Birth Soup & Pumpkin Bread (this weeks recipes)

Okay! Yeah for round two! I am very excited for this round of soups/stews and bread! Now, both of these recipes are favorites at our house. The soup has a funny name I know, I'll explain. The midwife who cared for me and each of my babies name is Sherry. During labor she makes this soup for the mother to eat after the birth. It's a wonderful potato and vegetable soup and besides it's yumminess and nutritional value every time I smell it and taste it I experience an absolutely wonderful nostalgia! *I often add more carrots and celery than this recipe calls for because we like them a lot.
The pumpkin bread is a recipe I squeezed out of the owner of a little cafe in Junction City, Oregon when Andy and I lived there. A word to the wise - only make one batch because you'll eat every crumb so it's better that you only have a small amount! :)

Birth Soup
4-5 potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled & chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon basil
1 pint cream (heavy or lite), near room temp
salt & pepper

Put cubed potatoes in large pan and fill with water just enough to cover. Heat to boiling and then turn off heat. DO NOT drain.
In large frying pan, on medium heat, melt butter with garlic and onion. Toss garlic and onion a few times in heated butter and then add carrot, celery, peas and corn. Add basil. Salt and pepper to your liking. Saute vegetables, stirring often, until soft but still crisp. Remove from heat.
Add vegetables to potatoes and water. Simmer for at least an hour. Stir occasionally. Approximately 10 minutes before serving, turn off heat and add cream. Stir well.

Pumpkin Bread
Mix together:
3/4 cup soft butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
Add:
4 eggs, one at a time mixing well in between
Mix in:
16 ounces pumpkin
2/3 cup water
In separate bowl, mix:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and fold in.
Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans or 3 small ones. Pour in batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes or until done.
With leftovers, wrap in plastic wrap and leave on counter. Will taste even better the next day!

ENJOY!