Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This bread is such a treat - fragrantly spiced with just the right amount of sweetness. I like to toast it and eat it with a little butter and a sprinkle of salt.

I baked it because I had a bunch of pumpkin puree left over from the sugar pumpkins I'd roasted to make my prize-winning pie. Those two cups of pumpkin puree turned into two steaming loaves of pumpkin bread with beautifully cracked tops. Yum!

Our older son, who has been more or less refusing all offers of food lately (sigh) has always liked pumpkin bread and has been scarfing it down like there's no tomorrow! Although it's not my first choice for one of his primary sources of nutrition, I was beginning to worry that he was actually losing weight (and he's got nothing to spare) so I just bought another pie pumpkin to make a couple more loaves.

You can certainly substitute canned pumpkin if you're in a rush, but if you have time, use a real sugar pumpkin - they're super cheap, the flavor is way better and it's suprisingly easy. Just cut the pumpkin in half, scoop the seeds out, place the halves, cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast at 350 for about an hour or until you can easily pierce the skin with a fork. Remove, let them cool until you can handle them without getting burned, then scoop the flesh out with a spoon. That's it! Just make sure you buy a pie or sugar pumpkin, not one you'd carve for Halloween as that variety would not taste good.

This is simple recipe that I've adapted slightly adapted from the Joy of Cooking - adding vanilla and a few other spices. I was also out of brown sugar so I used some of the big bag of organic, fair trade coconut sugar my mom gave me recently instead. I was happy to find that the bread tastes great and is a teeny bit better for you since coconut sugar has a relatively low glycemic index for a sweetener and boasts a little bit of nutritional value. Don't get too excited, though, it's still sugar. But I do love that you can do a straight up substitution for cane sugar - no math=good!

I've been loving this bread just as it is, but if you want to dress it up a bit, fold in a cup of chopped nuts, chocolate chips or diced crystallized ginger after you add the flour in step 3 below.

-- print recipe --
Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Makes two loaves

Ingredients

* 3 cups flour
* 3 tsps baking soda
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 3 tsps ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp ground cloves
* 1 tsp grated nutmeg
* 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
* 1 tsp sea salt
* 1 cup (2 sticks) organic butter, melted and cooled
* 2 1/2 cups firmly packed coconut or brown sugar
* 4 eggs (use pasture-raised if you can find them near you)
* 2 cups cooked, pureed pumpkin or winter squash

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the butter and sugar until well-blended. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin puree until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until mixed. Scrape the batter into the greased loaf pans.

4. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes then remove from the pans and cool completely.

You might also like:

Cardamom Plum Sour Cream Muffins

Maple Pecan Scones

Lemon Pear Bread with Pecans

A Winter Squash Wonderland: 22 Easy, Delicious Recipes For Thanksgiving & Beyond

From the dense, sweet flesh of the kabocha to the rich, orange flesh of the butternut to the pale yellow, sweetly nutty flesh of the delicata and more, winter squash have a lot to offer, especially with Thanksgiving just around the corner.

Their rich, flavorful flesh is delicious so many ways - both savory and sweet. These squash also pack a nutritional punch -- high in dietary fiber, low in calories and filled with goodies like vitamin A, vitamin C, a whole bevvy of B vitamins, folate and more.

Winter squash are also cheap and readily available all year due to their long shelf-life. Look for locally-grown, organic varieties and consider growing your own next year - it's really easy!

Before you dive in to the recipes below, I have a few parting pieces of advice:

1. With a few exceptions, you can substitute any winter squash for whatever I have used in the recipes below so don't get hung up on the specific type.

2. Don't forget to save the seeds and roast them - they make a delicious, nutritious snack (my kids love them.)

3. Try my tip for an easier way to de-seed squash.

Enjoy!

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SOUPS & STEWS

Autumn Crown Squash & Pear Soup with Sage
Pear adds a nice floral sweetness to the nutty squash and sage anchors the flavors with its earthy astringency. Add a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche to make this extra rich and serve with peasant bread or brown rice and a green salad.

Quick Coconut Curry with Winter Squash & Veggies
This is a wonderful go-to meal that is packed with flavor and also wildly good for you. The vegetables are flexible but kabocha squash is one of my favorite additions because it's dense, fluffy, sweet flesh pairs so nicely with the warm curry powder and the coconut milk. Vegan to boot!

Curried Chicken with Kabocha Squash & Mustard Greens
Beautiful purple and green mustard greens have a spicy flavor that mellows nicely when cooked. Paired with dense, sweet kabocha squash, rich, creamy coconut milk, curry powder and chicken, the greens add a wonderful kick to this hearty one-pot meal.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
A super simple, super tasty vegan soup made with sweet butternut squash, creamy coconut milk and warm, exotic curry powder. You can't lose with this soup! If you're not a vegan, top with a little sour cream.

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ROASTED, BAKED, SAUTEED & PUREED

Cider-Glazed Delicata Squash with Rosemary & Sage
Cooking the delicata squash in apple cider renders it tender and sweet. Finish in a browned herb butter featuring the wonderfully warm, earthy flavors of rosemary and sage.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Red Peppers With Rosemary & Parmesan
Roasting does magical things to both the squash and the peppers, bringing out their natural sweetness, crisping their edges and adding a delicious, smoky flavor. Paired with bright, astringent rosemary and salty, rich Parmesan cheese, it all adds up to a big bowl of goodness.

Sage & Nut-Stuffed Delicata Squash
The sweet, slightly nutty flavor of the delicata squash is perfectly accented by the toasted nuts, gooey cheese and the mellow, sweet garlic. Fresh or dried sage adds a lovely, earthy note. This hearty, vegetarian main dish has never failed to please. You can substitute a different winter squash, of course, though delicata is my favorite for this recipe.

Red Kuri Squash with Indian Spices
Pair red kuri squash's sweet, mellow flavor with a little heat and lots of exotic spices - jalapeno, ginger, garlic, cumin, onions and good old garam masala. Top with some fresh cilantro and serve  alongside stewed lentils (or chickpeas) and brown rice for a hearty, nutritious meal.

Kaddo Bourani - Sweet Baked Pumpkin with Tangy Mint Yogurt Sauce & Spiced Beef
Iin this Afghan favorite, sweet baked pumpkin is topped with a tangy, minted yogurt sauce and a drizzle of deliciously spiced beef. Use flatbread or naan to mop up the wonderful mix of sauces. The flavors are surprising and addictive.

Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage & Cranberries
Nutty, roasted acorn squash is complemented by rich sausage, sweet-tart dried cranberries, onion, a little grated apple, rice and a little fresh sage that provides a warm, earthy note. Divine! Acorn squash require a bit more cooking time than delicata or butternut so you should pre-bake before filling and baking again.

Sweet & Salty Simmered Kabocha Squash
The sweet, nutty flavor of Kabocha squash's dense flesh is intensified by simmer the squash cubes in a mixture of soy sauce, water and brown sugar until tender. Kabocha is also known as "Japanese pumpkin" where this dish is apparently a beloved snack. Not sure my kids will go for it but I may give it a try just to see...

Red Pepper & Sausage-Stuffed Butternut Squash
An Italian-inspired stuffing for sweet roasted butternut squash. Pine nuts, sweet Italian sausage, red pepper and Parmesan cheese make for a decadently delicious stuffed squash. And it's just as good, or maybe better, the next day.

Candied Butternut Squash
A fantastic alternative to candied sweet potatoes. Roasted butternut squash puree mixed with cinnamon, cloves, maple syrup (or brown sugar), butter and heavy cream is homey and delicious. Top with candied pecans to make it truly decadent. You NEED this on your Thanksgiving table this year.

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WITH PASTA, RICE & ANCIENT GRAINS

Roasted Delicata Squash & Tortellini Salad with Cranberries, Greens & Pepitas
Although I call this a salad, it's really a meal in and of itself. Salty cheese tortellini, fresh baby spinach, sweet, mellow roasted delicata squash and a handful of dried cranberries and crunchy pepitas. You probably will not have any leftovers...

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter, Sage & Pine Nuts
If you have a chance to make these ravioli, invite some friends to join you and turn it into a party - many hands make light (and fun) work. Make extra and freeze them - you will be so thankful later!

Farro Salad with Roasted Winter Squash, Baby Spinach & Chevre
Farro is one of those trendy ancient grains that is delicious and easy to cook. The nutty, mellow grain provides a perfect backdrop for sweet, roasted delicata squash, fresh greens, creamy, tangy goat cheese and a sprinkling of dried cranberries or cherries.

Pumpkin Mac 'n Cheese
Homemade mac 'n cheese is pretty incredible on its own but it "goes to 11" with the addition of roasted pureed pumpkin. Thyme, parsley and savory give it even more depth and flavor. Yum!

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
Creamy, savory risotto pairs beautifully with the sweet, richness of roasted butternut squash. There's some stirring involved but the end result is well worth the effort.

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SWEETS!

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie
Why should pumpkin get all the glory? Roasted butternut squash makes an equally delectable pie filling. This recipe pairs coconut milk with the sweet, roasted squash and the traditional "pumpkin pie" spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.

Classic Pumpkin Pie
Of course there's no reason not to enjoy a traditional pumpkin pie. Just make sure you get a sugar pumpkin since the kind you buy to carve do not taste good (though the seeds are delicious roasted!) This recipe calls for a pat in the pan pie crust which is surprisingly easy to make or you can use whatever crust recipe you prefer.

Pumpkin Bread with Almonds & Crystallized Ginger
Pumpkin puree makes for a moist, sweet, flavorful batter bread. Pair with almonds, pecans, ginger or chocolate chips for a little extra zing or keep it simple, it's good however you choose.

Spiced Butternut Squash Waffles
Butternut squash adds flavor and nutrition to classic waffles. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla tie everything up in a cozy, warm package. Top with maple syrup and a dollop of whole milk yogurt for a delicious breakfast or brunch.

You might also like:

• 15 Unbeatable Kale Recipes
• 23 Tried & True, Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
• 16 Zucchini Recipes to Inspire

For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Spiced Butternut Squash Waffles

I'm so turned off by the way Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte has paved the way for the commercialization of autumn that I've tended to avoid all things "pumpkin-spiced" like the plague. But I had some extra pureed roasted butternut squash leftover from making the pie last week and I woke up crazy early as a result of the time change so I decided to try my hand at these waffles. And you know what? They're damn good!

The ingredients are simple and wholesome - pureed winter squash (you can use pumpkin, hubbard, delicata, etc., if you don't have butternut on hand), eggs, butter, milk, spices, vanilla, a little sugar and some oil. There's a bit of measuring and mixing and a little separating of egg whites from yolks - a task I always find immensely satisfying. Anyone else?

You beat the egg whites to help add a bit of lightness to the waffles though if you are in a hurry, you could definitely skip that step and the results would still be extremely tasty.

Once you've got it all mixed together, you fold the egg whites in at the very end.

I greased the little waffle iron I got to replace the one our little guy broke using my foolproof method to protect its non-stick coating, watched the deliciously scented steam rise, and waited for that little light to turn green. The first waffle went to my two-year-old who LOVES waffles and, as a result, freaks out and screams/whines from the time he hears the word "waffle" until one is sitting on his plate. He began happily dipping the waffle pieces in "memp" which is what our family calls maple syrup since our older son dubbed it a few years back, before his talking was totally up to speed.

I didn't get to sample them for a good ten minutes but it was worth the wait. In addition to their beautiful color, these waffles have a delicious, subtle, richness from the roasted squash that's amplified by the mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. They're especially decadent with maple syrup and some sausage.

Although I'm a card-carrying omnivore and sometimes make my own breakfast sausage from time to time, those packaged soy breakfast sausage patties are a weakness of mine even though I'm sure they are processed up the wazoo. And I can attest to the fact that they go really, really well with these waffles...

-- print recipe --Spiced Butternut Squash Waffles adapted from Andrea Chesman's pumpkin waffles in Recipes from the Root Cellar - one of my favorite cookbooks
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups cooked, pureed winter squash - you can use pumpkin, butternut, delicata, hubbard, red kuri, etc., and you can either steam or roast it before mashing
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 cups organic milk
* 4 Tbsps organic butter
* 3/4 cup sunflower oil
* 2 eggs, separated (try to find pasture-raised eggs from a farm near you)
* 1 Tbsp baking powder
* 1 tsp sea salt
* 2 tsps organic sugar
* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/8 tsp ground cloves
* 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
* Pure maple syrup for serving

Directions

1. Preheat your waffle iron and turn your oven or toaster oven to 200 degrees to keep the waffles warm as they come off the iron.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and spices in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine the pureed squash, milk, oil, butter, vanilla and egg yolks. In a third, small bowl, beat the egg whites until they're stiff.

3. Stir the flour mixture into the squash mixture and mix well, then fold in the egg whites.

4. Grease your waffle iron (try my trick!) then spoon about 1/3 cup of batter into it if you have a single waffle iron or into each waffle area if you have a bigger waffle maker. Cook until ready, according to your waffle iron's settings. Keep the waffles warm in the oven until ready to serve. Serve with plenty of maple syrup and some fake or real breakfast sausage.

You might also like:

• Savory Ham and Cheese Waffles with Rosemary
• Maple Pecan Scones
• Pumpkin Bread Two Ways

For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie

Last Wednesday was bittersweet. Not only was it our final CSA pick-up of the year, it was also the last Woodstock Farm Festival of the season. The weather was fittingly depressing - cold and gray with strong gusts of wind and needle-like rain. The tents at the farmer's market threatened to blow away a number of times.

At the market, I stocked up on essentials - carrots, onions and apples. Also, Twisted Jeanne's delicious pretzel croissants and the world's best apple cider doughnuts from Wrights Farm... The haul from our CSA included a dozen pasture-raised eggs, a bag of potatoes, a bag of sweet potatoes (though we're pretty well set in that area), two heads of beautiful broccoli, some lovely leeks, green lettuce, garlic and two butternut squash. I could barely see the kitchen countertops after unpacking it all...

Given my gray mood and the chilly weather, I decided to roast the butternut squash and turn them into a sweet, hearty pie. Why should pumpkins get all the glory, after all?

I could have steamed the squash but I love the way roasting deepens its flavor and enhances its natural sweetness. While they were roasting, I turned my attention to making the dough for the pie crust. Through some miracle, all you need is flour, fat (butter, in my case) and water. You can use a pastry cutter or a food processor to combine it but, either way, try to touch it as little as possible as you're getting it to clump together and then again when you're rolling it out in order to prevent it from getting tough. I wrapped my dough (hurray for an extra one in the freezer!) in waxed paper and let it rest for half an hour in the fridge before rolling it out and laying it in the pie plate.

Then I tucked the edges under and crimped them with the tines of a fork. I also poked the bottom of the crust with the fork to keep it from ballooning up when I blind baked it. If you're not familiar with the term, blind baking means baking the crust for a time before you add the pie filling and can be helpful when you're using a more liquid filling.

While the crust was blind-baking, I prepared the pie filling by blending two cups of the roasted squash flesh with pasture-raised eggs from our CSA (our last dozen until next spring, sniff), sugar, spices, vanilla extract and roughly half a can of organic coconut milk.

Puree it all then pour the mixture into the warm pie crust and into the waiting oven.

Bake until the filling is partly set but jiggles when you move it - basically the consistency of jello.

I recommend serving it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream but it is also mighty tasty cold the next day for breakfast.

-- print recipe --Roasted Butternut Squash Pie 
Adapted from Andrea Chesman's coconut-pumpkin pie in her excellent cookbook, Recipes from the Root Cellar
Makes one nine-inch pie

Ingredients

* 2 cups pureed butternut squash from 1 large or two small squash (you can use pumpkin, of course)
* 2 eggs (try to find pasture-raised eggs from a farmer near you)
* 1 pie crust (you can follow this recipe for pate brisee or use whatever crust recipe is your favorite)
* 1 cup coconut milk
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp ground cloves
* 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the pie dough and lay it over the pie pan. Fold the edges under themselves and then either crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with our fingers. Using a fork, punch holes evenly across the bottom of the crust and put it in the oven to pre-bake for 15 minutes, checking once or twice to see if it is ballooning up (if it is, poke another tiny hole with your fork to let the hot air escape and gently push the dough back down with your fork) then remove it and set it aside.

2. Prepare the filling: place the squash, eggs, coconut milk, sugar, salt and spices in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

3. Pour the filling into the blind-baked pie crust and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes then lower the heat to 350 and cook for 45-50 minutes longer. The crust should be nicely browned (should it start to get too brown, you can remove it for a moment and cover it with a pie crust shield or some narrow strips of aluminum foil - just be careful not to burn your fingers in the process) and the filling should be partially set - it should jiggle a little when you shake the pie pan - similar to the consistency of Jello.

4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving with your choice of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or another creamy-non-dairy alternative.

You might also like:

• Pumpkin Bread Two Ways
• Pumpkin Pie with Pat-in-the-Pan Butter Crust
• Apple Pie

For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.