As promised, today I’m sharing friend and expert baker Betty Howell’s recipe for blueberry pumpkin bread once again. It’s perfect for this “all things pumpkin” holiday season. The bread is moist, sweet and an excellent keeper. Think gifts from the kitchen…

Oh, and I just knew you’d like a trendy salted honey butter Parker house roll recipe. From Half Baked Harvest, you may just learn a new technique – each one is rolled into a coil before baking. Layers upon layers of puffy, salted honey goodness. 

Either, or both of these bakery quality treats, will bring your holiday feast up more than a few notches! 

Oh and I’ve said to you many times before, remember, it’s not just about the food during the holidays but who shares it with you. Whether frugal or fancy, roasted & stuffed turkey or vegan, no matter. If your family’s like mine, nothing goes completely as planned and there’s usually a culinary mishap (I always say the best culinary bandaids are parsley and whipped cream….) but that’s ok. The older I get, the more appreciative I am of family and friends. I count you among the latter.

Happy Thanksgiving and blessings,

Rita

Betty’s blueberry pumpkin bread

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon each nutmeg and cinnamon

1-1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed 

4 large eggs

2/3 cup water

1 cup vegetable oil

15 oz can pumpkin puree

Instructions

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray or brush with shortening or butter.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Gently stir in blueberries. This keeps them suspended in the bread so they don’t sink to the bottom. Set aside.

On medium speed in mixer or by hand, beat eggs until light in color.

Mix in water, oil and pumpkin until well blended.

Mix in flour mixture until combined. 

Divide between prepared pans and bake 1 hour or so. When toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, the loaves are done.

Let cool in pans a few minutes, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Freeze up to 6 months.

Gilding the lily: 

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking

Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. 

Salted honey butter Parker house rolls

Ingredients

Rolls

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more if needed

1 pkg rapid rise yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole warm milk

3 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

Flaky sea salt – garnish

Honey butter

6 tablespoons salted butter, softened

3 tablespoons honey

Instructions

Rolls

Combine flour, yeast and salt in stand mixer bowl.

Add milk, honey, butter and egg.

Using dough hook, mix until flour is completely incorporated, about 5 minutes. If dough gets real sticky, add an additional 1/4 cup flour.

Cover and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to a few hours.

Meanwhile, make honey butter.

Honey butter

Combine butter and honey.

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 9×13 baking pan.

Lightly dust counter with flour. Turn out dough, punch down, and divide in half. 

Roll each half to 12-inch square, about 1/4-inch thick. 

Brush each square with honey butter, saving any leftover butter for serving. Cut each square into 6 strips. 

Roll each strip into a coil and arrange seam side down in pan.

Cover, let rise for about 30 minutes, until puffy.  Bake 18-25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with rest of honey butter. Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on rolls. Pull apart to serve.