Sunday, October 31, 2010

Scary Things for Halloween

I hate being scared.  The thought of sitting through a horror movie makes my skin crawl and those little hairs on the back on my neck cringe.  The last thing I want to do as recreation is feel tense and anxious about seeing violent, gory things.  However, I like Halloween because I love coming up with creative costumes and eating fun size candy bars.  I also realize that scary is a relative term.  There is gross-scary, politically correct-scary, and just plain nail biting-scary.  Here are some scary things from today that are horrifying for completely different reasons.
Gnarly mold attacking 50% of my heirloom Potimarrion squash harvest. (Squash Vine Boers attacked the other half.)
My Halloween costume, which is the scariest food I know, factory farmed ground beef, tainted with e.coli.

A very sick (possibly diabetic) Henry Miller cat on heavy sedatives.

Approximately 50 lbs. of winter squash from Friendship Farms' CSA Program this season.
 Okay, so the last thing isn't really that scary unless you have a serious phobia regarding pumpkins, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and butternut squash.  So for the next few weeks, I'll need to try to use these beauties up before they go the way of the gnarly mold.


Here's a round up of some of the recipes I may be using:


Squash Boats with Quinoa from Sprouted Kitchen.  With a filling that has basil, spinach, and pears to complement the nutty, earthy flavor of quinoa, this is at the top of my to-make list.

 Adzuki Butternut Squash Soup from 101 Cookbooks.  This hearty soup calls for one of my favorite flavor boosters: chipotle peppers in adobe sauce.  These little babies pack spice and smokiness.

Pumpkin Soup in a Pumpkin from Savuer.  I'm a sucker for lavish presentations, and this one, as soup baked and served in the pumpkin shell is no doubt impressive. The last time I tried this, however, we used a jack-o-lantern pumpkin and NOT a pie pumpkin--and in this case bigger was not better.  Big pumpkins are watery and flavorless.  So, if I make this it will be redemption.

So as I plot my squash attack plan and nurse my cat back to health, please let me know, what's your favorite way to use winter squash?

2 comments:

Cindy Salo said...

I'm Cindy and I'm a winter squashaholic. I am powerless to stop winter squash from leaping off the grocery store display into my grocery cart or from the farmer's market table into my shopping bag. I am weakest in the presence of acorn squash.

I must take the squash home, close the blinds, and lock the door. I cut the cute cucurbits up, place them in a casserole, and cook them briefly in the microwave with the lid on. Then I am driven to remove the lid and pop the casserole into the oven until the smell drives me to grab the delectable flesh from the oven with shaking hands. I try to remember to use oven mitts.

Completely overcome, I give in and put butter and salt on the squash's delicious goodness and consume it. I distribute the squash rind evidence among the three dumpsters at my apartment complex to conceal my problem.

I'm confident that my previously unknown metabolic condition, which produces uncontrollable cravings for tender orange flesh, will be discovered soon. I won't have to hide any longer and I can become the spokesperson for the WSAA (Winter SquashAholics Anonymous). Between winter squash seasons, I will travel extensively, urging others to seek treatment for the condition.

Anonymous said...

Cut into 1/4" slices, sautee in butter, and sprinkle with salt, sage, and pepper just before serving!