Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
1 Cup Oil

3 Cups Sugar

3 Eggs

1 15 oz Can Pumpkin

3 Cups Flour

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tsp. Nutmeg

3/4 Cup Choc Chips, Nuts, or Cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325

Mix Oil & Sugar, Add Eggs and Pumpkin

Sift (or just mix) Dry Ingredients

Add Wet Ingredients to Dry Mixture

Add Chocolate Chips, Nuts, or Cranberries

Pour into 2 Greased Loaf Pans

Bake 1 hour and 15 min.

My family makes a few batches of this bread every Fall and freezes them so we have some all year long! We all disagree on the best added ingredient. I think the chocolate chips are the best, my brother loves it with cranberries, and my mom with nuts. It ends up being who ever initiates the baking gets to choose! Most often, chocolate chips win! The bread has been used as both breakfast and dessert and has acted as a gift to many family and friends. Pumpkin bread is one of the reasons Fall is my favorite season! Enjoy!

Submitted by Donna

Gravlox

Ingredients:
1 whole side of fresh filet of salmon
1 bunch of fresh dill
1/4 Kosher salt
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tsp. pepper
1 red onion
1 jar of capers

Directions:
Put salmon in a shallow baking pan (skin side down). Lay the fresh bunch of dill over salmon. In a small bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Sprinkle mixture over dill. Cover with saran wrap and then aluminum foil. Put in refrigerator and weight down with a bricks or something heavy. After 12 hours, turn the salmon over and baste with liquid in the pan. Cover and weight it down again. Repeat this process every 12 hours for 3 days. After 3 days, rinse salmon well under cool water and slice very thin and layer on serving dish. Garnish with onions and capers.

This can be put on top of bagels and cream cheese or cocktail bread. I make this every year for Christmas Eve and use it as an appetizer for parties on top of cocktail bread. The first time I made this for a family party, it was a bit hit. Now it is expected that I will make it each time!

Submitted by Aurelia

Thin Strawberry and Banana Pancakes for Mardi Gras

Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Salt (to taste)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 eggs (whisked)
A few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
Vegetable oil
Fruit (we used strawberries and bananas)

Directions:
Cut up fruit and set aside. Combine flour and baking powder. Mix in the sugar and salt. Pour in milk and water. Combine ingredients with a whisk. Add eggs. Only stir so that all the ingredients are combined. Rest batter for 10 minutes. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan or on a griddle. Pour on the batter (of whichever size pancake you desire). Drop a few pieces of fruit into the batter immediately after it is poured out. When the edges begin to pull away from surface, flip and cook on other side until golden brown.

Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday/Pancake Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. In our family (and in many cultures) pancakes are eaten on this day because of the traditional foods (sugar, flour, and eggs) that are pretty much restricted during Lent.

Submitted by Aurelia and Danielle