This is the moistest best tasting pumpkin bread! It also makes great muffins ( so good that one special family named me the Muffin Lady ).

The Best Pumpkin Bread!

3 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
4 eggs
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 Cup oil (I know not healthy–sorry)
3/4 Cup water

Stir flour, baking soda, salt , cinnamon and sugar together. Add oil, eggs, water and pumpkin. Bake at 350 degrees 35-45 minutes (will depend on size of bread pans or muffin size) or until tests done. (This recipe filled six of the bake and give loaf pans from King Arthur)

I am making this bread for some friends and I am using the coolest loaf pans from King Arthur Flour. They have so many amazing pans for baking and giving.

King Arthur will generously give one lucky reader a $25.00 gift card to use at their online store. You will love shopping through all of their great baking supplies and mixes.  The whole grain blueberry muffins are delicious!

Oh my goodness the chocolate cake is decadent and so good. It would make a simple but elegant desert for a party.

All of their mixes would make for fun and appreciated gifts.

I think I will use their star or tree shaped pans filled with cinnamon rolls for some Christmas gifts for friends to make a busy holiday morning less stressful.

Leave a comment on this post  by Sunday at midnight and I will randomly choose one reader to win a $25.00 gift card from King Arthur Four!

Happy Baking

#117 Erika

#24 Katy Lin

#90 Robin

#20 Andrea

#113 Bonnie

They each will receive a digital Christmas card file and Picture It Postage.  CONGRATULATIONS!

Today I mixed up a batch of cinnamon dough to make a Give Thanks garland.   To make the cinnamon dough, mix 1 bottle (4.25 ounces) of cinnamon with about 3/4 to 1 cup applesauce.  I rolled the dough out about 1/4 inch thick between sheets of plastic wrap. The plastic wrap really makes it easy!  I used 3 1/2 ” alphabet cookie cutters to cut out the letters and a straw to poke holes in the tops of each letter. Now I was in a hurry so  I placed the cut-outs in a very low oven (150 degrees) for about 1 hour on each side. I then strung the letters on a thin ribbon.

They really weren’t completely dry—–so I had a couple break when I hung the garland.  I simply hot glued them back onto the ribbon.  If I was going to do this again I might just forgo the holes and hot glue the letters to the ribbon. Either way I am sure it would work better if the letters were completely dry.  This garland does make my kitchen smell delicious!

We have an adorable giveaway today! One lucky reader will win a Drool Baby Gift Set. How fun it is to be able to customize the applique (you can even personalize with a letter) on the front and choose from some of the cutest fabrics available!

This adorable gift set is made by

Resa Design is a mom owned and operated business started in 2005. All their products are made in the USA with lots of love and care. I love their hip modern designs.

Resa Design products are for parents who want more out of their baby gear and clothes. No ducks or sheep, just cool, stylish fabrics on the gear you use the most.

You will find Sibling Tees, Perfect Fit receiving blankets, Customized tees, Birthday tees, gift sets, mom-made products…

To make sure you all are winners Resa Design is offering all Skip to my Lou readers 10% off your order. Use SKIP10 at checkout.

Resa Design is also committed to giving back. She along with Julian & Co have come up with a fabulous way to support our US Military families through Operation Shower.

Beginning November 15, 2008, resadesign.com will play host to an online baby registry and shower where all the gifts go to military moms-to-be or spouses. Products from Resa Design‘s accessory line have been selected and made available at super low prices.

Customers and visitors will have the opportunity to add any of the gift registry items to their personal purchases, or shop solely for Operation Shower. Resa Design has committed to shipping the designated purchases directly to Operation Shower’s home office in St.Louis, Missouri for distribution in ‘showers-in-a-box’ and event showers on military bases.  “I can not begin to imagine being pregnant, birthing a baby, or raising a newborn while my husband is on the other side of the worldWhen I heard about Operation Shower and what they were doing I knew this was something Resa Design could get behind. Expecting a child is such a special season of life. All new mom‘s should be showered with great goodies and lots of love. Military moms-to-be and spouses deserve all our support, and if we can do that by way of special baby gifts, I’m all for it.” -Resa Design owner, Resa Troyer

Resa Design products are not the only items available. Southern California’s Julian & Co. has also committed to participate by offering their stunning Galleria Necklace at more than 60% off. More designers and products are expected to be added in days to come and throughout the year.

Creative ways customers can get involved with the Operation Shower registry at Resadesign.com:
•Give a gift on behalf of someone else. (tribute cards are available)
•Give to Operation Shower instead of a birthday or holiday gift.
•Invite your playgroup over and gather around the computer to host a baby shower on behalf of Operation Shower.
•Have scouts raise funds and make purchases for Operation Shower.

Operation Shower is a non-profit organization (pending 501(c)(3) status) that recognizes and honors the sacrifices military families make by producing and coordinating baby showers for pregnant and expecting military personnel and their families. Lena Morrissey of Lena’s Notebook and Kris Jackson of Clever Parents  are the founders and moms behind Operation Shower.

Please take a moment to check out this worthy cause and be sure to leave a comment before Friday midnight on this post for a chance to win the darling baby items!

I wanted to make something fun for the children’s table at Thanksgiving but I think these would be great for everyone.

I covered a 9 oz. disposible paper cup with black construction paper. You can see the basic shapes I used in the picture below. The picture shows a black ribbon I was going to use for the band but it wasn’t wide enough. I instead used a piece of brown construction paper cut the same shape as the black but thinner than the buckle. The buckle was a piece of cardstock covered in glitter. Since I knew it would be covered in glitter I didn’t worry about folding the square in half to cut out the center to make it faster and easier.

I used glue-stick to attach all the pieces except the brim to the cup. Rubberbands helped to hold the main paper part and band to the cup while drying. Once dry, fill the hat with some treats. Hot glue the brim to the hat in just enough spots to keep it on but also allow someone to retrieve their goodies. Add a buckle and you have a Pilgrim Hat favor.

You might also be interested in Paper Turkey party favors and these Thanksgiving ideas.