Pumpkin Bread Pudding

"Mama, Can I just have a little taste? It is just a little raw egg."

My 4 year old loves to help bake.  Especially if little brother is busy doing something else. For this Bread pudding big brother made the whole pudding while little brother "made soup" in the sink.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
 2 cups bread chunks
 (We cut the outer layer off of our homemade cinnamon toast because it was very dense)
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup raisins
Let soak for 10-15 minutes

In another bowl whisk together the following:
3 eggs
1/2 cup mashed pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Then mix in bread mixture.
Pour into a shallow 8" or 9" pan.
Bake 350F for 45 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
One reason I hope I never need to remove gluten from my life.  I love bread pudding!

Putting the Garden to Sleep

Oh it has been a good year for green beans!
We had a solid month of zucchini, a couple good tomato salads, about 10 little perfect cucumbers and a little bit of everything else.

When I think back I had two garden goals.  Plant many runner beans and cucumbers.  My little guys are not huge tomato fans or big fans of lettuce, but they could eat cucumbers and beans every day.  I think I have tired them of green beans this season.  After a break I am sure we will love the frozen beans in our winter soups.

I cut down the green bean vines yesterday, in the middle of October and they were still growing.  For 4 months we have picked a bowl of beans every day or two. The largest beans we dried to keep for seeds.

Here is a little recap that I hope I reread in the Spring.
Success in the garden this year:
Green beans
Sunflowers
Zinnias
Parsnips
Carrots
Parsley
tatsoi
kale
early lettuce
Zucchini
rutabagas
green onions

Sad plants in the garden this year:
Cauliflower
beets
cucumbers
leeks
tomatoes
winter squash

What I forgot to Plant:
Patty Pan
Broccoli

Buy new seeds next year:
Beets
Carrots
Broccoli
Parsnips
cucumbers

Apples, Sunshine, and Secret Gardens

I have been lost in apples for a month.
I have jars upon jars full of applesauce and apple butter.
I have foraged, gathered, and picked apples and I think I will be done soon.
We picked another 1/2 bushel off the ground in our backyard today. Along with the last of the basil.

In the days surrounding our applesauce making we have managed to have some fun adventures.

Canning tomatoes, finding secret gardens with Nancy, playing in the sunshine, petting goats and rabbits, and riding a horse named Jewel.

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