Pumpkin Nut Bread

The recipe:
2/3 cups butter, softened
1 1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup coffee
2 cups canned pumpkin puree
2 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup milled flax seed, wheat germ (totals 1/3 cup, blended)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnmon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 cup chopped nuts

Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs.

Add vanilla, coffee, pureed pumpkin. Mix well.

In another bowl, measure out the dry ingredients, mix. Then, add to the wet ingredients. Stir well.

I made several small loaves, using two ice cream scoops of batter per loaf. The pans were prepared with butter and waxed paper strips to facilitate removal. I used a cookie scoop for the mini-muffins.

The baked in a 350F convection oven, the mini-loaves about 26 minutes, and the mini-muffins, about 15 minutes.

Squash Soup

The squash was cut in half, cleaned out, and seasoned with salt, pepper, half a garlic clove, and dried sage (from my garden.) I placed them in a glass baking dish, with some water, cut side down, and baked until done. The garlice steamed inside the cavity.

I scooped out the flesh, along with one of the pieces of garlic, and put it in the container for my immersion blender.

I added a small package of reduced chicken stock, and pureed until very smooth. I put this base in a jar, and when ready, I just added a bit more water, and some cream, heat and serve.

I stirred in plain yogurt as added zing at the very end.

Onion Rings

Crunchy.

Started out with some yogurt, love this stuff!

Yellow onions, bathed in yogurt.

Add flour, baking powder, s & p.

Knock off extra glop, fry.