Pumpkin Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Swirl

It's fall.  It doesn't feel like fall in Hawaii, except for a little bit more rain here and there.  Thank goodness for Pinterest to snap me into reality that the seasons are in fact changing.  I absolutely LOVE pumpkin.  I stocked up last year at the end of the season, so I have had 4 large cans in my pantry that are good thankfully until 2014.  I think pumpkin in general is pretty expensive given that it is a canned food, but pumpkin in Hawaii...super pricey.  What isn't here though, right?  So this bread is a true treat.  I did some research on this recipe, and decided to pair it with my pumpkin bread recipe, and tweak the swirl to have more of a unique flavor.  Hence, you've got the cream cheese mixture flavored with orange zest.  It's awesome.  Not only is this a new twist on pumpkin bread, but it looks amazing.  I love a good presentation.  Of course if you wanted to add nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips, by all means it's your call.  If you don't want to flavor it orange, leave out the zest.

      Pumpkin Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Swirl

1/2 c oil
1 1/2 c pumpkin
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda

Swirl:
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
zest of an orange
1/4 sugar

 Preheat oven to 340 degrees. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, sugar, and vanilla, mix well. Combine dry ingredients to the wet ones until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, egg and orange zest together until well blended. Spray loaf pans with cooking spray (2 medium loaf pans or 4-5 small ones).  Spread a thin layer of the pumpkin batter on the bottom of the loaf pans.  Divide cream cheese mixture among the loaves, then top with remaining pumpkin batter.  Take the end of a knife and swirl each loaf around.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Let sit for 10 minutes, and then remove from pans.

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesean, Garlic, and Lemon

Tired of having the same old steamed broccoli?  Well this recipe is a great twist on the side that many of us love.  My kids LOVED this recipe, and they were begging for more.  When you roast the broccoli at a high temperature, it gets nutty, and not soggy.  Broccoli is super flavorful when roasted.  In our family we like vegetables to be tender crisp.  Heaven forbid if I cross the line into the soft baby food texture....no one will eat them.  When you roast the broccoli is comes out soft crunchy and we loved it.  By all means if you want  use fresh parmesan cheese and garlic.  I was just into simplifying my life tonight. My last comment, is that fresh lemon is a MUST!

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Garlic, and Lemon

1-2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1/4 c grated Parmesan (I used the stuff in the can)
1 1/2 to 2 tsp garlic salt (more or less if you like)
1/2 lemon (I zested the lemon, and then used the juice)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  On a large sheet pan place broccoli, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.  Toss together with your hands and settle into an even layer.  Place into oven.  Every 10 minutes stir broccoli with spatula, and settle into a single layer.  Broccoli should be done with the broccoli tops start to turn brown.  Take out of oven, and add lemon juice and zest, toss to coat. Serve.