Embarrassing my daughter through baking

Because I am a PARENT! And that's we DO! And because I can.

When Sophie moved into the 3-4-5 classroom this year, she informed me that the baked goods I prepared for our monthly snack obligation in K-1-2 would no longer be acceptable. Apparently, bigger kids favor more sophisticated fare. Like (according to Sophie) popcorn (hmmm . . . maybe) or chips and salsa (um . . . NO). Homemade baked goods would be (her word) EMBARRASSING. Perfect!! I told her. Embarrassing kids is the JOB of parents! (My mom excelled at this. Except I realize now in hindsight that some of the things that embarrassed me were actually really awesome. Like her bright red lipstick. She totally rocked that, and I was too clueless to realize it. The pincurls with the scarf tied over them? Maybe not so much.)

But I was horrified to realize last night at about 9:00, when I really wanted to be in bed, after supervising homework and violin practice, baking another installment of the wedding cake I am making for a wedding on Saturday, and cooking and cleaning up dinner that I HAD FORGOTTEN WE ARE THE SNACK FAMILY FOR TODAY. Loser.

Good thing I had received one of these in my produce box last Friday.

It's not just any pumpkin—it's a sugar pie pumpkin.

I halve them and roast them cut-side down in roasting pan filled with about an inch of water. Remember the quince? Like that. They're done when you can stab them easily with a knife and the skin starts to darken.

Once they are co0led, I remove the seeds and scoop out the flesh. I use a hand-crank food mill, but you could also use a food processor. If you use the later, you'd probably want to let the pulp rest in a sieve over a bowl to drain out some of the extra water.

I keep a stack of plastic containers with this in my refrigerator most of this season. It's great for pumpkin risotto, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, or . . . thank goodness considering my snack crisis last night . . . pumpkin bread.

This recipe works best in little loaves.

PUMPKIN BREAD

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar (brown, white, or a combination)

1/2 cup canola oil (or one stick of butter melted and cooled)

1/3 water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pumpkin

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon (optional)

Mix wet ingredients. Sift together dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Fold wet and dry ingredients together.

Pour into greased or buttered pans and bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour. Baking time will depend on whether you use a full loaf pan, mini loaf pans, or a cup cake pan. At any rate, bake until they are done.

Sophie likes her slice with a little butter, but how amazing would this be with the apple butter that Lisagh made over at the Grosgraine Garage??? Really, she and I should live closer to each other.