Happy Halloween

It's Halloween. Pumpkins are everywhere!

Sugar baby variety pumpkins are delicious to bake with. Wash the dirt off, put some knife slits in the skin and pop into a 375 degree oven to bake for an hour.

When cool enough to handle (I can never seem to wait and am constantly uttering ouch, ouch, ouch...), slice down the middle, remove seeds and transfer the pumpkin pulp to a bowl to be mashed.

I have a recipe for sweet bread that is delicious anytime of day and easily frozen.

Food and Pottery Connection:

Food: Laura Moore's Maple Pumpkin Bread - makes 2 loaves

from the Mystic Seaport "A New England Table" Cookbook

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup veg oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups pumpkin
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

1. Combine wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients. Add wet to dry.
2. Pour batter into 2 buttered loaf pans. Bake at 350 for at least 1 hour.

Pottery: decorated plates with leafy design

Halloween Rescheduled

The moon setting over Powessit Farm in Dover, MA

I don't ever remember Halloween being rescheduled in my childhood, but then again there wasn't ever a storm in October that did the damage this past one did in my memory either.  We, thankfully did not loose power for more than 24 hours, but many did and it was a wise decision that our town made to reschedule and not cancel this spooky event. 

Distributing candy is done from bowls and that seems to be #1 on the gift giving list for pottery purchasers this year.  Here is a selection of some I will be offering this year at upcoming venues and sales - purchase now so you can have a one of a kind bowl for next Halloween's bowl of candy! And what to do with all that candy in the meantime? Scroll down for a recipe for "candy" bars.

Potters Place November 18,19,20 Open Studios

Dedham Square Artist Guild - Open Thurs-Sun

Custom Art Framing/ Gallery 9 in Norwood, MA

Candy Bar Cookies

Makes about a dozen cookies.

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 eggs beaten
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup milk
5 small candy bars, chopped up

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375.

2. Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and mix well, then add the vanilla.

3. Sift the dry ingredients together and add alternately with the milk. Stir in the cut-up candy bar pieces.

4. Spoon tablespoon-sized drops on greased cookie sheets. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkins for sale at Powessit Farm

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Season

The only thing better than teatime in the afternoon is the company you share it with.

"As with any tea bread, this one improves with age". (~just like friendship~)

Pumpkin Tea Bread - makes 1 loaf
A New England Table: Mystic Seaport Cookbook

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Blend sugar and oil, add eggs and pumpkin. Mix well.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and pour into a greased bundt pan or tube cake pan.
4. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool bread in pan. This bread freezes well.

While sharing a slice of pumpkin bread with a friend recently, I enjoyed the chocolate chips she added to her recipe.

Color of pumpkin mug....