Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

It has taken me a long time to figure out my issue with anything 'pumpkin', and I am a recovering pumpkin hater. Here's the deal--I do not really like nutmeg. Nor allspice. Nor cloves. Cinnamon, however, I happen to love. It's just that most pumpkin things combine nutmeg, allspice, and/or cloves with that delicious cinnamon and that is where things go awry for my taste buds. So, it's not really the pumpkin after all. I'm sorry, pumpkin! About 8 years ago, we moved from our first little house to a temporary townhouse (house sold 3 months before we were set to move from MO to MN). We didn't have kids yet, so it should have been an easy move, but typical to all medical internships, my dear husband was unavailable. So, I moved most everything (except huge furniture) with the help of my friend, Paula, and her 2 little girls (who are probably teenagers now--I am feeling old), and the help of my friend Pat's truck. Paula brought this pumpkin bread for a snack that day, and it has been beloved ever since. If you have known me for any length of time, you have eaten this pumpkin bread (especially if you have been in a Bible study with me and were present when it was my turn for snacks). It makes 2 loaves at once, is easily freezable, and combines pumpkin and cinnamon without the other stuff that displeases me. This is a must-have in your recipe arsenal.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
-from Paula Rubinstein

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 bag of chocolate chips (oh yeah!)

Beat together eggs, sugar, and oil. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt (I dump these ingredients into a fine mesh sieve and then tap it out into the bowl, because I do not own a sifter. I think you will probably live if you don't 'sift' these. At least whisk them). Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in pumpkin until smooth, then add chocolate chips. Pour into 2 greased 9x5 loaf pans and bake for 50-55 min at 350 degrees, or until done. You can also make this into a cake if you wish (I've not done it, so can't endorse, but I have done muffins)--bake in 9x13 pan for 45 minutes, or in a tube or bundt pan at 325 for 1 hour, then 350 for 15 minutes.  If you are trying the cake option, I'd suggest topping each piece with freshly whipped cream or just a sprinkle of powdered sugar. No frosting necessary.

 2 loaves with the effort of 1. Eat one now, freeze one for later. You're welcome.