Orange you glad I didn't say pumpkin?

Much like Katy over at No Big Dill, my favorite color is orange. It all started in 8th grade, during the last period of the day. I was in the advanced grade (I guess it's like AP for younger kids?) class, and one of the boys in my class found a skinny orange marker laying on the floor. It got tossed around the room and nobody seemed to like orange at all, and certainly not enough to keep the lonely marker. Until it wound up in my lap. I looked at it, and tried writing with it to see if it was even worth keeping. That lovely bright and exciting color just popped off the page! I loved it! Over the years, it spread from markers to crayons...and the inevitable jump to all things pumpkin. I'll blame Starbucks for the jump...mmm...Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. *drool*

As the weather has gotten colder, I have begun to think of pumpkin everything. As B has gotten less willing to eat his veggies (long story, but it involves hidden veggies and homemade penicillin), I've had to look into getting more creative with veggies. What better way to get his fruits and veggies, allow me to use more pumpkin, AND feed him and E quickly on the way to school in the morning? BREAD!

Tonight I used this recipe to make a pumpkin chocolate chip bread loaf and about 7 muffins (that's all I had left, not enough for another loaf). Of course, after I got home from Walmart this afternoon with the ingredients I conveniently emptied during dinner last night, I finally get everything squared away and start mixing...only to find that I have about 3/4 cup of brown sugar when the recipe calls for 1 1/2. What to do to get that much needed sweetness? Generic sugar substitute, of course (I can't remember if I bought it from Walmart or at my usual haunt, Harris Teeter)! No measuring for this girl..just dump some in! :)

I needed a toothpick to test the centers for doneness, so I stole borrowed one of the zombie hands from Dad's cupcake decorating kit. Then I thanked him for "giving me a hand" with my muffins. Hahahahahaha! I slay me! Anyway, after 2 muffins I think I can say that the recipe works and is pretty tasty and moist (gah, I'm NOT a fan of that word). Next time around I'm thinking of doing some oatmeal instead of the bittersweet chocolate chips, perhaps pressed lightly into the top of the loaf before baking?

What would you do? What is your favorite way to get more veggies into your kids? Do you have any stories of your kids doing rotten things with foods they don't want to eat?