Mrs. Cawthorn's Pumpkin Bread

Mrs. Cawthorn was one of the "sympathetic witnesses" that child psychologist, Alice Miller, writes about. She was a significant factor in Audie Murphy's childhood. She was a neighbor during the time the Murphys lived in Celeste, Texas, from the time he was seven until he was in his early teens. She was often his substitute "mother." The recipe was made public during the months just after the war, after a reporter asked what he was fighting to come home to, and Murphy responded, "'Ma' Cawthorn's pumpkin bread." It's getting into the "pumpkin" time of year, so I thought you might enjoy it.

Ann

Mrs. Cawthorn's Pumpkin Bread:

5 coffee cans and lids
5 cups flour
4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon of cloves
1 teaspoon of salt
1 large can pumpkin
1 cup Wesson Oil or Crisco Oil
2 cups chopped dates
2 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup water
3 eggs beaten

Mix
all together and divide equally in five cans. Grease well, bake at 350
degrees for one hour or until done. Take out of cans and cool, then put
back in cans and put lids on and store in ice box. Use as needed.

Thanks, Ann I will have to make some. Our kids are coming from Michigan

I've made it; it's really a good recipe. Five loaf pans work as well as the coffee cans.

Ann

Five cans? Sounds like a lot of pumpkin bread. I prefer it in pie form with whipped cream.

I like the directions for storing it in the icebox. I'll bet you remember those, Dick.

Does coffee still come in tin cans? I get mine in a resealable bag.

Ann

I well remember emptying the tray under the ice box with water sloshing around, knowing I'd be in big trouble if I spilled a drop on the floor. I remember, too, those little window ice boxes that could only be used in winter.

Judging by Jackie's supply of coffee, most comes in plastic jars today but at least one, Chockful o' Nuts, still comes in a tin can.

The uses for coffee cans are many. It is like the old Prince Albert can. A nice place for worms for fishing, or little treasures for your own self. A warm heart memory.

Love,
Betty

My sister-in-law has been bringing pumpkin bread made in coffee cans to my house for Thanksgiving as long as I can remember. It is excellent.

Thanks for the recipe, Ann. I'm going to try making some.

We do have some coffee cans around, but they have nuts and bolts and things like that in them. But they do still sell coffee in cans.

Carol

Pumpkins are a mystical fruit as Anna Cawthorn (a distant relative of Mrs Cawthorns husband ) found out.

Following recipes of Pumpkin Pies and Breads in late October can lead to strange occurrences around the house.

It is said that Pumpkins are really eggs that contain spiritual beings from beyond the grave, these are the victims of the Dragon slayings from times long gone by. When you break one open in the month of October these beings are released into this world where they wreek havoc on unsuspecting people.

Anna had aquired the biggest pumpkin ever seen down the market. With this pumpkin she would make so many pies and breads that Halloween would be a real feast.

It really was a big pumpkin and would have cost a lot more money than Anna paid for it but an old wise woman had declared that the pumpkin had been cursed. No one would so much as touch it from then on that is until Anna came to the market stall. It was willingly sold to her for a dime.

That night with pumpkin pies and pumpkin bread recipes to hand she prepared herself to cut open the enormous fruit.
The moment her knife touched the outer skin of the pumpkin a high pitched shreek was heard. The ground rumbled, pots and pans fell to the ground, windows shattered and the lights went out.
In the darkness the pumkin glowed, a shaft of green light could be seen shinning through the small knife cut on the surface of the pumpkin. The air filled with a wailing sound that sent shivers down Anna's spine.

She did not know why or what possessed her to do it but the urge was stronger than her fear. Her hands picked up the knife and there in the dark fuelled with a strange compulsion she finished the cut. Off flew the top off the pumpkin. Spinning and hovering in the air controlled by some unseen force. The shreeking and wailing so loud that it smashed any remaining glass and crockery. The ground rumbled so much it felt that the whole town would be laid waste. Plumes of luminous green smoke poured out of the pumkin. The pumkin began to grow in size bigger and bigger until its weight collapsed the table on which it sat.

The pumpkin now half filling the kitchen began to crack from top to bottom. The pumpkin slowly opened like a door to another world the bright shafts of light blocking any view of its inside as a shadowy figure began to emerge from the opening.
He was growling and cursing with each step.
Finally he stepped through into the kitchen.

There stood a tall good looking blonde haired man, dressed in a white jacket and chequered trousers. He looked around the kitchen then gave Anna a piercing look. " What the F**** is going on in this kitchen? How the hell can you F****** think you can cook like this? I would not F****** feed my dog what your cooking here."
Anna wept she recognised him straight away.
It was Gordon Ramsey.

That is why you would not get me any where near any pumpkins this year.
Sorry I just had to go with the inspiration!

That is only one ending to this tale come halloween I shall give you a serious alternate one.

I will never feel the same way about pumpkins again.

Ann

Me too. I'm even off pumpkin pie.