A Wonderful Winter Bread

About 2 weeks ago I started this post.  I had a couple finishing touches that I wanted to do before I posted it and told myself that the next morning I would do so and then push the lovely "publish post" button so that I could share this yummy bread recipe with all of you.  Well, something very special happened before I could do those last minute touches to this post....my water broke at 1:20 in the a.m. and I went into labor.  About 3 1/2 hours later I gave birth to beautiful Colette.  Here she is all snuggled up on my sister....

Needless to say I wasn't able to sit down at my computer the next morning and complete the last touches to this post!  I am slowly getting back on my feet and finding a rhythm to my day that involves a couple more things other than nursing, changing diapers and caring for little Coco and Jolie.  Please don't give up on my blogging as I have every intention to get back into a regular routine of doing so. To all of my food blog friends I miss checking you out on a daily basis! - I feel like I have so much to catch up on. :-)

In the mean time here is my blog post that I started a few weeks back....it's kind of fun to read that I was still pregnant with Colette when I originally wrote this post. :-)

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Yes, I have yet to have my baby (as of 9pm on 1/11/11).  We are all waiting patiently.  Every day I wake up and wonder, will this be the day?!? And then in an effort to keep busy I tacile one more project in preparation for the baby's arrival.  I also find something wonderful to bake or cook  just to keep busy and active.  Needless to say my queue for blogging recipes is FULL!  - this is a good thing for I have a feeling that once the baby arrives my flexibility and time will be taken up by the tiny Bambino.  Can't wait!!!

Last week I was blessed to have a day with my mom.  I had been wanting to make bread and had found a wonderful recipe in a small Taste of Home magazine that I had picked up at the super market earlier this year.  In this little magazine I found a recipe for Swirled Pumpkin Yeast Bread.  A hearty bread cock full of delicious flavor and color from the pumpkin puree and plump raisins mixed into this lovely bread.  My family ate the bread toasted with butter or peanut butter.  I also made a lovely french toast with slices of this bread dipped in a mixture of egg, milk, vanilla and ground cinnamon.  Super yum bread with so many possibilities.

I do have to say that one of the hardest parts of making this bread was the kneading process.  Thankfully my mom was with me and was able to put her strength and non-pregnant body into helping with this part.  Because she is a little bitty of a woman my mom had to gain some height for extra strength so she kneeled on a stool to really get "on top" of the bread....

At one point she had to really put her body into the kneading and she actually stood up from a kneeling position on the stool to a standing position.  Mothers are so great!  Here is an "action" shot of her kneading....

Swirled Pumpkin Yeast Bread

(recipe from Taste of Home)

Recipe makes 2 loaves of bread

Bread Ingredients:

4 1/2 - 5 cups AP flour

3 cups whole wheat flour (I used WHITE whole wheat flour)

2 cups oats (I used regular although quick-cooking was recommended)

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (120 - 130 degrees)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup canola oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 heaping cup raisins

Filling Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Bread Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine 2 cups AP flour, (white) whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice,  salt,  sugar and yeast.  Add in warm water, pumpkin puree, applesauce and oil - mix until just moistened.

2. Add in eggs and beat until smooth. 

3. Stir in remaining AP flour to form a firm dough then add in raisins.

4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic - about 6-8 minutes.  Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease all of the dough...

  Cover dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled - about an hour...

5. Punch dough down.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface, cut in half....

  Roll each portion into an 18"x9" rectangle.   Brush each dough rectangle with softened butter within 1/2" of the edges....

  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle over buttered dough.  Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side.....

  Pinch seams to seal.

6. Place each dough roll seam side down in two greased 9"x5" loaf pans. Cover pans and let rise until doubled - about 30-45 minutes....

  I buttered my risen breads just before I popped them into the oven....just an added touch on my part.

7. Bake breads in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 55-65 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.  

Slice and enjoy as you please!

Happy Swirled Pumpkin Yeast Bread Baking!