Spiced squash bread

We had some squash (as far as we--meaning the people at the grocery story, myself, and my new cookbook--can figure, it was baby hubbard) for dinner the other night. Anticipating we (Tyler and I) couldn't eat the whole thing, I only cooked half. Well, that left another half that probably wasn't going to get eaten, so I devised a way to use the remaining squash. I have a banana bread recipe, and I know the spices that go in pumpkin pie, so I swapped the banana for the squash and added the spices--the result: spiced squash bread, nearly as tasty as pumpkin bread, probably would be SOOOO much better with some chocolate chips :)



Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. ground nutmeg
1 t. ground ginger
1 T. ground cinnamon
1/3 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
half of a cooked winter squash or enough to make 2-3 cups when mashed

Destructions:
Cut desired winter squash in half, remove seeds, and place in/or a tin-foil lined pan and bake at 350 for about an hour and a half or until very soft. Remove skin (discard) and mash the fleshy part. Add a couple tablespoons of butter and couple tablespoons of brown sugar. Set aside. (May be refrigerated for later use)

Preheat over (if not already heated from cooking the squash) to 350, grease bread pan, and set aside.

Mix dry ingredients in small/medium bowl and set aside. In a larger bowl beat sugar and softened butter together. Add eggs and mix. Add dry ingredients, mix partially, then add squash. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes, then medium for 1 more. If desired, fold chocolate chips (you put in however many you want, I won't judge, haha). Pour into pan and bake for one hour. Can check with toothpick for done-ness. Let cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and ENJOY!

PS-It is very moist. I recommend that if you do put it in a plastic bag or wrap it in foil to leave it open to the air so that it doesn't get really sticky.

Pumpkin bread and Macy's bags

For Relief Society, we made little gifts for the sisters we visit teach. Realizing it's not OK to give unwrapped presents, I tried to figure out what I was going to do. We have no wrapping paper, and I didn't really feel like going to the store to buy some. We have no curly ribbon either. Then, I spotted, sitting in the corner behind the table, old paper grocery bags. Brilliant! I always had a bit of an affinity for brown paper wrapping. But how would I decorate them? I have no paint to doodle with or ribbon long enough to tie around. Then, after digging through my button box, sorting through my ribbon scraps, and scrounging for some markers, I ended up with this:


Not bad for a scrounge job!

Also, I decided I needed to make something with the remaining pumpkin I had in the fridge. I decided to try to make Pumpkin Nutella Bread. It was tasty, but unfortunately it didn't come out of the pan very well. I made it half-intending to take it with the gifts, but decided I better just eat it...


Next time I'll spray the pan better :)

time is money, but it makes more work

Since probably the second week of the school year, not a single loaf of store-bought bread has entered our lovely little apartment. I've made homemade bread every week except for this week (because Tyler did it this time!). The sad part is, the loaves don't have as many slices so they don't go as far. Also, if I decide I want a sandwich and have no more bread, I have to find roughly 2 hours to be home so I can make it. Luckily, I can do homework while the dough is rising and it's cooking and whatnot. Unfortunately, it (multitasking) never seems to work as well as I hope. But the taste of warm homemade bread with butter and homemade raspberry jam is almost as good a cookie when I'm craving something tasty. It nearly (but not quite) allows me to give up the idea of going to Macey's at 7pm for 25 cent donuts. Work, yes. Cheaper, yes (I think...). Happy tummy, heck yes :D



PS-This isn't my picture, but mine looks (and probably is) way more delicious than this. Nobody like a blog post without a picture though...