Graham Bread with Acorn Squash

Pumpkins and squash beautifully represent fall and as they are nutritious and cheap I'm all about incorporating them wherever even remotely appropriate. As fall is also baking season I came up with this bread that is an absolute favorite with my boys and stays moist up to four days after baking.

1    cup acorn squash puree
1    tbs honey
5    cups graham flour
1    package dried yeast
1    tsp salt
5    tbs butter
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup warm milk

- Split the squash, scrape out the seeds, and place it cut sides up in a tray with 1 cup water. Bake in a 400 F oven until tender, app. 30 min. Cool 10 min before scooping out the flesh.
- In a large bowl mix the flower, honey, yeast, and salt.
- Mix the butter, squash, water and milk in a small bowl and stir the mixture in the the big bowl with the flour mix.
- Knead the dough thoroughly on a floured surface until elastic, shape it to a ball and place in oiled bowl, cover with film and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour.
- Pour the dough out onto lightly floured surface and roll out into a 10 inch square. Cut the dough into 10 strips and place 5 of the strips on an oiled baking sheet. Fold first, third and fifth strip halfway back. Take a new strip and place it over the second and fourth strip, then fold the three remaining strips back over and now fold the second and forth back, crisscrossing a new strip and so forth until all strips have been applied.
- Fold the ends under the bread and gently round it. Leave to rise under a clean, damp dishcloth for app. 40 min.
- If you wish, gently brush the bread with a beaten egg, milk or plain yogurt and bake in the over at 350 F 30 - 40 minutes until golden.

Herbs for joy

As a tenant it can be hard to make too many changes to the place you live and being without my green house and vegetable garden has in many ways been challenging. First of all because I have had to do without the freshly picked tomatoes and just dug up potatoes but also because of the lost joy of the actual labor that seems to soothe the mind and give birth to sound thoughts and ideas.
To compensate we built a herb garden and what a treat! The crisp flavors have enriched our meals ever since; yesterday's spaghetti squash salad tossed with chopped onion, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese was topped with freshly picked Thai basil and the Tilapia filets that I baked in the oven with chili pepper, lime rind and garlic was delightfully boosted with a handful of fresh, chopped oregano. Waiting for the sage to grow strong enough to get picked and make boneless chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella and sage, cooked in a creamy lemon sauce...