Add-On Cookies

Not sure why I always seem to want to bake in February with my daughter, Aurora. Sure we make cookies around the holidays, but there is something about the post holiday, settling into winter, when I am definitely ready to grab a few cookies. Usually I justify them after a run with a second or third cup of coffee.

This recipe has played a bit of telephone tag over the years. I made it for the first time when I worked on Robert Steinberg’s and John Scharffenberger’s The Essence of Chocolate (Hyperion, 2006). The recipe, Chocolate Chunk Cookies came from Joanne Chang, chef and owner of the Flour Bakery and Cafe in Boston. She used two kinds of chocolate. For years I stuck along the same lines, and gratefully reflect on an article Diane Peterson wrote about me in The Press Democrat, February 24, 2015. I used larger chips like the Guittard or Ghirardelli semi-sweet and put in big hunks of walnuts for my husband. When my daughter got to cookie helping and eating age, I only made half with walnuts. Then one day when I thought I had chocolate chips and I didn’t, I tossed in the end of a bag of trail mix. With subsequent batches, I thought why not make everyone happy, divide it and make a little bit of dough with what everyone likes.

A few suggestions –
·      coarsely chopped milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips (with or without walnuts)
·      coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate and dried cherries (with or without hazelnuts)
·      coarsely chopped dates, dried figs, and almonds
·      coarsely chopped dried mango, dried banana, and/or large flakes of coconut, and cashews
·      mixed dried berries
·      raisins and oatmeal
·      the odds and ends of any and all bulk fruit and nuts that you have left in the pantry

Do you like flatter, crisper cookies or thicker softer-centered cookies? This recipe can give you both. See method.

Recipe

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (8 ounces), at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 2 ½ cups chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, trail mix, nuts, dried fruits, or a combination (If going heavy on the chocolate, keep it closer to 2 cups.)

Position the oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat to 350˚F. If you have an oven with a convection setting, use 325˚F convection.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and bread flours, the baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until pale, light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. (Over mixing at this point can deflate the dough later.) Scrape down the bowl.

Turn off the mixer and add the combined dry ingredients. Pulse and mix on the lowest speed to start to incorporate and keep the flour from flying out of the bowl. Then mix on low, just until the flour is blended, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the mixer, divide as needed, and fold in the add-ons.

Personally, I like to use a small ice cream scoop for more uniform cookies. And I find the scoop makes it much tidier to work with. Scooping is also a great way to prep for freezing to have cookie dough on hand, see below.

If you like cookies that are thinner and a bit crisper, you can scoop and bake while the dough is still soft. Or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Drop the dough a scoop at a time, about 2 inches apart onto the prepared pans. If the dough has been refrigerated, flatten slightly and let the dough warm up for about 20 minutes or so before baking.

If you prefer cookies that are a little thicker, with a slightly softer inside, I suggest refrigerating the dough until cold, at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight (or up to 3 days). Drop the dough a scoop at a time, about 2 inches apart onto the prepared pans, flatten slightly, and bake.

If making ahead (or a larger batch as I often do), drop a scoop at a time, about ½ inch apart and fill up the pan. Cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until solid. Transfer each kind to its own resealable plastic bag or airtight container and return to the freezer. Be sure to label them. A raisin can look a lot like a chocolate chip when frozen.

Bake until golden, rotating the pans halfway through baking, about 15 minutes depending on how cold the dough is.

Transfer the cookies with a spatula to a cooling rack to cool completely.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Ginger Garlic Paste

I like to have this on hand for Asian inspired dishes. I sometimes use it in a marinade, dressing or sauce. But, most of the time I like to cook it in a little oil to eliminate the raw flavor and give it a lightly toasted taste, and use as the base for sautéed or stir-fried vegetables or grains. I also cook it with or without lemongrass before adding stock for a flavorful broth in a simple ramen, soba or other noodle soup. It’s terrific combined with jalapeño and turmeric in Parsnip, Celery Root, and Cauliflower Soup and as part of the spice addition in Turkey Meatballs with Indian Spices.

Recipe

Makes about 1 cup

5 ounces ginger, peeled (a spoon is the best way to peel ginger)
½ cup peeled garlic cloves
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Coarsely chop the ginger and garlic and put in a high-powered blender with the vinegar. Blend until smooth, pulsing and scraping down the sides as needed to not overwork the blender.

From everything I have read, the paste has a short shelf life in the refrigerator, so I’ve never left it there for more than a day or two. Line a small baking sheet with plastic wrap. Scoop individual teaspoons and tablespoons onto the sheet, cover the top with plastic wrap, and freeze until solid. Unwrap and put the individual portions into a larger resealable plastic bag for up to 1 month. It’s ready to go when you need it.  

Ginger Turmeric Tonic

I first discovered this tonic while working with Chef Hannah Grant on the recipe app Simple Feast. Hannah is the chef for the Danish cycling team and has this on hand as a warming tonic that helps boost the immune system. A shot once a day is all you need.

This is a case where organic matter, especially since the ginger and turmeric are unpeeled.

Recipe

Makes about 1 ¾ cups

5 ounces ginger, unpeeled and cut into ¾-inch chunks
1/3 ounce (1 ¾-inch piece) turmeric
Mineral water or filtered water

Put the ginger and turmeric in a high-powered blender. Add enough water to cover by ½-incn, about 1 ½ cups. Blend slowly to keep the blender from overheating and to keep the solids from turning into a paste.

Set a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a bowl and pour in the mixture. If time allows, refrigerate overnight to let the liquid slowly drain into the bowl. If needed more quickly, lift the cheesecloth and gently squeeze the cheesecloth to extract the juice through the strainer into the bowl.

The ground ginger-turmeric pulp can be reserved for ginger tea or discarded.

Parsnip, Celery Root, and Cauliflower Soup

Recipe

Makes about 10 cups

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 large jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 tablespoons Ginger Garlic Paste, preferably homemade
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
3 parsnips, about 12 ounces, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 celery root, about 1 ¼ pounds, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds, florets removed and cut into ½-inch pieces
7 cups vegetable stock or a combination of vegetable and light chicken stock
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Small cilantro leaves or coarsely chopped cilantro, optional

In a Dutch oven or small stockpot, heat a film of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes, lowering the heat to medium to keep them from getting too brown.

Stir in the jalapeño, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, and coriander and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the chopped parsnips, celery root, and cauliflower to coat in the onion mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until they soften slightly and take on a little bit of color, about 10 minutes.

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and keep at a generous simmer (even bubbles across the surface) until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively transfer in batches to a high-powered blender and carefully blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Return to the heat if needed to warm. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if using. (And, if you are like my husband you will add more freshly ground black pepper.)

If making ahead, the soup can be refrigerated, without the cilantro and extra pepper, for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Turkey Meatballs with Indian Spices

These meatballs get their inspiration from the chicken meatballs in Masala & Meatballs by Asha Shivakumar. I adapted her recipe to make it work with what I had in the house on a day I could not face the grocery store. Using ground turkey made my mixture quite soft so I chose to bake them as opposed to pan-frying.

Meatballs often call for white bread with the crusts removed, and most of the time I understand the reason why. Adding texture and volume with little change to the flavor profile. In the case of these meatballs I wanted to follow suit and kept the bread addition in the supporting roll. Lucky for me I had some brioche in my freezer. But, for other meatballs, depending on the vegetables and choice of spice, I will use the end of a loaf I have on hand. I like rye bread with ground pork, and whole wheat with ground beef. Also depending on the application, the idea of removing all crusts, unless I want a snack, seems wrong. I generally will remove some, but not all.

 

Recipes

Makes sixteen 1 ½- to 2-inch meatballs

1 pound ground turkey thigh meat
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon with a Microplane grater)
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 mild green chile (I used an Anaheim), seeds removed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste, preferably homemade
½ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup ½-inch bread cubes, from about 2 slices
3 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Small cilantro leaves or coarsely chopped cilantro, optional

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Combine the turkey, lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt in a large mixing bowl. Let sit while prepping the other ingredients.

Heat a film of oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and chile and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, lowering the heat to medium, if needed. Add the ginger garlic paste, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and coriander, and cook, stirring continuously until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in ½ teaspoon of salt, and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, put the bread cubes in a medium bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the cream until all of the cubes are moistened. Depending on the freshness of the bread, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream, and let sit until fairly soft. Break up with a fork and stir in the egg.

Add the bread-egg mixture and the cooled spiced onions and peppers to the bowl with the turkey.

Divide equally into 16 meatballs and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Combine the soy sauce and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and put in the soy mixture, carefully turn to coat the meatballs. Sprinkle with the cilantro, if using, and serve immediately.

Mashed Curried Parsnips and Potatoes

I have similar feelings about parsnips that I do to butternut squash. I have one bite and like them OK, but too many, too sweet. I always want it paired with something savory, usually salty. Straight up mashed potatoes will always be my preference, but half potato half parsnip helped me use up the parsnips in my vegetable drawer. Paired with Turkey Meatballs with Indian Spices these rounded out a Sunday supper. My five-year old was definitely underwhelmed, but my husband ate seconds.

 

Recipe

Makes about 5 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon honey
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
2 ¼ cups whole milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Put the butter and oil in a large saucepan (preferably a wider one) over medium heat until the butter has melted, swirling to combine. Add the parsnips and potatoes and cook until they begin to caramelize on the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the honey and 1 teaspoon of the curry powder until evenly distributed.

Pour in the cream and milk. The parsnips and potatoes should be just covered. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir from time to time to be sure they cook evenly.

Remove from the heat. Mash with a potato masher until smooth, but do not over mash. The texture could get gluey. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder to taste.

In Our House We Call It A Riff

Yes, my husband is a drummer and we can hear him in his practice during the off hours not being an engineer. But in our house we have kitchen riffs too. Open the refrigerator, survey the contents, and weave them together to make harmony. Sometimes it works exceptionally well and occasionally we get a drag. It starts with the random assortment of produce, maybe there is a cup or so of beans, and then a little pasta or possibly rice. The majority of the time it ends up as soup. Carrot, celery, and onion are almost always a part of it. I learned the terrific trio underpinning of soup from my mom and grandma long before I knew it was mirepoix.

I‘ve been lucky to have a portion of my working life include recipe testing. And along with the specifics of the testing process itself, I have become a skilled grocery shopper. Knowing how to cut down on the number of trips to the store, optimize what is bought, without having too much leftover. But, even despite my best efforts, there are weeks that I have a random assortment of things unused, usually an abundance of an ingredient or two.

Depending on the projects I am working on, the amount of meat we eat varies the most. Generally, we are a highly plant-based family. However, with only a few exceptions, for now, I don’t say no to the traditional proteins. I aim to balance our diets. If we have a day or two with more meat than usual, then we have more meat free days to follow. The concept of meat-free Mondays is sort of the opposite for us. Some weeks it is meat only Monday.

This last week the highlights of what was leftover in the fridge were 1 pound of ground turkey thigh meat and almost 2 pounds of parsnips. The byproduct of a recipe I thought would be tricky, so I bought enough to make it three times and I nailed it on the first take. Also available was celery root, almost a full head of cauliflower, miscellaneous peppers, a big piece of ginger, garlic I had previously peeled, some fresh turmeric, and a couple of lemons. No surprise, there were also onions, carrots, celery and a couple of potatoes to work with.

Based on some dog eared magazine pages, a little internet searching, and a desire to make something out of my newest cookbook purchase Masala & Meatballs by Asha Shivakumar, I came up with our Sunday supper, something for the pantry, and something to give me a head start on the week.

Ginger Garlic Paste
Ginger Turmeric Tonic
Parsnip, Celery Root, and Cauliflower Soup
Mashed Curried Parsnip and Potatoes
Turkey Meatballs with Indian Spice

Auntie Thelma's Crustless Shoo Fly Pie

On the first anniversary of losing my dad, I wanted to have a grateful celebration, rather than a sad remembrance. I made my family shoo fly pie. (I also wrote a larger piece about him called The Turtle.)

Growing up, my sister and I would tease our dad a bit about some of his food favorites, most rooted in Pennsylvania Dutch (German farm folk from Pennsylvania) tradition. Some, not the healthiest of choices. But, I have to agree with him on shoo fly pie. And, try as I have to change, it is a recipe that works best with corn syrup. The taste of this pie is totally different at first, but strangely satisfying. Dad loved a good-sized slice with a glass of whole milk, super cold, right out of the “ice box”. I really can still picture having some with him on his front porch, joking about the pie being the perfect cure for fres krankit.

Fres Krankit is short for Fressen Krankheit, the disease of eating or gluttony. I like to think about it a little differently, and less negatively. We’ve all had those days where most things taste really good, but there is still a lingering craving that is difficult to satisfy. To me, that craving is fres krankit.

Recipe

Makes one 9-inch pie

Crumb Mixture
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and cold

Filling
¾ cup combined black strap molasses and dark corn syrup (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons each, see method below)
¾ cup boiling water
½ teaspoon baking soda

Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 375˚F.

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat. Break up the butter with your fingertips until evenly incorporated.

Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch traditional (not deep-dish) pie plate with about two-thirds of the crumb mixture. It will look like a lot, but a portion of the filling will soak in to it.

Pour the molasses and corn syrup into a large liquid measuring cup at the same time. (I am a big fan of Oxo and the cups with the measurement markings on the inside and out.) Try to get an even pour on each. The corn syrup will run a little faster, but a little more or less of one, won’t matter.) 

Pour the boiling water into the measuring cup. Mix with a fork or small whisk to dissolve the molasses-syrup mixture. Sprinkle in the baking soda and mix again.

Pour the hot filling into the crumb lined pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumbs covering all of the filling.

Carefully put in the oven and bake until the filling is completely set, with just a tiny jiggle, about 40 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. The top will crack during baking and cooling.

The pie will be soft if eaten at room temperature. Refrigerate for a firmer consistency.

The Turtle

This is an adapted version of my eulogy for my father, Barry Walter Burlaga, given in February 2017.
 

As a way to remember our nation’s Bicentennial a Philadelphia radio station asked listeners to write in with stories of how they had celebrated it. This one was written by our dad and was read on the air.

A Most Memorable Summer

Amy and Sally, taken by Barry, summer of 1976

Like many I recall the bicentennial summer in my own special way. We lived with two smaller daughters on a tiny cobblestoned street in a colonial rowhouse we remodeled. Our block was home to “young urban professionals”, not yet so labeled, who really liked each other. Philadelphia had a delightfully liveable center city.

My company’s purge like most, was badly timed, and hurt our hard earned economic momentum and our spirit. But, that memorable summer my wife began a new career, while my two small sidekicks hiked me around the city so we could get acquainted and grow together. The city looks different sitting on the ground enjoying a puppet show, rather than from a lofty office. Block party food is as good as executive dining room fare. Real queens are as impressive in humility, as corporate royalty and would be kings.

Our lives changed in Philadelphia that summer because we learned a family needs inner direction, community and freedom. We became one of an endangered species, the American family. Philadelphia was a terrific place to live, and must be reclaimed from spoilers, manipulators and exploiters in high places and at sidewalk level, and returned with freedom from anxiety to families and communities.

A lot had changed for our family that summer. My dad left banking, my mom went back to work, and sister Sally and I needed to be taken care of with not a whole lot of money.

I don’t think it was one conscious decision, but rather a series of events that brought us to Dad realizing what his family really needed. Him. Specifically for him to actively participate in taking care of us. My parents bought a store in center city Philadelphia, and my dad framed pictures. We were there after school up until we moved to Beach Haven, New Jersey.

Barry was a big believer in things happening for a reason and listening to your gut.

When we moved, I was in sixth grade at Beach Haven Elementary School. It was a bit of a tough entry for me coming into such a tight knit class, but by the spring I had definitely made friends. Then softball season happened. All of my Beach Haven friends played for the Village Pub team. I signed up and was excited to play. Unfortunately the league decided they could not take one more sixth grade player because they were full. I was told I could play for the North Beach Haven team Sink R’ Swim. I didn’t want to, but my dad encouraged me multiple times, with a lot of tears. I am sure he said something about fate or something like that... I also heard him in his booming voice arguing with the coach about the ridiculousness of them not letting me play, and then trying to appeal to her by saying that the move hadn’t been so easy on me. Either way, it didn’t matter they wouldn’t budge and I went to play for Sink R’ Swim.

All things do happen for a reason. I met the girl that would be one of my best friends all through high school. Meeting her brought a whole new group of friends. Friends I probably never would have become so close with.

Years later, the same softball friend, having moved to the Florida Keys, was working on a scuba boat. She was making small talk with a pregnant passenger on the charter boat where she was working. Next thing I know I am sending her my resume and on my way to my first job in New York.  Dad only asked me once if I was sure I wanted to do it. And when I was said yes he said he would drive me to Queens where I would crash on a friend of a friend’s couch. When we got there, he gave me a hug and a kiss, told me to “THINK”, a very Barry thing to do. There I was starting one of the biggest adventures of my life.

Barry was not a quick guy. He thought about things A LOT. He deliberated. He weighed out his options. And always wanted to look at all possibilities. Honestly, it often drove me crazy. And we did butt heads. But, there was one day in particular that I really appreciated these qualities in my dad.

We were at a family event in Bucks County Pennsylvania. When it was over, and I don’t recall why, Sally and Mom went one way and Dad and I went the other. We ended up riding through Upper Black Eddy where he grew up. He started telling me stories about riding his bike through the hills with his friends, outdoor adventures, stuff I had never heard. It struck me as being very “Stand By Me” and I was totally into it. Because as honest and open with us as he was about a lot of things, he didn’t talk much about his childhood.

So here we are riding on a winding road and we both see something. He slows down, and crossing the road is the biggest land turtle I have ever seen. His shell had to have been at least 2-feet across! We were completely mesmerized watching this old timer cross the road. When another car was coming up, Dad flashed his lights, and they slowed down. So now there were two cars watching the very slow, very deliberate moves of this turtle crossing the road. It was one of the coolest things I ever watched. I talked with Dad about the path of the turtle, the fact that he was heading for a creek Dad knew was down below where we were riding, and speculating on just how old that turtle was.

The turtle wasn’t in a hurry. We weren’t in a hurry. This was now totally our turtle. We were completely invested in his journey and success. When he finally crossed the road, we had huge smiles. I think we even cheered a bit. Dad slowly started up the car and we were on our journey again. We stopped for ice cream, listened to the radio, and talked about his grandparent’s farm. That turtle really was so Barry. Slow and steady finishes the race. I gave him a little stuffed turtle for his birthday and it rode in his car until the stuffing came out.

A few years after that, I came home and announced at Thanksgiving I was moving to San Francisco. Again, he only asked once if I was sure I wanted to do it. On the day the movers showed up in Brooklyn, he drove up and gave me one of my most prized possessions. It was his childhood wagon. He completely restored it. New paint job and working lights. He made sure the movers got it on the truck and then sat with me on the front stoop while the rest of my possessions were loaded in.

Of course, there are many more stories and moments in time I will hold onto when I think about our dad, but these are some important ones for me. Sally wrote perfectly in the obituary that to remember our dad invest in your retirement and plant a garden. I would like to add one more. Look at some of my dad’s choices as examples of how to raise thoughtful and strong girls. And, likewise raise thoughtful and strong boys. Those two things don’t have to be independent of each other.

Barry, the gentle giant, was both thoughtful and strong and he taught Sally and I to do our best to be that way too.

“Pumpkin” Bread (or Muffins)

When I found myself with six large butternut squash in my garage, I decided to try some recipes I liked with fresh squash puree as opposed to canned pumpkin. I peeled the squash, cut it into large chunks, and steamed until tender. While still warm, mash with a potato masher (or pulse in the food processor) until broken down, but not completely smooth.

A layer of squash in lasagna was good, but didn’t do much to make a dent in my supply. Baking was the way to go. I pulled out a bread recipe I liked from Smitten Kitchen and made some adjustments. I prefer less sugar, like to bake with kosher salt, and find vanilla a much more pleasing taste than cloves.

I can be a creature of habit, particularly on damp days when all I want to do is get the house warmed up and smelling good. Normally I think it works best to combine all of the dry ingredients and then add them to the wet. I liked the SK method of adding the smaller amounts of dried ingredients, like the baking soda and the spices first, followed by the flour. The best part was keeping this a one-bowl batter. Less to clean up.

Along the lines of habit, I love versatile base recipes and expanding on them.  In this case, a batter that yields a moist loaf or muffins. I also wanted to see if I could substitute other vegetables or fruit. First try, applesauce variation, bubbled over and had an even longer bake time, but it was delicious. I made a couple of times and then moved on to zucchini. (See Notes on Muffins and Variations, Below)

I successfully made this for my friend Abi of Abi's Farmhouse Kitchen using Bob's Red Mill's Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Err on the side of a longer bake. And my friend Sarah did this with a different flour split. She said, "since I am from Sebastopol" I can never use all a-p. (For those that don't know the Sonoma County town, historically it is home to a lot of artists and farmers, with a lot of different spiritual influences.) Sarah used 1 cup a-p, ¾ cup whole wheat, and ½ cup almond flour. 

 

Recipe

Makes 1 loaf or 18 muffins

1 ¾ cups butternut squash puree
            (or One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree)
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil, plus additional for the pan (my preference is avocado)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

Topping, optional
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 350˚F.

Lightly, but completely, brush or rub the bottom and sides of a standard (about 6 cup) loaf pan with oil. For muffins, see below.

In a large bowl whisk together the squash puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, and the salt over the top and whisk until evenly distributed. Add the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and whisk again.

Add the flour and stir, preferably with a silicone spatula, until just combined, being sure to scrape the sides and bottom. Scrape batter into the prepared pan, stopping 1-inch from the top. Gently smooth the top. Any extra batter should be put in a buttered ramekin or smaller pan and baked on the side.

If using, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the topping and sprinkle over the top.

Bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean in a few areas, particularly in the center. If using canned pumpkin it will be about 1 hour 15 minutes. (Tent the top of the loaf with foil if it starts to get too dark.) A looser puree takes longer, 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours.

Transfer to a cooling rack for 20 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Gently loosen the edges as needed. Carefully remove from the pan, set on the rack, and let cool completely.

 

Cooking Note, Muffins

To make muffins: Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners. If you only have one muffin pan the batter will hold at room temperature or in the refrigerator while the first batch bakes and the pan cools. Let the batter warm slightly as needed before using.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter into each cup, tap the bottom to even the tops, and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, if using. A skewer should come out clean after 20-25 minutes of baking. A bit longer if the batter is still slightly cold.

 

Cooking Note, Variations

Applesauce will work, but definitely use less. I liked it with 1 ½ cups of applesauce which results in a more fluid batter, and it does get awfully close to bubbling over a little bit. If that is a concern, put a baking sheet on a rack under the one the loaf pan is on or use a piece of aluminum foil. When it's time to take it out of the pan, it might need some trimming to remove, but I like the statement of the big topped loaf. 

Zucchini on the other hand will give you a much stiffer batter. I recommend using 2  cups of grated (on the largest hole of a box grater), well drained zucchini. (Start with about 8 ounces of zucchini.) Depending on when the zucchini is mixed in the look of the finished loaf is different. I preferred the one where I added the zucchini at the end. Less about the exterior, more about the even dispersement of the zucchini.  Whisk together the sugar, oil, and eggs. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then add in 1 ¾ cups of the flour. Toss the grated zucchini with the remaining flour and then mix that in.