Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Ahh, I love this time of year! The weather is getting chilly, the holidays are fast approaching, and it's time for pumpkin goodies! This is a pumpkin bread with chocolate chips - might sound like an odd combination if you've never had it before, but the flavors actually work really well together. I made this with applesauce instead of oil and it came out incredibly moist, and I think using mini chocolate chips really makes the chocolate flavor go far throughout the bread.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9"x5"x3" loaf pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat sugar, pumpkin, eggs, applesauce and water until well combined.

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture until just combined - do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour evenly into prepared loaf pans and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

The last time I went to my friend Elizabeth's house she made some fabulous zucchini bread. I was searching for a recipe on-line and came across one that uses pumpkin and zucchini from allrecipes.com. I used it as a base and made a few adjustments to the measurements, and substituted applesauce for the butter to make it a little more healthy. It was still incredibly moist despite the lack of butter, and the smell of pumpkin and spices filled my house while it was baking - it reminded me of Christmas, in August! :)

PUMPKIN ZUCCHINI BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups granulated sugar

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup zucchini, grated

1 cup walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9"x5"x3" loaf pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar. Beat in pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla extract.

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture until just combined - do not overmix. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. Pour evenly into prepared loaf pans and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.