Squash Bread

Cleaning up my office uncovered this delicious bread recipe. Makes 1 big loaf of tender bread, perfect for sandwiches or toasting.

Easily vegan with the use of soy or almond milk and margerine or oil.

Preheat oven to 450

1 cup of pureed squash

2 tsp sugar

11/2 cups of milk

1TLB butter

1 package of dried yeast dissolved in 1TLB of warm water

31/3 to 41/3 cups of bread flour. You can substitute some whole wheat here but the bread will be heavier.

Scald the milk, then mix in the pureed squash, butter, sugar and salt. When this mixture cools to lukewarm add the yeast and enough flour to make a soft supple dough. It should be slightly tacky.

Knead well. (My mother used to say that a well kneaded dough should be as soft and smooth as a baby's bottom. As funny as that sounds it's actually a perfect description)

Let rise until doubled in bulk. Punch it down and shape your loaf. Place in a well oiled bread pan that has been sprinkled with a little cornmeal of whet germ, and let sit in a warm place until it is well risen over the top of the bread pan.

Place in the oven to bake lowering the temp to 425 after the first 15 minutes.

Cathy O'Brien's Irish Soda Bread

This is a recipe from mother procured from a family friend a long time ago and that I make quite often. Luis loves raisin toast in the morning for breakfast and this makes two loaves so it lasts a couple of weeks.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Sift together:
6 cups flour
3 TBLS baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
Add:
1-2 cups raisins
Mix together and add:
1 egg
2 TBLS oil or melted butter
2 cups milk

Grease and flour two bread pans. Separate dough as equally as possible and bake until tops are brown. Test doneness by tapping the bottom of the loaf for a "hollow" sound.

* This recipe is a good way to use milk that might be a bit sour.