November: the month of heavy baking. At least for me. This is the month that I start on my squash bun-making spree. Last year I made 11 dozen. Obviously, they are for Thanksgiving dinner, and no, we don't eat the whole 11 dozen in one sitting. We might consume twenty rolls during the actual Thanksgiving dinner. The rest are for giveaways and for snacking. My brothers and my mother request extra rolls to take home and my children also want more squash buns for after-school consumption. We can easily finish off a dozen in one day.
I always mess up one batch. Either I let it rise in roll form too long and it turns into one giant magma-like bubbly bun mass, or I put the rolls in the oven, set the timer, and then head off to the basement where I can't hear the timer beep and I burn the rolls. In either case, it's about getting distracted and forgetting about the rolls. Then I learn my lesson and resolve to pay more attention and all is well.
The point? Hmm. There is none. I just like squash buns and I have to start making them soon.
Edited to add: Well, hello, you DON'T talk about a yummy recipe in a blog post without including the actual recipe.
Squashed buns
¼ c. lukewarm water (105-110º)
5 tsp yeast (2 pkgs)
¾ c. milk
1 c. squash*
½ c. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ c. butter
4 ½ c. (approximately) flour
Soak the yeast in the lukewarm water (I usually add a pinch of sugar) for about 10 minutes. If a foam develops, the yeast is good. If it doesn't foam up, throw it out, buy new yeast and do it again. Meanwhile, heat the milk and squash in a saucepan and stir until smooth. Add the sugar, salt, and butter. Heat to 110º, stirring often and making sure the butter is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add 2 c. of the flour to a mixing bowl and stir in the foamed-up yeast, and the squash mixture. Mix, adding in the rest of the flour in half cup increments until the flour is all incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Place the lump of dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise until double in size. Heat the oven to 350º. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place in a greased baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Baked rolls can be frozen in freezer bags so you can make them well ahead of time.
*Frozen squash (thawed) or cooked and pureed squash. If I can’t find frozen squash at the local grocery store, I buy a butternut squash. I halve it, scoop out the seeds, and place both halves face down in a glass cake pan, add ¾ inch water to the pan and cook the squash at 350º for 45 min to an hour until it is squishy. Then I scoop out the squash and puree it in a blender.
There. Egregious error rectified.
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