WinterSquash

[obsessed]

I am doing my best to get more creative with my veggies. So I'd like more info about winter squash like what to do with them and which varieties you recommend. I saw Bill post on his hubbards but how do you cook them and what are they like.

I did buy some this week at the market. I go a
little dumpling
butternut
delicata
acorn

I will try the turban next week.

I have made the dumpling and wow it was so sweet.

Oh and how many plants or vines should you plant (and when) for a harvest. I would like to avoid the feast of zuccini I get every year.

Thanks

 

[vfem]

I'm a summer squash junky myself... I have heard a lot of people go 'blah' over acorn squash so I've never bothered with it.

I like any squash you can add brown sugar too in the winter though. It reminds me of thanksgiving at grandma's. I was too young to remember what kind of squash that was.... but it was GREAT.


It was halved, seeds scooped, set in a tray of butter and the center completely filled with butter and brown sugar. She would bake it and just constantly baste the squash with the butter brown sugar ooze in the tray. It was a lot of work to keep it moist. You can always try that!?

 

[VT Chicklit]

Ilove adding butternut squash to my veggie soups and stew. I add it shortly before the soup is done so that it does not get too soft.

I planted 2 patty pan squash and had enough squash to can, give to neighbors, DH to bring 20 or so to work, make several large squash crisps and leave a few on the vines because I gave up and surrendered

 

[obsessed]

ok so I ate the

delecta....very mild flavor...at first I was board but it caught up with me and I liked it...

I also tried another one that I forgot the name it was like a small pumpkin and was orange... it tasted like sweet potatoes...

so far my squash culinary skill consists of the butter and cinnamon....

I am officially on a hunt to try every winter squash I can find that way I will know which variety I want to plant in the spring....

 

[VT Chicklit]

obsessed, you might try cubeing up some butternut squash and adding in your favorite root veggies (I use small onions, beets, parsnips, carrots and turnips) cut to the same size and then roast them. I take the squash and veggies and place them in a large baggie. I add olive oil to coat and a little onion powder, salt and pepper. I close the bag tightly and shake and massage the bag until all the veggies are coated well. I then pour them out on to a baking sheet in a single layer and roast at 425 degrees for about an hour. I turn the veggies once with a spatula. When they are done they are carmalized and soft and yummy. It is a great fall and winter side dish instead of potatoes and a vegg.

 

[bills]

Hmm...Brown sugar sounds good, never tried that!

So far,I eat all my squash, regardless of variety the same way, and have yet to not enjoy every wonderful mouthful...

The easiest way I have found is to cut the squash into edible portions. Put the pieces in a corning-ware, or similar type microwavable bowl with a good lid. Add some water to the bottom of the bowl, perhaps 1/2" or so. I then microwave it on high for about 10-15 min's. At least until it is soft through to the rind, when tested with a fork.

Once plated, I put a dab of butter on top, and a good drizzle of honey. (Put a few cuts in the squash first so that the butter/honey mixture soaks down into the squash.) Some will add a sprinkle of cinnamon at this point, depends on your taste, I don't bother, but some swear by it.

I have had some wonderful squash soup, and would love to make some if anyone has a really good recipe?

As to your questions on planting squash. You could plant several varietys in your garden, but you need a fair amount of room for them to grow! I start my squash indoors usually in March, so they are a decent little seedling by the time I'm ready to transplant to the garden in mid May. I build little hills of earth, and usually plant two plants per hill. I sell my zuchinni to restaraunts so I had 6 plants, one per hill.

This year I planted butternut, hubbard, buttercup, speghetti, pumpkin, and zuchinni. Including my 5 cucumber plants, I needed about 700 square feet of garden space, about 1/4 of my veggie garden. They are so darn good!

My hubbards only grew two fruits per plant, (but they were huge). My butternut grew about 5 fruit per plant, buttercup about 8 fruit per plant, speghetti about 4 fruit per plant, pumpkin 3 fruit per plant, and zuchinni about 25 per plant. Other than the zuchinni, I cropped the vines, after several fruit had set, or I would probably get more fruit per plant, but otherwise they would take over the garden. Some vines if let grow, will get 30 feet long!

 

[patandchickens]

BTW, if you have a good pumpkin bread recipe, try it with your squash. The result is GOOD

Pat

 

[vfem]

I went to this FABULOUS resturant in Swansboro NC. Right on the coast. They have a sweet potato muffin they made, and the lady their said just take a pumpkin muffin recipe and substitute sweet potatoes or any squash and it has a LOVELY consistancy!!!!
('blah' to my spelling today!)

 

[Rosalind]

Another recipe: Microwave squash and cut into slices. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, put 1/2 stick butter and simmer, foaming, until a nice caramel brown color develops. Drop in fresh sage leaves for just a minute or so, then douse the squash with the brown butter. Grate fresh Parmesan or Asiago cheese over the top.

Soup: Chop 1 lg. onion, 1 stick celery, 1 bell pepper and saute in a reasonable amount of olive oil. Cut up 2 fresh tomatoes into large-ish chunks and add these to the pan. When they are sorta wilted, pour in 3 c. broth (chicken or veggie) and bring to a simmer. Add about 2-2 1/2 c. of winter squash chopped in bite-size pieces. Simmer until the squash is cooked, then add 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer another minute or two before serving.

Start the plants indoors in early March or thereabouts. They need a lot of heat to germinate, a heating pad helps. Move outside when it's properly warm. They also need a lot of plant food, lots of compost or manure. Beware of hungry woodchucks and rabbits that will eat the leaves.

 

[DDRanch]

I love butternut squash soup. Here is a great receipe and very easy. As always, the more ingredients you grow the most delicious. The secret ingredient is the curry and the rice. Enjoy.

2-3 T olive oil
1 med/lg butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
1 large onion chopped

6 C vegetable stock or water
1 bunch scallions including 1/2 the greens chopped
2 T raw white rice
2 teaspoons curry
1/2 C chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste


Heat the oil in a soup pot and add squash & onion stirring to coat. Saute for about 5 minutes or until squash begins to color. Then, add everything else, bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer partially covered for about 40 minutes or until squash is thoroughly cooked. Let cool briefly then puree.
Sometimes for a really hearty meal, I will add cooked brown rice to a bowl of this soup. Hope you enjoy.

Anne