Butternut Squash and White Cheddar Quick Bread

A tender, savory winter quick bread that pairs well with soups, stews, or a generous schmear of butter.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• ⅓ cup wheat germ

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• ½ tsp. baking soda

• ¼ tsp. salt

• 2 oz. neufchâtel (⅓-less fat cream cheese), softened

• 3 tbsp. butter, softened

• 2 tbsp. brown sugar

• 2 tbsp. honey

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup butternut squash puree

• ½ to ¾ cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 8" x 4" pan and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour and next four ingredients.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and neufchâtel until smooth. Beat in brown sugar and honey. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined. Stir in the butternut squash puree.

4. Fold the flour mixture into the butternut squash mixture, until just combined. Fold in white cheddar. Pour batter into prepared pan.

5. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan of about 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

6. Enjoy!

For some, winter is synonymous with bread baking (however counterproductive the cold may be for proofing the yeasted variety). I'm a firm believer that bread is an anytime food, but like to incorporate seasonal themes and flavors into bread baking. From time to time I enjoy baking the labor of love that is a yeasted loaf of bread, but the convenience of quick bread can't be beat. Sweet quick breads, namely pumpkin bread, usually get all the love. However, savory quick bread is much more versatile than its sweet cousin. It can complement a meal or be enjoyed on its own.

I was intrigued to find a can of butternut squash puree at the store, similar to how pumpkin puree is sold, and thought let's make squash bread. And so this beautiful loaf was born! You can certainly roast and puree your own squash, or substitute an equal amount of pumpkin puree or mashed sweet potato for the butternut squash puree. The flavor of the bread will be slightly different depending on the squash variety and cheese used. This bread doesn't taste like butternut squash, but the vegetable puree produces a wonderfully tender and slightly nutty loaf that pairs well with and can enhance other flavors. An equal amount of ground flax seed, whole wheat flour, or even regular flour in can be substituted for the wheat germ in a pinch. Even though flour is not a one to one substitution for wheat germ, in this recipe it works.

Wishing you happy baking in whatever variation of bread you choose to make or enjoy!