Get Your Squash On

You ate what?!?!

That would be my immediate reaction upon hearing that my daughters ate butternut squash bread during lunch at school.  I then learned the good cafeteria ladies made several loaves to tempt elementary schoolers to try something new.  My girls have cringed at the sight of squash probably in part due to my husband’s dislike of it.  I, however, love it whether baked sweet, with apples and brown sugar, or savory, simply roasted in the over with olive oil and salt.

Technically a fruit, although referred to as a vegetable, this type of winter squash grows on a vine and has a tan exterior.  Inside has a center of seeds, and once scooped out, leaves the bright orange fleshy pulp that is delicious.   The butternut squash speaks of autumn, and despite the end of the summer season, signifies that the earth can still provide sustenance despite the cooling temperatures.

So, yes, they have an aversion to squash as a vegetable, but disguised in bread must be a different story.  They both munch happily on pumpkin bread.  Two years ago at summer camp where I am a nurse and they are campers, they discovered zucchini bread.  I remembered being shocked then too when they enthusiastically reported to me they made, and then ate, this quick bread.  Zucchini, like the dreaded squash, also gets poor culinary reviews by my family.

I admit I had no idea that butternut squash bread was even a kitchen concoction.  But I suppose this makes total sense as squash can be mashed up like bananas and pumpkins, to provide the moist baking base that quick breads need.  I adapted my basic pumpkin bread recipe to accommodate the squash.  My girls were spot on–butternut squash is delicious in bread.  Now if only I could get them to eat it my way as an actual vegetable.

Butternut Squash Bread                                                    

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Spray 9×5 loaf pan.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 and 1/2 cups mashed cooked butternut squash
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup nuts (optional)

To obtain my mashed squash, I chopped the orange pulp into chunks and boiled or steamed them for about 20 minutes on the stove.  Definitely peel and de-seed the squash first before chopping and cooking.   I sometimes buy the already peeled and cleaned butternut squash from my local supermarket.  Once cooked, I mash with a fork or put in my food processor. 

Beat sugar and oil together.  Add eggs and then add squash; blend until smooth.  Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and soda.  Stir into squash mixture.  Add milk to thin out batter.  Fold in nuts.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.