A VERY long time ago, as a new mother, I joined a junior women’s league when we moved to a new town.  This group of women, in all stages of life, did a lot of great things for the community.  We also supported each other in times of sorrow & grief as well as in the good times.  I made some wonderful friends within that group that I still have, even though we’ve moved a few times since I was a part of it.  One of the fundraisers we did was to put together a cookbook.  The committee in charge asked each of the 30+ members to contribute 5-10 recipes for the cookbook.  I gathered all the recipes that we routinely made (or that I wanted to routinely make!) that I had cut from the newspaper & that family or friends had given me on loose recipe cards and submitted them so I could have all those recipes in one bound book.  I ended up contributing 70+ recipes for the cookbook.  I gave credit to my husband, mother-in-law, parents & a great-aunt, when warranted.  I still use the cookbook, especially at this time of year.  I’ve long ago forgotten where I first got this Pumpkin Chip Bread recipe from, but it has become a favorite of ours.  I start baking it in the fall and continue through early winter. We eat it at Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas.  I use the bread as Christmas presents for my sister, both sister-in-laws and an assortment of family friends.  It’s wonderful as a dessert, snack or breakfast.

The whole house smells wonderful when I’m baking these!

Pumpkin Chip Bread (makes 2 loaves)

I like to assemble all my ingredients on the counter before I start along with all the measuring tools.

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin
• 3 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.  Add sugar and mix until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time and mix thoroughly.  Add the pumpkin.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & cloves and add to the mix.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

The pumpkin, cinnamon & cloves give it a nice orangey color.

Pour into 2 greased & floured loaf pans.  I use Pam to coat the loaf pans, then I drop in some flour and shake it around the pan until it is well coated.  Bake for one hour at 350°.   Test for doneness in the center of each loaf at the end of an hour.  The tester should come out clean.  If they are not done, continue baking in 5 minute intervals until the tester comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out of the pan to cool completely.  When cooled, the loaves can be wrapped in plastic then aluminum foil for freezing or stored at room temperature in plastic or foil for immediate consumption.

I hope it becomes as much a favorite in your house as it is in mine!  ~Linda

Pumpkin Chip Bread (makes 2 loaves)

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin
• 3 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.  Add sugar and mix until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time and mix thoroughly.  Add the pumpkin.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & cloves and add to the mix.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour into 2 greased & floured loaf pans.  I use Pam to coat the loaf pans, then I drop in some flour and shake it around the pan until it is well coated.  Bake for one hour at 350°.   Test for doneness in the center of each loaf at the end of an hour.  The tester should come out clean.  If they are not done, continue baking in 5 minute intervals until the tester comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out of the pan to cool completely.  When cooled, the loaves can be wrapped in plastic then aluminum foil for freezing or stored at room temperature in plastic or foil for immediate consumption.