.breezy days and pumpkin bread.

Every window in my home is wide open, inviting all the cool Autumn breezes to flow through every room with ease. I LOVE it! I love the sounds of trees rustling in the wind, birds singing their little hearts out, an ice cream truck playing . . . is that the theme to the Godfather? These are sounds that remind me so much of home. . . bringing me back to childhood memories of afternoons spent in my Tutu's kitchen in Kailua. What shall we bake? I ask. The answer today is Pumpkin Bread.

Pumpkin Spice Bread
3 c. sugar*
1 c. vegetable oil*
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15 oz.) can of solid pack pumpkin
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 c. water*

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Add water to pumpkin mixture. Pour into two greased loaf pans (9-in x 5-in x 3-in). Bake at 350˚F for 60-65 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely.

*Alterations: Based on some of the reviews on this recipe, I did some alterations. Instead of 3 cups of sugar, I used 1 1/2 cups of white granulated sugar and 1 cup of packed light brown sugar. I used non-sweetened applesauce in place of the vegetable oil. Lastly, 1/2 cup of orange juice was used in place of water.

Recipe found on AllRecipes.com