The mornings are downright cold these days, but the sunny warm days remind us of why we love living in Colorado! The plants are looking tired; some got nipped by the frost we had about ten days ago and are more than tired! But the raspberries are still loaded with sweet ripe berries, we are still picking the tomatoes, eggplant and peppers and the lettuce and arugula I planted a month ago are sweet and tender. Emily and Patrick hauled in all of the winter squash and parked it in the driveway and the pumpkins will be next. An acorn squash sliced in half, seeded and roasted in the oven with brown sugar and butter is indeed an autumn treasure on a crisp fall evening. Another of our favorites here at Hoot 'n' Howl is pumpkin bread made with our little pie pumpkins. They are perfect for anything that calls for canned pumpkin. They are sweeter than what you buy and much more colorful.

Depending on the size of the pumpkins, prepare one or two of the little pumpkins by cutting them in half, scooping out the seeds and inverting on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until the flesh is soft. Cool until you can handle them , scoop out the flesh and puree in the blender. Then use it in your favorite pumpkin recipe.

Pumpkin Fruit Bread adapted from Crème de Colorado Cookbook

2 C. sugar

1 C. vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 C. cooked, pureed pumpkin

3 C. flour

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

½ t. baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. ground cloves

1 t. ground nutmeg

1 C. chopped nuts

Optional: 1 C. raisins

1 C. chopped dates

In large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Beat in eggs and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin and mix well. Sift together flour, soda, salt baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and add to pumpkin mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in nuts (and fruits). Pour into two 9x5 inch loaf pans greased with vegetable cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Leave loaves in pans for 10 minutes before removing; cool on wire racks.