Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

My little sister just informed that I have not yet posted my pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Her apron was on and she was ready to bake. Where was the recipe? Of course she must be mistaken! I churn out loaves of this perfect pumpkin bread every year. Here's why it's perfect: The recipe uses the entire can of pumpkin (waste not, want not), has just the right combination of pumpkin flavor, cinnamon, and chocolate, uses common, inexpensive ingredients and is a snap to make. The end result is three delicious loaves for sharing with neighbors and friends. Of course I must have posted it already! Right???? Right?

Wrong. I even took a picture last year, but never posted the recipe. So here it is, better late than never. Thanks for the reminder, sistuh. You've given me a good idea of what to do with the rest of my afternoon.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Estimated Cost: $4.00 for threestandard loaves, or 8 mini loaves

Notes: You can swap out the nuts for an equal amount of extra chocolate chips.

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

2/3 cup water

4 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 and 1/2 cups flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips tossed with 2 tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 standard loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, sugar, water and eggs, mixing well. Add in cinnamon, soda and salt. Very gently, stir in flour until just combined. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Separate into 3 separate loaf pans. Bake for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for ten minutes before removing from pan.

Next Up: Mini Freeform Meatloaves