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Dragon bread, a harvest bread made with butternut squash

There's a tradition in Europe (and at Waldorf schools in America) of making dragon-shaped bread for Michaelmas, which falls on September 29th and is celebrated as a harvest celebration. It's a time for putting the garden to bed, celebrating strength and courage and light at a time of growing darkness, and being joyous at the harvest. Everyone loves a good festival.

You can make this bread anytime in the autumn with cooked winter squash or pumpkin. Shape it into a dragon with almonds for the spine, as we did (albeit a very puffy dragon!), or in a traditional loaf shape using 2 bread pans. It makes great soup/sandwich bread and also good French toast. It's not a sweet bread, although you could take it in that direction with a little confectioners sugar icing at the end.

Dragon Bread
2 cups whole wheat bread flour**
4 cups all-purpose flour** (Locally Grown!)
1 cup cooked butternut squash (Locally Grown!)
1/4 cup honey (Locally Produced!)
1 Tbs. dried yeast (not instant)
1 cup warm water
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup nuts/dried fruit to decorate (optional)

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water with honey. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Mix in squash, eggs, oil, salt and spices. Slowly add the flour until it all comes together. The dough should still be soft and slightly sticky to the touch.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface or in the mixing bowl.
Grease the bowl with oil and turn the dough around in the bowl until lightly covered with oil. Allow to rise, covered, in a warm place for 1/12-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Press down the dough. Shape into the shape of a dragon or place in two loaf pans. Allow to rise 20-30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before serving and decorate with autumn leaves.

**I like to measure the flour into a separate bowl ahead of time, then slowly add it into the dough. Usually I add about 5 cups of the flour to the dough, then use the extra 1 cup for kneading, adding more if necessary. That way the dough doesn't accidentally become too dry.**

Adapted from Baking Bread with Children