It swirls to the left: Cinnamon Raisin Bread

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 loaves)

- 2  1/2 tsp active dry yeast

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

- 1/4 c cornstarch

- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
 - 1 1/3 cup warm water

- 1 cup soymilk

- 6 cup AP flour

- 2/3 cup brown sugar

- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 2 cups raisins

Mix together ingredients through AP flour.  Add AP flour 2 cups at a time until incorporated. Knead until shiny. Add raisins. Let rise one hour or until doubled. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together. Divide dough in two. Roll into rectangles. Spread cinnamon sugar mixture over rectangles. Roll up. Seal seam. Place in loaf pans and let rise one hour. Bake at 375 for 30 - 40 minutes. Until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on bottom. Cool on rack.

Autumn Harvest: Acorn Squash Soup in Whole Wheat Bread Bowl

I recently harvested a bunch of acorn squashes. I made some empanadas with one of them, but have no pictures to share. I then made a batch of acorn squash soup.

Fragrant, Creamy Acorn Squash Soup:
- 3 Acorn squash (halved, seeded baked at 400F for about 35 minutes. Cool slightly and scoop out flesh)
- 3 cored, peeled, chopped ginger gold apples
- 4 peeled, chopped carrots
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 c vegetable broth
- 1 c apple juice
- 1 1/2 T Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 T fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 seeded, chopped serrano chiles

Place the onions, carrots, chiles and apples in a pot with some oil and cook until soft. Then add the fresh ginger and cook about 1 minute. Add dry spices, cooking and stirring for about 30 seconds. Then add liquid and sqaush. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Then use an immersion blender and puree. Ta-da.

I made a simple whole wheat dough and draped it over steel bowls and baked to make these shells.