Harvest Squash Bread

  Some years ago a little bakery opened in my town called Macrina. The big mother bakery was in the big city but this little store sold their wonderful stuff. On my way home I would stop and get some bread or better, some little pastries. In the fall they sold slices of Harvest Squash Bread, three-fifty a slice. It was delicious. I bought their recipe book to cut down on the overhead and found I could reproduce some of their goodies.

  Yesterday was the perfect day for baking, blustery and cold. The bread is a bit labor intensive but worth it. First I bake a big Kabasha Squash for an hour and let the flesh cool. Meanwhile I roast the pumpkin seeds, pecans, and walnuts. Roasting makes all the flavor difference, let me assure you. After an hour and 10 minutes the bread has filled the house with cinnamon and nutmeg. Hmmm!

    It is very satisfying to have two loaves, one to freeze, and one to cut into and spread with just a thin layer of butter. The bakery left town, I tried to support them as best I could, but now it is a rare experience  to visit them in the city. Next month I'll make up some applesauce for Monkey Bread. Stay tuned......