Askutasquash means, literally, “a green thing eaten raw” according to the founder of Rhode Island, Roger Williams. Botanically speaking, squash is a fruit and many of its parts are eatable.
For instance, squash seeds can be eaten directly, ground into paste, or pressed for vegetable oil as pumpkin seeds are. Native American cooking recipes called for the blossoms to be used as well.
Varieties of winter squash include acorn, banana, buttercup, butternut, calabaza, delicate, golden nugget, hubbard, spaghetti, sweet dumpling, turban and pumpkin.
Winter squash develops more beta carotene, one of the best antioxidants, after being stored than it has immediately after picking. The smallest squash are usually the tastiest.
Squash is low in calories, fat and sodium and a good source of fiber and possium.
Baked Acorn Squash
3 acorn squash, about 1 1/2 pounds each, stems cut off
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Set the squash on its side and, with a large knife, cut in half vertically. Trim a piece off the bottom of each squash half so they will lie flat in the pan. Scrape out the seeds and stringy membranes with a large spoon. Place cavity side up in a large roasting pan.
Mix the butter, mustard, and honey in a small bowl until blended. Fill each squash cavity with 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture.
Season with salt and pepper. Bake until the squash is very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Note: Sandra Colling from Rochester, New York, called in one night on the show when I was making a dish with winter squash. She pointed out that anytime you have leftover cooked squash you can freeze it for future use. She suggested freezing it in muffin tins for easy single portions. I suggest that you could also turn the cooked squash puree into a soup by adding vegetable or chicken stock to thin, then topping it off with some homemade rye, pita, or Parmesan croutons.
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Amazon Bean Soup with Winter Squash and Greens
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 pounds buttercup squash, peeled and diced (about 6 cups)
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 15-ounce cans pinto or other brown beans, rinsed
10 ounces spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add squash, tomato, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the squash is very soft and almost breaking apart, about 20 minutes.
Transfer 3 cups of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the pureed soup to the pot. Stir in beans and spinach and cook over medium heat until the beans are heated through and the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
Serve with lime wedges.
To make squash bowls: Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice about an inch off the top of each buttercup squash. Scoop out seeds and loose flesh.
Pour 1/2 inch water into a glass baking dish (or two) large enough to hold the squash. Place squash cut-side down in the water. Bake until the flesh is tender when gently poked with a knife and the squash still holds its shape, about 30 minutes.
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This recipe looked too good to not pass on to you all!
Souffled Pumpkin Pancakes
From Paula Deen
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup pecan halves
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Maple syrup, for serving
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the pecan mixture to a small dish and set aside. Reserve the skillet for the pancake.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt. Set aside.
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. In a large bowl, add egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into the pumpkin mixture. Gently spoon the batter into the reserved skillet.
Sprinkle the top of the pancake mixture with the reserved pecan mixture. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Dust the pancake with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.
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