Hearth-Warming Pumpkin Bread (NAPSA)—You don’t have to slave over your mom’s pumpkin pie recipe to enjoy the taste and delicious aroma of spiced pumpkin. A quick pumpkin bread flavored with pumpkin pie spices makes a delicious harvest treat. The addition of raisins adds a fruity counterpoint to the spices in this recipe. Today’s cooks in search of convenience will find quick breads simple and the results are very popular with the family. Even non-bakers can tackle a quick breadin little time with the ingredients right from the pantry. Canned pumpkin and raisins, available all year long, come together with the basic ingredients in a matter of minutes. The secret to tender quick breads is to stir the ingredients just until combined and not overmix. When adding dried fruit and nuts, make sure the ingredients are fresh. If you discover your raisins have lingered in the pantry a bit too long, simply soak them in wateror juice for 10 minutes to plump them up, according to the experts at Sun-Maid Growers. Pat dry before adding them to the batter. Pumpkin bread makes a tasty after-school snack or delicious breakfast when toasted and topped with a dab of butter or swirl of cream cheese. The bread freezes well, too, so there’s always something homemade for unexpected guests. Harvest Pumpkin Bread With Raisins 1% cups sugar % cup vegetable oil 1 egg 16-oz. canned pumpkin 2% cupsall purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1% tsp. pumpkinpie spice 1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins or Golden Raisins 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 9x5-inch loaf pan. Combine sugar, oil and egg; beat until light and fluffy. Blend in pumpkin. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, spice. Add to pumpkin mixture; beat just until smooth. Fold in raisins. Add nuts if using. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes1 loaf. Tip: To make mini-loaves for gifts, spoon batter into three greased mini-loaf pans. Reduce baking time to 30 to 35 minutes. For more recipe ideas, visit www.sunmaid.com.
