In the kitchen with the Bitches!

It's been a while, but things have been busy around here. What passes for fall is arriving in the swamp. During this time of year, my thoughts turn inward and I am usually found in my kitchen baking, making soups, or herbal medicine. I've been doing quite a bit of that lately. I made pumpkin bread for the first time, and it was such a hit among friends and coworkers that I think I'll be making it again this weekend. This afternoon, I plan on making some banana bread because I have some bananas which are on the funky side of eatable, but which will work fine for bread. I'm also thinking of making ginger bread soon; I get great fresh ginger roots from the Asian market across the river, and while some of it goes into stir-fry, or curry, I can't go wrong with ginger bread. I'm really not a recipe kind of lady, preferring loosely-based cooking instructions. But because I know someone will ask, here is my recipe for pumpkin bread! Remembering my number one kitchen rule-- Exactitude is over rated! Pumpkin bread Ingredients: 3 cups sugar 3 cups flour 3 eggs 1 dash thing of baking soda 1/2 dash thing of salt 1/2-ish cup of orange juice a couple cups of pumpkin, if you are lazy, you can buy it in the can, don't buy pie filling... Spices-- I used nutmeg, Allspice Berries, Cinnamon, Cloves, and a splash of vanilla extract. If you are lazy, you can buy pumpkin pie spice, but that takes all the fun out of it... Method: Mix your sugar, flour, spices, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the eggs, OJ, pumpkin, and vanilla extract. Combine the two, mixing thoroughly. If you want to add anything, like nuts or raisins, this is where you do it. I'm kind of boring, though and just like pumpkin in my pumpkin bread. Take out a couple loaf pans and flour/grease them. I used olive oil. Set your oven to 375-ish and once your two pans are loaded with the batter (stopping about an inch or more from the top) slap those babies into the oven and bake them for 50 minutes to an hour. If you aren't sure if they're done, stick a fork into the center. If it comes out clean, they're done, if it comes out goopy, they aren't done. Once you've decided they're done, take pans out of oven, allow to cool. Then remove from pan on to wire rack, or if you are a peckerwood like me, on to a plate and hope someone buys you wire racks for some holiday or other. Eat, best in the morning with coffee, or tea. I also made chili and honey jalapeno corn bread. I did not bring it to work to share, because I'm a selfish Kitchen Bitch. This weekend I am going to make a corn silk glycerite for Laveau. It will probably take most of Sunday to make. I also plan to make an Astragalus tincture, which will probably be done around Thanksgiving. Just in time for cold season. I'm enjoying this start to the colder season, and hope y'all are too!