Pumpkin bread the (almost) right way

Around the same time we went apple picking, I bought a couple small pie pumpkins at the grocery.  We had just had our first day of fall weather (it dipped below 60F for almost an hour one afternoon), and I was all fired up for warm baked goods, stews, soups, and cocoa.  Plus, we were going to go share a cabin and some hiking with friends who had requested pumpkin pie.  I had big plans for apple butter (check), pumpkin pies (multiple requests to fill), pumpkin cinnamon rolls (pending), and I had theorized a formula for apple walnut cinnamon rolls (still just a theory--I ran out of apples).  Then, because it's Virginia, temperatures climbed back into the 70s and 80s for several weeks.  I've lived here for almost two years, and I'm convinced that there are two seasons: Way Too Warm, and Slightly Less Warm Than The Other Season.

But I digress.

After roasting and pureeing the pumpkin, I sealed it in handy 2 Cup portions and tucked them away in the freezer.  I got three or four portions of that size, and an additional 2/3 C, which is coincidentally the exact amount that I need for SK's pumpkin cinnamon rolls (I've made them before, and sometimes find myself in mid-July wishing fall would hurry up and fall so I can make them again).  I took this as a sign of kismet smiling upon me: I was meant to have those cinnamon rolls.

Naturally, after making a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (1C pumpkin required), I screwed up and grabbed the 2/3 C portion when I wanted the 1 C leftover portion and... anyway, despite my luck in picking pumpkin puree portions, I've been doing ok--except that I was excited about all the 2 C portions, perfect for pies, before I realized I only need 1.5 C for a pie.  I didn't look too closely at the recipe when I made that first pie, and was puzzled when I barely got the filling to fit in the crust.  In fact, I didn't figure that out until just before I sat down to write this post, four pumpkin recipes later.

One of those recipes was pumpkin bread.  I knew I had that 1 C of leftover puree in the fridge (when I realized I had the 2/3 C portion thawed, I just made pumpkin pretzels, only to realize I couldn't taste the pumpkin at all.  Whoops), and I had already checked the recipe, so I knew that would work.  Except I forgot that I had determined it would be enough for a half recipe, and didn't halve anything else as I happily dumped ingredients in a great big bowl, so I had to thaw a 2 C portion and make a bigger batch of bread.

For someone who used to be good at math, I've been terrible at tracking pumpkin fractions this fall.

Pumpkin Bread (adapted from Betty Crocker)

2 C pumpkin puree (or one 15 oz can--don't use the pie mix.  Just pumpkin puree)
1 2/3 C sugar
2/3 C vegetable oil
2 t vanilla
4 large eggs
3 C flour (you can use whole wheat if you want.  Go ahead.  Pretend this is healthy.)
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 C chocolate chips
1/2 C chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 C each of raisins and coarsely chopped nuts, but I wanted chocolate.  I threw in the pecans more because I had them handy than because Betty told me to.)

1. Move oven rack so the tops of the loaves will be in the middle of the oven, and preheat it to 350F.  Grease just the bottom of a 9x5 inch pan (or two 8x4s).
2. Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs.  Mix well.  Add everything except the chips and nuts. Mix well.  Add chips and nuts.  Mix again.
3. Pour batter into loaf pan(s).
4. Bake a 9x5 for 70 to 90 minutes.  Bake 8x4s 50 to 60 minutes.  Check with a toothpick (inserted in the center, it should come out clean.  If it doesn't, give it a few more minutes).  Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.

The recipe says you should let it cool completely (around 2 hours) before slicing, but seriously?  You're going to look at this thing of beauty and think, "nah, I don't need to stuff that in my face right now, while it's still warm and the chocolate's gooey, and it smells so good and--" (furious chewing noises).