Pumpkin Butter & Whole Wheat Oatmeal Quick Bread

Since I had a difficult time finding canned pumpkin for my pumpkin bread the other day, I thought I should save my remaining can for something special, just in case I couldn't find more. Then in the mail this week, I got three magazines, all with taunting Fall covers.

Better Homes & Gardens, the first one I read, was full of pumpkin recipes. For some reason their pumpkin butter recipe jumped out at me, despite there being far more exciting and complex ways to cook with pumpkin. When Living had hardly any edible ways to use it, my mind was made up, before I even could crack open Southern Living. Yet, when I went to make the BH&G's Pumpkin Butter, I realized we didn't have two key ingredients- pure maple syrup and apple juice. (I know, what kind of mommy doesn't have apple juice? The kind whose kid is getting carrot juice and more water lately because he's been drinking too much apple juice, even though I swore I'd never be that mom.)

In searching, it seemed all pumpkin butters had apple juice. Then I found one with applesauce instead. Now, I'll confess, I've never had pumpkin butter that I can recall, so I can't say if it's as good as one made with apple juice, but if the reviews from RecipeZaar are any indication, its actually better! All we know is it is delicious. It's yummy on homemade bread for breakfast or with dinner, or eaten straight out of the jar. And it got a huge toddler thumbs up in my house. He may somehow like it even more than me!

I wanted to make a healthy, easy bread to go with it, and found a nice recipe on the same site. I liked how it had no white flour and my much loved oats. This simple yeast-less recipe produces a dense tasty bread, which can be made vegan by using soymilk and maple syrup. I think its best toasted after being sliced. And smothered in pumpkin butter, of course!

Pumpkin Butter, from RecipeZaar

1 (15 ounce) can organic pumpkin puree
1 cup natural applesauce
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (I subbed nutmeg)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In small sauce pan, combine pumpkin, applesauce, sugar, cinnamon and ginger or nutmeg. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring often to prevent scorching, 45 min. Stir in lemon juice. Let cool, then spoon into tight-sealing container and refrigerate. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Quick Bread, adapted from RecipeZaar

1 1/2 cups rolled or quick-cooking oats

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (I used honey)

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used applesauce)
1 1/2 cups skim milk or soymilk (I used 1%)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf tin.

Grind oats in a food processor or blender to form a meal/flour. (I only did this with 3/4 a cup and left the rest whole.) In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together honey and vegetable oil (or applesauce) to form an emulsion; then stir in the milk and mix well until dissolved.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to form a wet batter. Pour/spoon batter into prepared loaf tin and bake in preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until the top starts to brown slightly. Remove from loaf tin, cool completely on a wire rack.