One hundred posts, a thousand thanks

This is my 100th post. In a Pickle is old enough to have a Centennial entry. I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday that I started this blog as a creative outlet from my cut-and-dried news jobs.

At first, I thought I'd share a few family stories and a few recipes that anchor my life...and within a few months, I'd run out of things to say. Well. Here we are two years later, and I have yet to share my mother's recipe for Danish Shepperd's Pie. The end is nowhere in sight.

snow ice cream

I want to thank you for joining my cooking adventures. When I write here, I am not just howling into the darkness; you join me in my kitchen and we share our stories. So thank you, thank you, thank you for reading, for commenting, and for connecting with me through cooking. It gives me joy to know that humans have come together over food for thousands of years, and we're carrying on that tradition.

meringues noir

Because it's Thanksgiving here in the U.S., because I'm thankful for you, and because I love giving gifts, I have a present for you. And since I don't have the resources to travel to your home and cook you a meal (which I would love to do,) I'll have to connect with you in pictures. On December 1st, I will randomly select three readers and send them a beautiful, ready-to-frame print made from one of the photographs in this blog. I'll include a recipe on the back of the print and some tasty treats.

Not-so-naughty Senator bunt cake

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post! The easy-to-ship treats I have in mind are: chocolate coconut flax granola, cherry chili chocolate chip cookies, Karen's Nutella hazelnut cookies, or almond biscotti with lemon icing. However, if you have another favorite recipe of mine and if the USPS can deliver it safely, I'll try to oblige you. I want to give you a gift you'll like!

Before I leave you, I do have a Thanksgiving recipe to share. If you live in the U.S., you probably have your traditional foods prepared already. However, if you're searching for a great host/hostess gift to bring to the feast, consider this quick spiced pumpkin bread.

I bumped up the intensity of the pumpkin pie spices, plus added a healthy dose of extra-strong brewed chai teas to give the pumpkin a more complex, belly-warming flavor. The bread bakes up in an hour, freezes well, and slices like a dream. Happy Thanksgiving, and thanks for reading my blog.

Chai-spiced Pumpkin Bread
serves 8

• 4 bags Stash chai spice black tea, steeped in 2/3 cup near-boiling water
  
• 1 1/2 cups cane sugar
• 1/2 cup light-flavored oil, like canola
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and steep the tea bags in hot water. Grease a loaf pan with butter or vegetable shortening.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and eggs until creamy. Stir in pumpkin and chai tea until combined. In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and spices. Whisk the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Stir in the chopped nuts.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread's center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the pan's edges and turn the bread out onto a cooling rack. Once the bread is cooled, slice with a serrated knife and serve or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
Ms. Rita's Banana Bread
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Double lemon, double poppy seed cake