Nana’s Pumpkin Bread recipe:

Pumpkin Bread 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Grease 2 aluminum loaf pans 

3 ⅓ cups of flour

2 ½ cups of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of cinnamon 

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups of canned pumpkin

4 eggs

1 cup Wesson oil

⅔ cup of water

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

½ cup of chopped nuts

Mix dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Once mixed, combine dry ingredients to wet and pour into greased pans. Bake for 1 hour. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, and serve warm.

Maggie Casper shared, “My favorite Thanksgiving recipe in my family is my Nana’s Pumpkin Bread. This has been in my family for forever, and is something I look forward to eating and baking every fall season. It started with my grandmother and Thanksgiving would not feel the same if I didn’t see it on the table every year. At the end of Thanksgiving dinner when my family sits down to have a slice, I am reminded of my grandmother and my cherished memories with her. It’s smell and taste immediately transports me back to when I was a little girl. Ever since my grandmother passed away just a few years ago, all of her daughters like to bring it. This makes the tradition even more special as it is passed to me and all of my cousins so we can continue the family fun. I always love making this dish and I will absolutely pass it down. When my grandmother passed, my mom even made cutting boards engraved with her original script and handwriting that was on the recipe sheet. It has turned into our favorite comfort food that will definitely stay in the family for years to come and always hold memories of Nana.”

Grandmas Apple Crapple recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 

Grease an 8-9 inch pan (glass or aluminum)

6 cooking apples

3/4 cup of oatmeal

1/2 cup of brown sugar (for topping)

1/2 cup of flour

1 stick melted butter

⅓ cup of sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

½ cup of chopped Walnuts or nut of your choice

Thinly slice the apples and places at the bottom of of the pan

Melt butter, mix with sugar, and pour over apples

Mix oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts in a bowl

Sprinkle over sliced apples and bake 35-40 minutes

Serve warm with ice cream

In my family, Apple Crapple has been a Thanksgiving tradition since before my mom was born. Something so simple has stayed timeless for generations in my family and Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without it. Started by my great-grandmother, Apple Crapple is not a high-maintenance recipe and only calls for a few ingredients. My fondest memory of making this dish was with my Grandmother on Thanksgiving morning, watching the parade as she let me thinly slice the apples for the first time. Each bite of this desert is a different memory of the fun and chaotic moments we have shared. While it isn’t very pretty, or doesn’t take a lot of effort, for me it sums up the love surrounding my family at each holiday.