slices in an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
6. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and pour evenly into the pan.
7. Add remaining cheddar cheese and bake in the oven until the middle is firm but not collapsed – about 12-15 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.