With the flip of the calendar to October, Christmas decorations and sales and deals bombarded the stores and my inbox. I love Fall, but can I please enjoy Fall before I have to think about my Christmas lists. My kiddos where ready to pull the plastic pumpkins out of the attic on September first, but I persuaded them to wait until after Labor Day. The truth is, when the red, yellow, and orange decor appears, I feel like I blink and it is New Year's Day. Let's enjoy the crisp air, turning leaves, smores, and corn mazes before we start with the trees and stockings and toys.
The world has returned to somewhat of a pre-pandemic normal, and the whirl and chaos of life has returned as well. School and sports were a blur in August and September, and I'm trying to catch my breath because we are already half way through October. Halloween is in less than two weeks, and it will all be a roller coaster ride until we post the 2023 calendar. My youngest has already asked Alexa how many days until Christmas at least three times!!
So, I am already preparing lists and planning for events. I'm as ready as any mom can be for the hustle and bustle of the next two and a half months. The packed calendar will be guaranteed to be eventful, and nothing will go exactly as planned, but I will speed towards the holidays with Joy as we begin the seasons of eating, Thankfulness and celebrating Jesus' Birthday!
"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" John 15:11
Pumpkin spice is a Fall must in our house. I recently purchased a new mini loaf pan and wanted to try a pumpkin recipe. This is what I came up with. I am sure it would work as muffins or in bread pans, but the baking time would need to be adjusted.
Pumpkin Swirl Mini Loafs
1 and 1/2 Cup AP Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup pure canned pumpkin
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
Swirl - 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray pans. Whisk eggs, pumpkin, oil, yogurt, vanilla and sugars together until well combined. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder and soda, salt and pie spice together. Slowly add into wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Pour into prepared mans. Mix cinnamon and sugar together. Sprinkle loaves evenly and swirl into batter with a knife. For mini pans, bake 18 minutes or until done when a toothpick comes out clean.
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