A Warning: Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

I had a big day planned. You know the type where you feel important and busy and like you've got a handle on everything. 

I dressed in my finest "I own life" outfit, spent a little more time than usual on my hair and makeup, redid my neglected nail polish, gathered the days needs and headed out to my car....only to turn the ignition and hear the tell-tell click of a dead car. 

I no longer feel important or busy or like I've got a handle on ANYTHING.  Lesson learned universe.  Lesson freakin' learned.

And the thing that sort of burns my hide is....I was warned. I got my oil changed yesterday and the technician had to jump start my car in order to pull it out of the garage. 

"Oh that's a fluke," I say.  I own life.

"But this indicates to me that you need a new battery, ma'am." I'm too busy.

"My car won't do that again," I trust.  I'm important.

It sort of serves me right.

So, just know.  You've been warned.  Here's a nearly perfect, can't-tell-it's-gluten-free, Gluten Free Pumpkin and Walnut Bread.  Do with that information, what you will.

What you'll need:

2 Cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour; I use a special order mix called Carol's All Purpose Pastry Blend but you can always make your own and I really like this little tutorial if you're new to that sort of thing.
1/2 Cup almond meal or almond flour
1/4 Cup rice flour*
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon salt
4 Large eggs
2-2 1/2 Cups pumpkin puree; *a can of Libby's pumpkin puree is 2 cups and if you use Libby's (or any canned pumpkin) do not add the rice flour...if you make your own puree, you can get away with a little more pumpkin in your bread, but because it's inevitably a little more "wet," you'll want to add the rice flour.
3/4 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup canola oil
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1/2-3/4 Cup chopped walnuts; I always tend to go heavy on the nuts (ba-dum-ching).

What to do:
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and set aside. In your stand mixer, (or it you're old school, with the ol' beater hand mixer) whisk the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Add walnuts and fold in.

Fill two loaf pans coated with cooking spray, evenly. Sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar if you like a little crunch (I love the crunch, which you don't really get otherwise, with gluten free baking). Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. And enjoy.