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I'm not even sure exactly where I got this recipe. I've been making it for the last 10 years. All I know is that I altered it to make it my own and the results are amazing. My secret is to wait until someone has eaten at least one piece to tell them it has no oil and less sugar than regular pumpkin bread. The flavors compliment each other so well. The tart cranberries with the sweet pumpkin... heavenly. It's one of my sister's all-time favorites and she began asking for the recipe after I made it for her one year. But it never failed that each year she would somehow "lose" the recipe and need me to transcribe it for her once again.... repeatedly... every... year. So one year I thought I'd write it up nicely on a personalized recipe card... surely she'd never misplace that! Alas, I was mistaken. Another year or two went by with me sending her yet another copy of this treasured recipe. So when I bought my cranberries this year in anticipation of my bread making, I also anticipated typing up the recipe... it had become a tradition. Then lo and behold, she posted on my facebook page that although she, too, had thought she'd have to beg for the recipe again, she somehow found it! So proud of you big sister :) although secretly I never minded you asking.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
(makes 2 loaves)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin
4 large eggs
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, applesauce and juice in a large mixer bowl; beat unitl just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 60-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove to racks to cool completely.

Penne pasta, ground beef, creamy tomato sauce and browned melted cheese. So quick and easy and yummy too. (I'm posting a slightly altered version from the one in Cooking Light.)

Quick Pastitsio

8 ounces uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups fat-free milk
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
7 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat broiler.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; saute 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove beef from pan; drain. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; saute 4 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1 minute stirring constantly. Add beef; sprinkle with salt. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. In a medium bowl mix cream cheese with milk until smooth. Add milk mixture and tomatoes to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in pasta.

Spoon mixture into a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over top. Broil 4 minutes or until golden.

So this freezer meal takes a little more effort upon actually preparing it for dinner but to be able to pull meat out that tastes like this? Totally worth the work. Essentially it's just a marinade that you freeze the steak in. However, by freezing the flavor in, you end up with a juicy, tender, wonderfully tasting steak that makes mouths water. Even my kids cleaned their plates and there's a lot to be said for that! I served it with steamed green beans and an alfredo pasta but mashed potatoes would have accompanied it nicely too. Something to soak up some of the outstanding sauce that goes over the meat.

Provencal Flank Steak

1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 pounds flank steak

Place steak in resealable freezer bag (labeled and dated.) Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and pour into freezer bag with steak. Marinate overnight or freeze for up to 3 months.

To cook: If frozen, thaw completely. Prepare broiler or hot grill. Remove steak from marinade and sear on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Meanwhile, pour marinade into a saucepan and boil over high heat for 5 minutes. Slice steak into thin slices across the grain. Drizzle marinade over steak and serve. *recipe courtesy of Dream Dinners*