Harvest Pumpkin Bread

 

1/2 cup butter or margerine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teasp baking soda
1/2 teasp. salt
1 teasp. ground cinnamon
1/2 teasp. nutmeg
1/4 teasp. ground ginger
1/4 teasp. ground cloves
1/4 cup fresh or solid pack pumpkin
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup chopped pecans, divided
Glaze ( recipe follows )

Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices; add to creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup pecans. Spoon mixture into a 9x5x3 inch greased and floured loaf pan. Sprinkle top with remaining pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 15 minutes,then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over top of loaf.

Glaze

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp. half and half
1/8 teasp. ground nutmeg
1/8 teasp. ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients, stirring until smooth. Makes 1/4 cup. Double recipe for heavier glaze, if desired.