Pumpkins!

Northwest Oregon in October. I think it is the light. The sun is different in October, almost closer. It makes our annual trip to the pumpkin patch a dazzling event.

This year Rose noticed that we all had different criteria for choosing our own perfect pumpkin. Todd always gets a large, stable, upright pumpkin that is handsome from every angle. His will become our jack-o-lantern. Edison and St. George always choose interesting pumpkins. Odd colors, warts and unusual shapes are attractive to them. Their pumpkins will decorate the table. Rose noticed that of all the pumpkins in the wheelbarrow, mine alone had no stem.

"Mine doesn't need a stem, when we get home I will cut it up and cook it," I told her.

She decided that this year she preferred a functional pumpkin to a beautiful one, so we both got Cinderella pumpkins that happened to be stemless. The pumpkin cooked up nicely and mashed well. Here is the first thing we made with her mashed pumpkin this year:

Pumpkin Bread
Beat 2/3 c butter with 2 c sugar. Beat in 2 c mashed pumpkin, 4 eggs, 2/3 c water. Add 1/2 tspalt, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 c cornmeal, 1/2 c ground walnuts, 2 1/2 c flour. Stir in 1 c raisins. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes at 350F. Cool 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack.