Wednesday 23 January 2013

2005 - Do You Have the Recipe for Pumpkin Bread?


We ran out of Hedgehog Cookies this week, so it's time to make more. And since it's that time of year, we made a double batch. I filled up the Pumpkin cookie jar (it's Nov. 18), then put the rest in a freezer bag. Neil and Charlie have already eaten a few each too. I'm sure we'll wind up making more - we always do. I saved an oatmeal box too, so I can send some to Lisa again. I didn't count the Hedgies because we make them so often. They're our go-to cookies.

Lisa's battered recipe for Pumpkin Bread.
I have to laugh because Lisa asks me for the Pumpkin Bread recipe around this time every year. I always tease her about losing it too. Then, last week, when I was making Pumpkin Bread, I found her recipe in my recipe box! Along with three other copies! I had no idea.

Another one of the copies was so old, it just said, "Pumpkin Bread," and didn't have Mom's tweaks. Another was my copy, which I call Mom & Dad's Pumpkin Bread, complete with Mom's adjustments in the spices. That's the one to use, so I got rid of the other one.

The last one was on a piece of paper in Mom's handwriting — with an ingredient missing! She has done this — unwittingly — in the past, and I've jokingly accused her of leaving out information so that mine will never be quite as good as hers.  But she would never do that — she shares all her secrets and techniques. In fact, she's made things just so I can watch and write down amounts as she goes. I mean, what is it with these moms who have no idea how much of something they use in a recipe? "I don't know," she'll say, "I just keep adding it till it looks right." OK, Mom, but there's no marking for that on my measuring jug!
My card to Lisa, confessing I had her recipe.
So I sent Lisa her copy in a get-well card (she's pulled a muscle in her tummy and she's not well). But I didn't realize till we talked later, that her copy is the old version too, without Mom's tweaks. So, I'm just as bad as I accuse Mom of being, keeping the "secret" recipe to myself!  Now she has both. The important thing is not to leave out the pumpkin.


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