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2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced

¾ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

½ cup sour cream or yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the apples, tossing to coat with the flour.

3 Beat together the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

4 Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5 Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto the wire rack, remove the paper, and let cool completely.

Kitchen Note: The easiest way to prepare the apples is to peel them, then thinly slice the apple off the core. Spread the slices out on the cutting board and chop with a chef’s knife.

Pumpkin Waffles

Serves 4–6

The flavor of the pumpkin is rather subtle in these waffles, but the nutritional benefits are substantial, and either pumpkin or winter squash can be used. Pumpkin waffles and sausage are a delicious combination for either breakfast or supper. Don’t forget the maple syrup!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1¾ cups cooked and puréed pumpkin or winter squash

2 cups milk

¾ cup sunflower or canola oil

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs, separated

Pure maple syrup, for serving

1 Preheat a waffle iron. Preheat the oven to 200°F.

2 Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, oil, butter, and egg yolks. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.

3 Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in the egg whites.

4 Grease the waffle iron with nonstick spray. Ladle about 1/3 cup batter into each waffle quarter. Cook according to the waffle-iron manufacturer’s directions. Hold the cooked waffles in the warm oven until all are made. Serve hot, passing the maple syrup on the side.

Almond-Squash Quick Bread

Serves 8–12

Whenever you find yourself with leftover puréed winter squash or pumpkin (with or without added butter or flavorings), consider making a quick bread. These loaves, more cake than bread, freeze beautifully.

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled

1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup cooked and puréed winter squash or pumpkin

1 cup flaked almonds

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

2 Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.

3 In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in the eggs and squash. Stir in the flour mixture. Fold in ¾ cup of the almonds. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining almonds.

4 Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

5 Transfer to a rack and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and let cool completely.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Serves 12–16

Carrot cakes are often heavy and overspiced, but not this one. The texture is light and the flavor is full but not overpoweringly spicy. It is also very quickly made in a food processor. In fact, this is a very fine cake—my favorite carrot cake ever.

CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 large carrots, peeled

1 cup sunflower or canola oil

1¾ cups granulated sugar

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