I hope no one minds me joining in. I'm trying to find some fellow cooking enthusiasts, since everyone in my family thinks that cooking means beating it over the head until it stops moving and then charring it. OK. This may be the world's most common recipe; it makes a really good bread, (a lot drier, so it keeps a lot longer than most of the recipes I have tried)

NAOMI'S PUMPKIN BREAD

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
2 cups (1 lb can) pumpkin puree (pref. Libby's)
2 cups pecans

Combine sugar and oil; beat well. Add eggs and beat.

Combine dry ingredients and add to egg mixture alternately with water. Stir in pumpkin and chopped nuts. Put batter in greased and floured loaf pans (will fill 3 to 4 loaf pans).

Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour or until bread is browned on the outside and firm within.

We've been using this and a cranberry recipe for years and years at holidays -- I have no idea where my mother's friend Naomi got it.