The best way to eat squash

It’s October — pumpkin season.

Long after the kids stopped carving them, every October a pumpkin adorns the porch next to “Chuckie,” my kid-sized, ghost-costumed figure who giggles when approached. He’s a sweet-looking little tyke, yet never fails to scare the bejeebies out of many a trick-or-treater.

And their parents, but I digress.

For several years running when the pumpkin starts to stink in November, the hubby has put the rotting squash in the same backyard spot. This year, a sprawling plant has sprouted. Guess we’ll be growing our own pumpkins now (probably his secret plan all along).

With home-grown pumpkins I’ll be making a lot more of that moist, chocolatey pumpkin bread (well, cake masquerading as bread) with its tiny hint of citrus. And putting on a lot more pounds. But hey, life’s too short not to eat the best dessert on the planet.

So to celebrate October, try it — I dare you not to love it.

Chocolate Chip (or cranberry) Pumpkin Bread

Wet ingredients:

1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)

4 large eggs

3/4 cup safflower, canola, or veg. oil

3/4 cup orange juice

6 oz. (1/2 bag) chocolate chips (or 1 bag craisins)

Dry ingredients:

3 cups flour

3 cups sugar

4 tsp cinnamon

1 and 1/2 tsp cloves

2 tsp baking soda

1 and 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or butter two 9x5 or five mini loaf pans – careful to cover the corners.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. In separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients except chocolate chips (or craisins); stir until just blended. Slowly add the mixed dry ingredients and stir.
4. Gently fold in chips/craisins, then pour into pans.
5. Cook until toothpick comes out dry – 45 minutes (30, for mini-pans) then add 5 minutes as needed.

We eat one and freeze the rest wrapped in wax paper in a Ziplock bag for a quick-defrosting dessert later. But I have to hide it behind the broccoli or the fam will demand it sooner.

One little tidbit: Did you know pumpkin is a fruit?

(With thanks to a certain Press baker extraordinaire for the recipe, and reader Maxine S. for requesting it.)

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network and reluctant baker. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.