Pumpkin Bread

Well It's the first Pumpkin Bread of the Fall.

And... boy is this going to be hard. It's high in fat, sugar, and all the bad stuff I should not be eating.

• Loaf #1 is a gift for Aunt Mary's Birthday.
• Loaf #2 was made so that we didn't throw away extra pumpkin mash. But I'm not quite sure what we will do with it yet.

So. I'm using Libby's Pumpkin from the can. Last year, I experimented and made homemade pumpkin mash, but I discovered that I really like the canned stuff better. It makes for better flavored bread. My all time favorite, but slightly expensive, pumpkin mash is the organic kind from Trader Joe's. But, I had Libby's in my cupboard, so that's fine, as it certainly makes for a good, affordable second.

So, today I am also making two appetizers for the Aunt Mary's Birthday Party. Both vegetarian friendly.

• Mini Mushroom Crescents (lower fat) - This is a Demarle recipe from one of their cook books that I've adjusted to make lower fat. I eliminated the cream cheese completely, added more onions and mushrooms, and a hint more of Parmesan cheese. This time I am using reduced fat crescent rolls instead of the regular ones. In the past, I've also used the filling for stuffed mushrooms, which were a hit too. The paste stuff inside looks really gross raw. But it's okay I guess, if you're a mushroom fan. I'm not big on mushrooms, but they are not as bad as I grew up believing. Yes the raw ones squeak in between your teeth, but they don't have much of a flavor.
• Spinach Artichoke Tartlets (lots of fat) - These are really good. I add a TON of garlic to them, and never really use the same exact recipe twice, but they are always gone at the end of the of the party, actually more like gone at the beginning of the party. I'm making a double batch today because there will be way more people.

Looks like we had success!!