pumpkin head.

I have pumpkin EVERYTHING on the brain at the moment, thanks mostly to Pinterest. And also our weekend outing to the pumpkin patch:

So far, my Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte count is at 2. I've made pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, and currently have 3 cans of pumpkin in the pantry taunting me. My very favorite pumpkin recipe (besides pumpkin pie!) is below. If you've got a yummy one to share, please let me know!

 PUMPKIN CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD

(this is the original recipe, with my additions/changes noted throughout)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (I prefer to use a a VERY full tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp of ginger, and 1/8 tsp of cloves)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 cups white sugar (I think 1 1/2 cups is plenty -- depends on how sweet you like your bread)

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup dried cranberries (I use half a bag of fresh cranberries and chop them in half before adding)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour 2 9x5 inch loaf pans (or 4 mini loaf pans)

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt.

Combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil in small mixing bowl, beat until just blended.

Stir the wet mixture into the dry with a wooden spoon until batter is just moistened.

Fold the cranberries and walnuts into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. (If using mini loaf pans, begin checking bread after 25 minutes.)

[this never makes quite as much as the recipe says it will, at least in my kitchen -- I can usually get one 9X5 and one mini-loaf pan out of each batch, just FYI]