I discovered the Waltons the other day.
Seriously.
Where have they been all my life?
I mean….if you would have asked me about the Waltons last week….I could have told you they lived in the country in a house where they all told each other goodnight all the time and that the mom was always baking and that John Boy was really cute.
Which is all true……
…..but so totally missing the point.
This is a family.
A family that loved and lived and struggled and overcame obstacles to triumph in the face of adversity.
I watched episode after episode.
I laughed.
I cried.
I cheered.
And I wish that they lived down the street.
They don’t.
*sigh*
But it doesn’t matter…..because my friend Kelly does.
She lives over the hill at the end of the curve of a winding country road…..
…..and she should sell tickets to her kitchen.
It’s big and warm with a vintage farmhouse table that seats sixteen and a roaring fire in an old cast iron stove and it is full of smells that would make your mouth water.
There are pitchers of sweet tea and green beans from the garden and piping hot biscuits and homemade strawberry jam.
And someone is always playing the guitar.
Or the fiddle.
Or talking about making molasses.
Or how to keep bees.
Or watching the sun set over the back pasture.
It is a wonderful place.
And here’s a recipe straight from her kitchen.
John Boy and crew must have stopped by……because 5 minutes after this picture was taken….
……it was gone. 🙂
Walnut Raisin Pumpkin Bread
(this is a friendship bread recipe….it makes two loaves….one to eat and one to share)
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 cup oil
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 can of pumpkin (15 oz.)
I cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease two loaf pans.
Step 2: Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together.
Step 3: In a separate bowl mix together eggs, sugar and oil.
Add vanilla.
Add pumpkin.
Then slowly add flour mixture until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.
Lastly, stir in raisins and walnuts.
Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to an hour.
Let cool. Then slice and serve.
note: recipe makes two loaves
Her kitchen is wonderful.
It’s full of joy and laughter and happiness.
And sometimes….when there’s a lull in conversation and the music is quietly playing in the background and you’re nibbling on a fresh piece of watermelon and there’s a knock at the door…..
….don’t be surprised if it’s the Waltons dropping by for a visit. 🙂
PS I’m adding a little modern flair to country today over at the Lamps Plus blog.
Check it out….here.
Love, love, love the Waltons! Last night Mary Ellen got married. I cried! Ican't wait to try this bread, but I think I will use cranberries.
You have the best recipes...and stories! Have a great day KariAnne! ~Sonya
I am sooooooooooooooooooooooo hungry right now...I can smell this delicious treat through the screen! I have all the ingredients...so this just might get whipped up today! Some homemade sweet butter might be on the side!!! As far as the Waltons...as you could probably have guessed...I have never seen an episode and just know the basic trivia. Hugs...can't wait to pop this in the oven : )
It is early in the morning. I am sitting in my quiet kitchen with a freshly poured cup of hot coffee, and I read the new Thistleweed Farm's post. Now all I can think of is, I want to visit Kelly's kitchen and taste some of this delicious looking pumpkin bread. I want to smell the aromas in her kitchen and just sense what it would be like to be in a cozy, vintage farmhouse kitchen. I have always liked the Waltons, and you refreshed my memory in your unique, creative way this morning. For sure, I will be making this pumpkin, raisin, walnut bread, real soon.
Oh, excuse me, I meant to say,"Thistlewood Farm's" post. My mind must have been foggy this early in the morning.
*sigh* if it wasn't for the Walton's , I might not of survived my childhood. It was one of the bright spots in my world. You might want to check out the original book Spencer's Mountain by Earl Hamner! Love! Happy Wednesday KarriAnne!
I loved the Walton's! I watched them growing up and could totally relate to there trials and tribulations. We were so much like them, less children thankfully ,but with our Grandparents living on the same farm my Aunt Lily and her family living on the next farm, it was a very busy life! Some days I really miss it, but I am so grateful to have had such an amazing opportunity to grow up with my Grandparents, my Aunt Lily and her family . Have a wonderful day!
Those raisins look so good...I sort of wished I could reach right in through my iPad and grab them! I love love the Walton's....good simple values. We could all learn a lot from watching them! ;)
Looks so good. I wish you two gals were my neighbors.
Suddenly starving.... this looks delish. My fav is the "one for you and one to share" part. :-)
This looks good! I love chunky breads with lots of extras in them. I agree with one of the other commenters on substituting cranberries for raisins. I only like raisins when they are covered in chocolate :-)
Oh yum!!!!...and love those Waltons!
You know, for those of us who are not crazy about the taste of dark raisins, I bet we could substitute golden raisins... and maybe, just maybe, John-Boy wouldn't mind too much!
I do NOT like pictures of food. just never thought it "worked" to photograph those items. (: ...but you did it. didn't feel nauseated at all when I looked at them. (and I might just try that deliciouse LOOKING bread.) ;D
It seems we are both talking about raisins today. Yours are in this yummy bread, and mine are in Rum Raisin ice cream. Your neighbor's home sounds like a place filled with love and magic. I have always loved The Waltons. We watched it when it was first released, and now we watch reruns. Night, KariAnne.♥
Oh yummy yum! I'd love to have a neighbor like Kelly... or the Walton's. We have no near neighbors to borrow sugar or walnut raisin pumpkin bread from!
I would have totally sat down with y'all and ate pumpkin bread and watched the Waltons. Thank God we have re-runs of some wholesome TV shows! Thanks for the recipe. It looks wonderful! I love fall! :)
Looks absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing this recipe. :)
This is timely - I was in New Jersey on business last week and found myself with a little time to relax and ended up watching an episode of The Walton's and Little House on the Prairie. Love those shows so much - all about family! With all the lovely recipes floating around for fall, I decided to buy pumpkin over the weekend, but not sure what I would do with it. So this recipe seemed like the perfect solution, so this morning, while listening to conference calls for work, I made a batch. My family isn't really raisin fans, so I substituted mini chocolate chips with pecans (out of walnuts) and it is fabulous! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I love pumpkin bread!!! I will have to try this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing. Have a great weekend coming up. I would LOVE to live in the country, but I am afraid that's not going to happen. Mary
Hi, I've been wondering if raisins would go with pumpkin. I should have known better - raisins go with everything! Surprising enough, I keep meeting more and more people who don't like raisins; can't imagine not liking raisins. One question: your recipe calls for 1 15ox can of pumpkin. Is that pumpkin pie mix or real pumpkin in a can? I don't know about the States but here in Canada we have both. Love your stories and everything else from your blog, Cathy
Karianne, Thanks Doll!
This looks incredible! I'm loving anything pumpkin right now, and have wanted to make a loaf- def will try this weekend!
It looks delicious! Perfect for this time of year. Your friend's home sounds just like I would imagine the Walton's home to be. Loved that show.
I believe that those are the most beautiful bread photos that I have ever seen. Good eye, sweet girl....good eye. ;) btw: I love the Waltons. We have every season and the t.v. movies too. ;) If we were building a new farmhouse...I would want one like theirs. Since we are not...I will enjoy our own. Goodnight KariAnne! ;) ~k.
Thanks so much for this! I used cranberries instead of raisins. Awesome goodness :) I remember watching the Waltons when they weren't in reruns!
Sure wish they still made shows like the Waltons! And Little House on the Prairie, too. This bread sounds (and looks) wonderful, I am definitely going to make it, probably today. But I ave a question. Do you have a "PRINTER FRIENDLY' version? Am I missing something by not finding it? Thanks! LaVern
Love reading your blog! I make a pecan pumpkin bread every year - I actually retained the recipe from my 7th grade home-ec class! Ha ha! I love trying new recipes so this one is on my next "to make" list! PS: Great pictures!
The Waltons . . . . so well written and acted. A gentler time . . . and Ralph Waite - a loving husband and father (and those blue eyes:). I watch it over and over and never tire of it.
I made ur pumpkin, walnut, raisin bread yesterday. It is definitely a "keeper" of a recipe. Thanks for sharing.