Date and Marmalade Tea Bread

Top 'o the morning to you! 

Favorite Pumpkin Bread

Let's enjoy this beautiful weather with some favorite pumpkin bread. 

Pumpkin Autumn Treats

Cakelet pans are such fun to use!

Date and Nut Tea Bread

I've updated my date and nut bread recipe, and I'm having some with a cup of tea from my old faithful Sadler Brown Betty teapot. 

 

 

My favorite teacup for January is Johnson Brothers Friendly Village. It's fun to imagine myself in they pretty scenes.

A friend of mine dropped by with two of these handmade coasters that she created.  Isn't her work exquisite??  They're much too pretty to use as a coaster, don't you think? 

 

Yield: 1 loaf or 4 mini loaves

Author: Kitty

Date and Nut Tea Bread

I updated my tried and true recipe, by using butter in place of shortening, brown sugar in place of white, and using brewed tea.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are good)
• 8 ozs. of pitted dates, chopped (don't buy the already pre-chopped dates). You can quickly chop them with a pair of kitchen shears.
• 1 and 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup freshly brewed strong tea
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 and 1/2 cups sifted flour

Instructions

1. Combine nuts, dates, soda, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and freshly brewed hot tea.   Allow this mixture to stand for 15 minutes. Stir to blend.
2. Beat the eggs slightly, add vanilla;, and add this to the date mixture.   Add the flour a little at a time, and blend well.
   
3. Place in a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven. Cool before removing.
4. NOTE: If making mini loaves, check to see if they're done at around 30-40 minutes.

 My youngest granddaughter is starting ballet and she needed a tote.  I made this for her to carry to class. 

 Thank you for your visit!  xo

I am sharing this with:

Keep In Touch 

Full Plate 

All About Home with Debra 

All About Home with Amber 

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Meal Plan Monday

Pumpkin Bread with a Cream Cheese Ribbon

 

Autumn Welcome to my patio! 

It was a nice day to enjoy some pumpkin bread and some vanilla cinnamon tea from Trader's Joe.  I'd better enjoy the time outside before the weather turns bad.

My masked pumpkin guy is atop my old scale.

 

 

The tea cosy is keeping my tea nice and warm for me. I made this one several  years ago from this vintage-like print. 

 

 My teacup is a Grace's Teaware piece.

Yield: 2 large loaves + 1 mini loaf

Author: Kitty

Print

Pumpkin Bread with a Cream Cheese Ribbon

This bread has a surprise hidden in the middle. You can use the cream cheese filling in other bread as well.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread

• 3 and 1/3 cup flour
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 and 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
  
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

For the bread

1. Sift together flour, pumpkin pie spice, soda, powder and salt.  I like to use a whisk instead of sifting.  Set aside.
2. Beat together  sugar and oil.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Beat in pumpkin.
3. Add dry ingredients alternately with water, to the sugar mixture.  Stir in pecans, if using.
4. Spoon half the batter into two greased 9 x 5" pans and 1 mini loaf.   Spoon a layer of filling over each.  Finish off with the rest of the batter.  You may have extra filling which you can use in brownies, or other quick breads. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees for mini loaf, and about 45 minutes for the large loaves, or until tester comes out clean. 

Cream Cheese Filling

1. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.   Add egg and vanilla and beat well.  Store any extra filling in the fridge .  Keeps several weeks.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

 Thank you for visiting!  xo

 I am sharing this with: 

Keep In Touch 

Full Plate 

All About Home with Debra 

All About Home with Amber 

Love Your Creativity Link Party

 Meal Plan Monday

Bee Tea Party

Ella and I chose a Bee Theme for this week's garden tea party.

 Here's Ella in her pretty tea party dress.  She choose the table covering to complement our dishes, teacups, teapot, and napkins.  Of course, she had her toenails and fingernails painted, and her hair beachwaved again. 

 Isn't this the cutest beehive teapot?  It came from HomeGoods before the Covid.  Ella decided that she wanted iced tea in it, and still use our pretty teacups, which was perfect for our Texas heat!  Ella chose Ahmad's Lemon Lime Twist tea, and she declared it as "interesting".  Let's just say that it wasn't our cup of tea!!!

 These are our pretty napkins that we used.

Ella set the table, and she chose a bee teacup that my daughter had given me, and I chose a Mary Engelbreit one that a friend had given me.  We used my plaid plates.  We had some homemade pimento cheese and some Boursin cheese and crackers, along with our salads.

 Ella sliced the strawberries with my egg slicer and arranged them on our lettuce, along with some roasted pecans, feta cheese, and chopped chicken.

 We enjoyed our time together and played Old Maids and Uno afterwards.

Yield: 6 cakelets + 1 mini loaf

Author: Kitty

Print

Cornbread

I tried the cornbread recipe that came with my beehive cakelet pan, but it was very dry. I decided to use my old, tried and true recipe that I've been making for 40+years.  Ella poured on a simple glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice, and attached the bees, from Wilton. 

Ingredients:

• 1 c. flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. cornmeal
• 1 c. milk
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1 T. vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Spray the beehive cakelet pan with baking spray that contains flour.  You also can use a cast iron skillet or a 8" baking dish, or a  muffin pan.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Add the milk to the beaten egg & add the oil. Stir this into the dry ingredients.
4. Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes for the cakelets, and 20 minutes if using a cast iron skillet or baking dish. 

Created using The Recipes Generator

 Ella's sister, Avery, wanted to go to a cupcake place, and that sounded great to me!  However, the place closed at 6 pm, and we sadly had to change plans and get some gelato. 

 My grandsons, Riley and Caiden wanted to go get wings after their football camp, and I was happy to take them.  The restaurant took our temperature before we were seated, and we were spread far apart inside from other tables.  

 

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Meal Plan Monday

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

 I really can't get enough of the flavors of winter time, and decided to make my favorite cranberry orange nut bread. I always buy extra bags of cranberries to put in the freezer for when I need them. 

 My sweet friend, Michele, sent me this teacup and matching plate last year, and I just love them for winter time.

 My sweet sister sent me this charming teapot years ago.  Isn't it pretty?

 My lady vase that sits on my sink counter, always makes me smile.  She's sporting a real pin cone and faux greenery.

 Here's what I actually have on my coffee table for January.  My sis gave me the pine one candle holder years ago, too.

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

Yield: 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves

Author: Made in Kitty's Kitchen, but adapted from Ocean Spray

This bread is so moist and scrumptious! I like making mini loaves for gifting to friends.

ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• zest of 1 orange (about 1 tablespoon)
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen , coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

instructions:

How to cook Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. 
3. Stir in the orange juice, oil, orange zest, and egg.  Mix until well blended. Stir in the cranberries and nuts.
4. Spoon into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. (I actually used 4 mini loaf pans).
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes for the large loaf, and check the mini loaves around 25 minutes, making sure that a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Meal Plan Monday

 Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Pumpkin Date and Nut Bread

Since we've had freezing temperatures already, please join for an inside tea with some wonderful pumpkin date and nut bread and some pumpkin spice tea. 

I found this Autumn Delights cakelet pan last year, and love using it for Autumn treats.  

These little loaves are perfect for gifting!

Yield: i large loaf, or four mini loaves and six cakelets

Author: Kitty, but adapted very slightly from Susan at https://savoringtimeinthekitchen.blogspot.com/

Susan found this recipe from a friend, but the recipe comes from Maida Heatter's Cakes Cookbook. If you love dates, spices and pumpkin, you'll love this bread!  Aldi has whole dates at a good price.

ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups  flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1- and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• about 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (my addition)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 -15 ounce can pumpkin
• 8 ounces pitted dates, cut up with kitchen shears
• 1 cup walnuts, broken or coarsely chopped (I toasted mine)
• 1-2 tablespoons of raw sugar for sprinkling on top of the loaves, optional

instructions:

How to cook

1. Preheat oven to 350 and place rack to the lower third of the oven. Butter or spray a 10x5x3 inch loaf pan .  (I used four mini baking loaf pans and my 6 cavity Autumn Delights cakelet pan.  )
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,  cloves and nutmeg and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, with a hand mixer set on low, beat the eggs just until combined. Add the sugar, beating just to blend. Add the oil, beat just to blend. Mix in the pumpkin, then add the dates. Add the flour mixture and stir or beat only until it is blended, then stir in the nuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the top. Sprinkle with a little raw sugar over the top of each loaf.  (I didn't add any sugar to the cakelet pan.)
4. If you are using a large pan, bake for 70-80 minutes. If using smaller pans, baking time will be less, about 45-55 minutes.  My mini leaves took  50 minutes and the cakelets took 25 minutes.  Start checking the loaves with a clean toothpick before the recommended time is over as all ovens are different. The toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf should come out clean. Cool in the pan(s) for 15 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.
5. Cover and store at room temperature or refrigerator for several days or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 This little cutie pie, Harper, has a birthday this week, and she had her five-year-old birthday party.  Can you tell that she's having fun at her gymnastics party??!!

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

My handsome Marine grandson, Connor, is celebrating his 19th birthday this week! Happy Birthday, sweet boy (he'll always be a boy to me)!

 

I am sharing this with  these lovely parties:

Meal Plan Monday
No Place Like Home

Full Plate

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Irish Brown Bread

I made some bread over the weekend to remind me of my dream vacation to Ireland that my late beloved and I took back in September, 2009.  Let's have a slice and some Irish tea, shall we?

 Of course, we must use some Kerrygold butter on our bread.  The teacup's design reminds me of Celtic knots.  The little harp vase was gifted to me several years ago. 

 My County Cork, Ireland teapot was a $1.50 thrifty find, and I think of my Great Grandmother Hannah that was born in that county.  Aren't my shamrock lights from the Dollar Tree a fun decor piece?

 My scruffy leprechaun was sent to me by my sister several years ago.  He has his pot of gold and a lucky bird by his side.  Maybe he was out and about harvesting potatoes?  My shamrock plant made it through the winter, a little unkempt, but will perk up soon.

Here are my mini loaves of Irish Brown Bread fresh from the oven.  When I worked at Frito-Lay years ago, I would bring loaves of my homemade bread that is made from a starter to my co-workers,  on a rotating basis.  Sometimes I would send home a loaf to my friend, and co-worker, Cindy's mom, who dearly loved the bread.  One Christmas, her mom bought me these darling loaf pans that I use so often.  I always think of Cindy and her late mom whenever I use them. 

Yield: 1 9 x 5" loaf, or 4 mini loavesAuthor: Kitty

Irish Brown Bread

When my late beloved and I visited Ireland, the most delicious brown bread was served in tearooms, and restaurants. I've tried and tried to find the perfect recipe, and FINALLY stumbled upon The Barefoot Contessa's recipe. It is SO GOOD, full of hardy flavor, and has a moist texture.  It took me back to memories of our dream vacation.   I don't think I'll ever serve Irish Soda Bread again, after finding this recipe. I hope you try it!

ingredients:

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant),  plus extra for sprinkling ( I used old fashioned oats and pulsed them in the food processor a bit)
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (I used light brown because that's what I had), lightly packed
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 (11- to 12-ounce) bottle Guinness extra stout beer, at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken (I used 4 T.  powdered buttermilk  + 1 cup water )
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt (I added the dry buttermilk powder at this point).   In a separate bowl, whisk together the beer, buttermilk ( I added the water), melted butter, and vanilla. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well.   Stir the batter from the middle of the bowl to the outside, until it's well mixed. It will look more like cake batter than bread dough.
3. Brush a 9 x 5 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan, or 4 mini loaf pans,  with melted butter, or use a cooking spray.   Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle the top with oats. Put the bread in the oven, immediately turn the temperature down to 400 degrees, and bake for 45 minutes, or 30 minutes for the mini loaves,  until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn the bread out onto a baking rack and allow to cool completely. Slice and serve with salted butter.  You will be in Irish heaven!

Created using The Recipes Generator

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Cooking and Crafting with J & J
Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Dishing It! & Digging It!
Meal Plan Monday 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread and a Birthday

 Our teatime today is on a rainy day, and I'm setting it up in my living room.  Please join me for some pumpkin spice tea and some pumpkin cream cheese bread, won't you?

I want to thank everyone who read my post on My Beloved Mom.  Your thoughts, prayers, and condolences are so appreciated during this time of sadness and loss.  

 One of my favorite tea sets is this one that I bought from Ross years ago.  

 My calico teacup is so pretty for Fall, too.

This Johnson Brothers Olde English Countryside transferware platter is another favorite.

I saw a pillow at Kirkland's recently and went home and sketched out a design that resembled it.  I made a envelope style pillow, but this time used one rectangle of 42" long by 18 and 1/2" wide.  by doing it this way, there aren't any side seams.  First I found the middle and appliqued my design, leaving it kind of shabby.  The pumpkin base is made from osnaburg fabric, and then on top, I used an old sweater that my sister sent me.  After I appliqued,  I then did the envelope sytle in the back and stitched the top and bottom seams...so easy!

Yield: 1 large loaf, and one mini, or 4 mini loaves, 6 cakelets, and 2 mini bundtsAuthor: Kitty, adapted from Heart and Soul Among Friends

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Loaves

This is my daughter, Molly's,  favorite bread that she likes to give as gifts. It's so nice to bake some, and store them in the freezer to give away.  The addition of the cream cheese layer is a nice touch!

ingredients:

For the Bread:

3 and 1/3 cups flour

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 and 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1 lb. can pumpkin puree

2/3 cup water

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

6 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Topping:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon butter

instructions:

For the Bread:

Grease 1 regular size loaf pan and one small, or a mixture of minis.

Sift together the flour, pumpkin  pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

Beat together sugar and oil until light.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Beat in pumpkin.

Add dry ingredients, alternatively with water to the sugar/oil mixture until it is well blended. 

For the Filling:

Mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.

For the Topping:

Mix the dry ingredients together and cut in the butter until it resembles cornmeal.  Set aside.

Spoon half the batter into each prepared pan. 

Spoon a layer of filling over each. 

Sprinkle with half the topping. 

Add the rest of the pumpkin batter.  Finish off with rest of topping.

Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes for small loaf,  and 45 minutes for regular loaf.  Use a toothpick to check to see if it comes out clean.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 Today is Harper's 4th birthday!!  Doesn't she look adorable dressed in her butterfly wings and fairy dress?  Her party was at the Butterfly Gardens, which is a magical place with the prettiest butterflies that I've ever seen!  Of course, Harper was the cutest butterfly ever!

What little girl wouldn't love this mushroom fairy house birthday cake?! 

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Cooking and Crafting with J & J
Keep In Touch

Full Plate

Dishing It! & Digging It!

Thank you for your visit!  xo