Bake a Butternut Squash Bread!

Butternut Squash Breads
cooling

Butternut Squash Bread! YUM!! It is a delicious dessert bread that is a family favorite. After preparing the Butternut Squash for our freezer, 2 cups were placed in our fridge to bake 2 of these yummy breads the next day. Yes, 2 breads. Why 2 breads? Well, doubling the recipe and baking 2 and then freezing one Butternut Squash Bread helps when planning ahead for Thanksgiving Day. That holiday is in our future! Every year without fail we enjoy this treat during that holiday in November. 

The recipe is very easy. The orange squash has already been mashed, so it is added to the liquid ingredients. Then the combined liquid ingredients are mixed into the dry ingredients when preparing this dessert. While baking there will be a great aroma floating out of your kitchen, too! It is a very tasty dessert bread! 

Click here for my recipe for Butternut Squash Bread!    

It is a quick and an easy dessert to bake and to enjoy! Will you be baking one or two in the next 2 months?

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

Top 3 Recipes of 2023

As the year 2023 comes to a close I was viewing the recipes that you, my readers, have continually returned to.  They are foods that are continually in my cooking rotation!  My family also put them in our list of "family favorites".  I have also learned that the recipes are sought after any season of the year!  Rather than list them all, the Top 3 are listed below.  

Click on the name of the recipe to view the directions. 

Top 3 Recipes of 2023

The Baked Seafood Casserole is an entree for a special occasion.  It is delicious!

The Best Ever Irish Soda Bread recipe is sought after especially during the month of March.  At that time so many of us will be baking an Irish Soda Bread or two or three.  Filled with raisins, a slice or half slice is enjoyed at breakfast. 
***Note- Irish heritage is not needed to bake nor enjoy this bread!

A slice of the CranOrange Coffee Cake is a great dessert.  I serve a slice with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.  So yummy!  

These are some of my favorite things!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

   

I wish you
a Happy
and a Healthy New Year!!!

Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
(File Photo)

It's that time of year! The time of year to bake a batch of Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies!  You know, the sugar cookies that are made with sour cream and there's also a hint of nutmeg with every bite.  I have been baking a batch or two of these cookies at this time of year for ... well... 4 decades.  Four decades?  You may ask that question. It is true! 4 decades.

These cookies are just the best!  The easy part about baking a batch is that the dough is prepared one day- on Day 1. Then wrapped and placed in the fridge overnight.  The next day- on Day 2- take out your rolling mat, your rolling pin, cookie cutters and colored sprinkles.  You are ready to go!  Every year before the holidays I bake a batch in December.    

After baking and the "taste test" has happened some of the delicious cookies are placed in our cookie canister.  Not too many.  Most are stacked and placed in freezer bags to be labeled/ dated and stored in our freezer.  The cookies are so yummy, we do share them with family members. 

At this busy time of year I am sharing a post with the ingredients and the recipe here.  Click to view.

Add sour cream to your grocery list to bake a batch of these delicious cookies!  If you do not have Nutmeg, add it to your list, too!  If you do not have a chance to bake a batch in the next few days, bake a batch next week! These cookies are truly the Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies!

Enjoy!
Yummy! 

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp
before adding the vanilla ice cream on top.
(File Photo)

In September when it gets a bit chilly here in Western MA I always think of baking an Apple Crisp! Actually, I think of baking a Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp and top it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream before serving!  It's the dessert containing peeled/ sliced apples that is baked and has a delicious cinnamon nutmeg oat topping.  Did I mention that mixed in with the baked apple slices are puffed Craisins (dried cranberries) and puffed raisins?  The dried fruits absorb the moisture while they are baking and puff up.  At this time of year I use McIntosh and/ or Cortland apples.  During the winter season, sometimes, I use Empire Apples. 

This is definitely a tasty dessert made with apples and it does not require a pie crust!  It has been a family favorite for years!  A small scoop of ice cream or a small amount of whipped cream added on top adds to the delicious taste.  

I have posted my recipe many times in the past, so I am including my complete recipe here:

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp Recipe 

Add apples- McIntosh or Cortland to your grocery list this week.  Read the recipe to learn if you have the other ingredients.  You probably do have old fashioned Oats in your pantry along with brown sugar, and the cinnamon and nutmeg.  If not, add those, too.  Plan on baking this delicious dessert soon!  It is so good!

Enjoy!
Yummy!                 

Freezing Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash
(File Photo)

The bushel of Butternut Squash is in our garage w-a-i-t-i-n-g (similar to the bushel that was in our garage last year in October that is pictured above).  Waiting for what you may be thinking.  Waiting for me to get busy and begin prepping this delicious veggie for our freezer!  We always purchase a bushel.  Usually during the month of October, working with a few at a time the Butternut Squash are cleaned/ cut into chunks and steamed, so the chunks can be mashed.  The next step is to place the mashed squash into freezer bags.  After labeling/  dating each bag, into our freezer the bags go.  What a great veggie to enjoy not only now and at Thanksgiving but for months to come!

Butternut Squash ready for the freezer.
(File Photo)

I did say usually I am working on this during the month of October.  Well, I have not been as quick about it this year.  It is time to get busy!  

We enjoy mashed Butternut Squash served at dinner and I also substitute this veggie for pumpkin when baking in so many recipes.  Taking a bag out of the freezer and defrosting overnight in the fridge comes in handy!  If we are having this veggie as a side dish for dinner, I place the frozen veggie (taken out of the bag, first) in a microwave safe baking dish, venting the cover and defrost/ heat in my microwave.  I use my CorningWare.  No butter/ margarine nor sugar is added nor needed before placing the steaming veggie on the dinner table.   

Do you freeze Butternut Squash?  It is so delicious!   

Click here for my complete instructions that are included in this post that I wrote in 2014. 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

    

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

These days living our daily lives dealing with COVID- 19, grocery shopping has become a planned activity.  There's no more making a short list and popping in to your favorite grocery store.  It's much easier to purchase ingredients that will be used in meals that we can enjoy for 8- 10 days.  The pound of Haddock that's purchased is prepared and enjoyed that night, like usual.  However, there are no longer 3 items on our grocery list.  It has become a larger list!  So, a slightly larger amount of chicken can be purchased, then grilled or baked.  There are easy meals to prepare and to enjoy with those extra slices of chicken the next night.  I talking Chicken Enchiladas!  Packaged Tortillas and Salsa need to be added to your grocery list if you are planning on enjoying this dinner one night, soon!

It's easy to prepare because the chicken has already been cooked!  The extra slices are cut into small pieces and mixed with sour cream, shredded cheese and a few other ingredients.  A small amount is placed on each tortilla before wrapping and placing into a baking dish.  About 30 minutes later Chicken Enchiladas will be ready for dinner.

Yes, I have written complete directions for this recipe before and it can be found here.

Last night we enjoyed them.  It sure was a quick and easy dinner to prepare!  Add tortillas and salsa to your grocery list whenever you will be baking/ grilling chicken.  A few slices of the chicken is key to another delicious dinner!  Leftovers?  Oh, no!  Those extra slices are the main ingredient to a very delicious dinner.  

Enjoy!
Yummy!

  
        

Freezing Butternut Squash

Preparing for the freezer!

It's definitely like clockwork!  In October my DH & I purchase a bushel of Butternut Squash from Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow.  One of our local grocery stores does purchase their supply there, also, but we go "farm to table" ourselves.  The carton is stored in our garage.  It's all part of the plan!    All summer we've dined on locally grown vegetables.  It is definitely a change in the taste when we buy them the remainder of the year at our grocery stores!

A Bushel of Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash is one of my fave vegetables!  You remember my story:  Growing up my family had 2 large vegetable gardens.  We canned & froze the year's supply of our veggies.  The gorgeous Butternuts were one of our last harvests.  Preparing these vegetables & freezing them to enjoy the remainder of the year was definitely a tradition for me.  As newlyweds my DH & I had a great garden when we rented our apartment here in Western Mass.  Our kind landlord plowed a small section of his beautiful lawn, so I could have my garden.   My DH learned about growing veggies & got hooked on the fresh food.  Our corn smelled so good that the local cows visited one day-  much to our surprise.  My DH had grown up in Queens, NY, so it was shocking to see the cows in our garden eating!  Definitely not a common sight in one of the boroughs!    

This past Sunday the Patriots were playing the Broncos & my pots of peeled/ prepared Butternuts were on the stove simmering.  It was time to start tackling that bushel in the garage!  Our weather has gotten colder & the squash needs to be prepared for the freezer.  Even during an exciting football game the tradition lives on!  A good sous chef is an added plus, here!
              
Freezing Butternut Squash

Utensils I use:  Dutch Oven or Pot, Cutting Board, Knife, Spoon, Colander, Ziploc Freezer Bags, Marker for Labeling 

Butternut Squash  

1.  Rinse/ clean the Butternut Squash under cold running water.
2.  Dry.
3.  Using a cutting board & a sharp knife, cut off & toss the stem and rounded top.
4.  The long top portion is cut into slices. The slices are circles.
5.  Cut the peel off & discard.
6.  Cut each peeled circle into 2" chunks and place in large Dutch Oven/ pot. 
7.  The lower portion containing seeds remains.  Remove the seeds with a spoon.
8.  I save as much of the orange vegetable as possible that surrounds the seeds.  Cut off the peel.
9. Cut into pieces & place in Dutch Oven/ pot.
10.  Add cold water to container (so it reaches about 2" up in the pot).
11.  Turn the heat to High.
12. After a Boil is reached, lower the heat and simmer about 12 - 15 minutes, until pieces can be pierced with a fork.
13.  During the cooking minutes, carefully stir the Squash pieces often in the pot, so they soften equally.
14. Drain the squash using a colander.
15. Return the chunks to the large pot and mash.

***

     16.  Cool until comfortable to pack in Ziploc Freezer Bags.
     17.  Pack about 2 Cups of mashed Squash in Ziploc Freezer Bags.
     18.  After labeling, store in freezer.

Do you freeze Butternut Squash?  It's a very tasty veggie at dinner during the colder months. 

The Butternut Squash is defrosted in the microwave easily.  First, remove Butternut Squash from bag & place in a covered microwave safe baking dish- leaving an air vent.  No sugar nor butter/ margarine needed, here!  I also use it very often when cooking rather than using pumpkin.  :)

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

Cinnamon Craisin English Muffin Loaves

Cinnamon Craisin English Muffin Loaves

Occasionally it comes to mind...toasting a slice of the English Muffin Loaf recipe published by Fleishmann's ...the aroma of yeast coming from my toaster oven...then eating the delicious buttered slice.  No jam needed here!  So many years ago when my sons were toddlers, I would bake the "Traditional" version loaves with no fruit, rather than purchase English Muffins at the grocery store.

Now, the pressing question for me was...where did I put the recipe?  Last week for some unknown reason, I discovered my long misplaced "recipe box".  Most of the treasured recipes have been rewritten & enjoyed over and over, again.  Some, shared on-line.  However, in that box I discovered the recipe that I had not used in so many years.  The memories of dough rising in 2 bread pans.  Memories of baking bread, also!        

After locating this lost treasure, my plan...a hearty slice of toasted and buttered Cinnamon Craisin English Muffin Loaf at breakfast the next AM.  Add in an Easy Over Egg!  I had King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour + also Yeast, so I was good to go.  Yes, Cornmeal could be sprinkled in the pans that were sprayed with PAM and also sprinkled on top of the dough...but flour would have to do - I had no Cornmeal!  Dried Cranberries were not easily available when this recipe was printed by Fleishmann's. I used the Pecan/ Raisin recipe and substituted Craisins for those two listed ingredients and added Cinnamon.  I also used 1/2 teaspoon less Salt than the recipe stated. My heavy duty KitchenAid Mixer was ready! 

The stiff dough was divided into 2 oval pieces before placing in the PAM sprayed, floured bread pans.  A dish towel covered the bread pans, while the dough rose for the 45 minutes.  After baking & cooling, the loaves were cut into slices.  Definitely some slices were saved for breakfast the next AM!  Most of the slices were placed in individual sandwich bags and then Ziploc Freezer Bags - and into our freezer.  These slices are really yummy! 

Cinnamon Craisin English Muffin Loaf
                                            inspired by Fleishmann's Yeast

Yield: 2 Loaves, cut into slices when cooled   
Oven Temperature:  400°F

Ingredients:

6 Cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 & 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Cup Craisins

2 Cups Milk - I used 1% Milk.
1/2 Cup Water

Additional 1 teaspoon Flour or Cornmeal

Method: 

1. Spray 2 Bread Pans with PAM.
2. Sprinkle with Flour or Cornmeal.
3. Place 3 Cups Flour in bowl.
4. Add remaining dry ingredients and combine well.
5. *Heat Milk + Water until very warm.  (120° - 130°F)
6. Add heated liquid to dry ingredients.
7. Beat well.
8. Slowly stir in remaining Flour - 1/2 cup at a time.
9. Divide stiff dough into two balls.
10. Reshape into 2 ovals and place 1 in each bread pan.
11. Sprinkle additional Flour or Cornmeal on top.
12. Cover bread pans with clean dish towel.
13. **Let rise in a warm place for 45 Minutes.
14. Preheat oven to 400°F.
15. Stagger pans in oven and bake 25 Minutes at 400°F.
16. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
17. After cooling, cut into slices.
18. Store.  Freeze extra slices.  

*Liquid ingredients must be between 120° - 130°F.  Use thermometer to measure temperature.

**It was a chilly winter day.  To give the dough the opportunity to rise, I turned my oven on to 350°F for 5 minutes.  Then, turned the oven off.  The dough filled pans covered with a dish towel were placed on my stove for 25 Minutes.  Before preheating my oven to 400°F to bake the loaves, I repositioned the 2 pans - off the stove and onto my counter near the side of my stove.  The dough rose, as expected in 45 minutes!

***The dough is very stiff.  When adding the additional 3 cups Flour, it may need to be stirred in by hand. My KitchenAid Mixer worked great.

While the English Muffin Loaves baked, the aroma of yeast filled my home.  This definitely brought back  memories of baking bread using R2D2 (the name my sons gave to my bread machine)!  Time to bring out R2D2!  Sweet! 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

       

Yummy Butternut Squash Bread

Butternut Squash Bread
A few slices had already passed the "Taste Test"

The Olive Oil for sauteing and baking was taken down from the shelf in my cabinet.  Yes!  There were enough Eggs in my fridge to use only Egg Whites.  The 2 cups of the prepped Butternut Squash needed had been stored in the fridge to bake the delicious Butternut Squash Breads, so I was good to go!  

Last week, the day after freezing the Butternut Squash, baking was on my agenda!  You guessed it, I replaced pumpkin with squash in one of my fave recipes.  Using Olive Oil and Egg Whites when baking this bread makes for a very light tasty treat.  By baking 2 breads, one can be placed in the freezer.  However, last week a neighbor was the recipient of the second foil wrapped bread.

• The recipe below is for 2 breads.  If one bread will be baked, cut the recipe in half.
• When baking these breads, I use a scant less than the required measured amounts of Salt & Sugar. 

Butternut Squash Bread

Oven:  350°F      Time:  55 Minutes       2 Loaves

Ingredients:

3 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves (optional, but delicious)
2 Cups Sugar

8 Egg Whites (= total of 4 Whole Eggs)
1 & 1/2 Cups Olive Oil for sauteing & baking
2 Cups Butternut Squash (cooked, mashed & cooled - defrosted if frozen)

Method:

1. Spray 2 large bread pans with PAM.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl.
4. In smaller bowl, beat Egg Whites until frothy.
5. Mix in Olive Oil.
6. Add mashed Butternut Squash to Egg Whites/Olive Oil & stir.
7. Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients and stir until combined.
8. Pour batter into bread pans.
9. Stagger bread pans on oven shelf.
10. Bake at 350°F for 55 Minutes or until toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in middle of loaf.
11. Remove from oven and cool in pans on wire rack for 10 Minutes.
12. Remove from pans and continue cooling on wire racks.

• After cooled, enjoy.
• After cooling, the second Butternut Squash Bread can be wrapped in Heavy Duty aluminum foil and placed in your freezer. 

In the next two days, the remaining squash that is stored in our garage will be prepped for the freezer. That also translates that there will be a start on baking for the Thanksgiving Day Weekend.  Two  Butternut Squash Breads will be baked/cooled/wrapped in foil & placed in our freezer. This is a yummy bread that is also very easy to prepare!  No need for a boxed mix! 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

      

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp

It's Apple Season in New England!  Oh Yes!  Every autumn baking the first Apple Crisp using fresh, local Cortland apples tastes so good!  It's filled with Craisins, Raisins, Old Fashioned Oats & slices of Cortland apples (a hybrid of a Ben Davis + a McIntosh).  When these crispy Cortland apples are cut, they do not turn a brownish color quickly.  This characteristic also makes Cortland apple slices a great addition to a salad. 

However, when I purchased the bag last week, salad was not on my mind.  It was Apple Crisp!  This is a wonderful dessert - Yum.  It tastes very similar to an apple pie, but there is no crust to roll out.  The baked apples are covered with a delicious topping of old fashioned Oats, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Butter/Margarine. 

In Produce Aisles of grocery stores I've noticed a "mix" for the topping sold in boxes.  Butter/Margarine is added to the dry ingredients.  A 1 lb. canister of Oats, a small bag of Flour, along with the spices always come in handy in a kitchen, so I always view this "premeasured topping mix" as a waste of $$.

Quaker is my brand of old fashioned Oats.  I must admit that once the fall season begins I use oats in many foods, so Costco is my "go to" place for oats.  That large box really is not that big.  :)

Craisin Raisin Apple Crisp is a dessert that my fam always enjoys.  In the spring I use a combination of Empire and of Granny Smith apples.  The photo above shows our dessert one evening before a small scoop of vanilla ice cream was added on top.     

Apple Crisp 
       click for printable recipe card

Oven Temperature:  375°F
Time:  45 - 50 Minutes

Ingredients:
6 - 7 peeled sliced large apples
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/3 Cup + 1 Tablespoon softened Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Craisins &/or Raisins - I use both!

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray PAM in 8" x 8" glass pan.
3. Place sliced apples in pan.
4. Sprinkle in Craisins & Raisins.
5. Thoroughly mix remaining ingredients together in small bowl.
6. Sprinkle over apples.
7. Bake 45 Minutes or until apples are tender. 
8. Serve warm or chilled with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
9. When cool, cover & refrigerate any leftovers.

Today, I was in the Big Y purchasing groceries.  The first bag of Cortland apples just disappeared, so another bag was placed in our grocery cart along with a half gallon of Apple Cider.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!!!

Enjoy!
Yummy!