Punkin Bread!

Are you getting enough beta carotene? If not, I can help. :) Yesterday, I had 2 big winter squash/pumpkins from my CSA. Apparently they are still going strong and in season. So, I made pumpkin puree and sealed/froze it with my handy dandy seal-o-meal. P.S. Pumpkin puree is so rich in color, so beautiful, so packed with nutrition. But like I'm just gonna eat it by the spoon full? I mean I am all for healthy, but let's not get crazy here. So That's when it hit me...pumpkin bread (loaded with sugar and oil...)! So I used the only banana/pumpkin bread recipe I've ever used: My mama's. It's so good that I have never looked to another. I have never made this for anyone who didn't scarf it down. It's not fancy. It's just plain good and NEVER EVER EVER dry. I promise. You know how I know it's such an amazing recipe? I switched it to GF and still wanted to eat the entire loaf in one setting. But don't mess with the spices. Don't you dare. You may have to buy them the first time if you don't keep cloves and ginger around. But no worries. I have my money on the fact that you'll make it again. And again. And again...

The Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
3-4 mashed bananas or 2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola or grape seed oil
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
GF Peeps: I used 1 cup white flour, 1/2 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup millet flour, and 1/4 cup of brown rice flour with 1 tsp xanthan gum. The key is to not use too much brown rice flour or it will taste too "healthy" :)

Beat those eggs with the sugar well. In a seperate bowl either mash the bananas with a fork and mix with oil, or mix pumpkin puree with oil. Add vanilla. Sift flour, leavening's, salt, and SPICES. Don't be scared. Add all ingredients together and stir until smooth-ish. If it's pumpkin bread it will be smooth with no lumps. If it's banana bread you may have a few lumps here and there, but I am okay with that. Spray 2 loaf pans with canola oil. Bake at 350. I have cooked this for as short as 35 minutes and as long as an hour. It really depends on the weather, the oven, and how humid your hair is that day. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn't dry out. That would be tragic. Insider information: I take it out when it is JUST cooked in the middle. It will cook a little in the pan when you take it out of the oven. You could make these into muffins if you want portion control, but really don't fight it. Just give in to the loaf pan. After all, we all could use a little extra beta carotene, right? I must be really healthy because I've had like a loaf in a day...