Hubby's parents grew squash in their garden this year, and the squash grew to enormous proportions. One of our boys brought one home for us, wearing it around his neck! I think it weighed over ten pounds. What's more, the folks have about thirty more just like it, and they are telling us, "Eat! Eat!"
Therefore, I am trying to become creative in ways to use squash. It's been interesting since we're not all that fond of squash, but money has been a little tight this winter, so free food is not to be scorned. These are ideas I have actually used, and we have liked. There are probably other ideas I haven't discovered yet, and if you know some, you are heartily invited to tell me about them. I still have at least 150 pounds of squash to use up!
I know this list would be a lot more interesting with pictures, but I just thought of it now, so I hadn't thought to photograph all the things I've cooked; and to accumulate photos starting now sounds daunting. So here's the list, plain and simple. You'll have to use your imaginations.
1. Shredded, and fried in butter, like hash browns. Incredibly good! (I thought this one up myself.)
2. Shredded or chopped, and sauteed with other vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, peppers, cabbage, or just about anything. Season and serve over rice.
3. Mashed, like potatoes.
4. Pureed, and added to macaroni and cheese. Makes the mac and cheese super creamy and colorful and filling.
5. Pureed, or shredded finely, and added to cake. Makes a very moist cake.
6. Sliced in rounds, brushed with oil, and baked.
7. Pureed, in potato soup (or cauliflower soup). Makes the soup pretty and tasty.
8. Chunked, and added to vegetable soup.
9. Substituted for pumpkin in pumpkin pie.
10. Pureed, and used for the liquid in biscuits.
11. Stuffed. I guess haven't done this with the enormous squashes we have this year, but I suppose you could just put a pile of stuffing on top of a thick slice of squash and bake it.
That's it. But here's a couple more ideas I bet I could use if we get tired of actually EATING the squash.
12. Use a whole one for a door stop. Or as a decoration, as part of an arrangement. I could even paint a face or design on it...
13. Cut in chunks as spud gun ammo.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
TT#17: Thirteen Ways to Use a Giant Squash
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46 comments:
Sounds yummy! Now I'm getting hungry!
Great TT! I've seen some squash that are so big you could use them as a lethal weapon!!
Happy 2008!
I didn't know what "squash" meant, lol,because I only know the word for sport, now I know and it sounds delicious what you all can make out of it !
I don't think I could EVER get tired of squash! Mmmm, squash.
13 Unresolved Issues from 2007
e are some great ideas and ones I would try IF I actually liked squash! :o)
Don't like squash so much but your lists seems to be interesting. Maybe I should try it sometime.
Thanks for the visit.
Hmm. I've never had squash, but hey, you make me want to try it.
I like the spud gun ammo idea!
My family is not big on squash, so I gave up years ago. I think some of these ideas would be great, like the mac and cheese one.
Who knew there was so much to do with a squash? Wow! Great list.
I have to say yuck. Except the spud gun. I have managed to avoid allowing my boys a spud gun....they're 16 and 19 and maybe they've lost interest now. After all, it's not a thing they can use to attract females. ;)
My husband is the only person in the family who likes squash. I can handle zuccini. My kids love zuccini bread but that's it. Maybe I'll have to try a few of your ideas to see if I can get some of the nutrition squash provides into our diet. What kind of squash are you using?
Can't you use it in lasagna? Or is that some other veggie? Hmmm...
:) Sounds like fun and good meals. :) Happy TT!
joann-- I don't know exactly what kind they are, but they look a lot like a hubbard squash that has been stretched out to three or four times the normal length and curved. So I imagine any hubbard would do. Maybe ANY kind would work, I don't know.
Like you, I actually prefer zucchini, but it's amazing what you can do when you try!
morgan--squash in lasagna? Hm. I'd like to try it.
My MIL used squash in lasagna. She thought it was eggplant .. don't ask! It was actually quite tasty! :)
Your list sounds yummy! So far my boys haven't shown interest in a spud gun. Yea!
I love squash. Love love love! And the fried version with hash browns is one I have not tried. yum yum.
I also love the name of your blog. ;-) My little chocolate monster loves chocolate after supper, or anytime. Just like her auntie!
Did I lose my comment? that would make me quite sad.
But if I did, I basically said that I adore squash and will be trying the fried hashbrown style version! And that my chocolate monster would love the name of your blog, as do I!
This time it worked, so my first comment mustve been lost! Boo!
Looks like you have some great ideas there. How about just microwaving it with butter and brown sugar....
Enjoy the bounty!
Lol, those are great ideas! You could also make a lasagne with it :) I make a killer butternut lasagne, and squash would be a good substitute.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Number 1, 3 and 4 sound delicious!
Wow. That's a great list, and I LOVE squash! Ornery, however, isn't so fond of it... Wish I had a gardening friend to share with me!
TM
Ooh these sound yummo! I just discovered my love for squash this year, so now I'm going to have to google some recipes for these. Great TT!
In the "not eating them" category, my mom used to make us baby dolls out of squash. (Acorn squash sized.) She'd draw faces on them with marker and hair and such, and we'd wrap them up in blankets and play with them for a few days until they got soft spots.
lots of great ways to cook squash and i love the door stop idea! i love squash - especially patty pan but i haven't been able to find it here in NJ - i could take the initiative and try to grow it, but i've never had luck with gardens or growing things...
oops-- I said hubbard; I meant butternut. They are some enormous version of a butternut-type squash.
What I live about squash is that they last so long, a good winter staple storer.
Love the last one best. My brother used to use pieces of potato for his pop gun.
I like to Julienne squash and put it in spaghetti sauce. It's a sneaky way to get my kids to eat it.
Thanks for visiting my TT.
Hey, now. To all of you mothers who are scared of spud guns, I say let them boys have fun! I made my own at 16 and I'm still hale and hearty with no damage to various endanger-able extremities. Besides, once you see how far a squirt of hairspray will send a potato, you'll realize how "stunning" a hairdo can be.
Those are some great ideas I hadn't thought of. Thanks for sharing something I can really use.
I remember when the kids were little, spud guns were great fun.
Happy TT and thanks for visiting.
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I answered your question in the comments...forgive the references, they aren't very polited...but check it out if you'd like.
I love spaghetti squash. It's a tasty low-fat alternative to pasta once in a while.
Thanks for stopping by my Freaks and Geeks from I Read Banned Books edition.
Happy TT!
Mmmm. I love squash! I'm a southerner, so we slice 'em and fry 'em, but baked, sauted, broiled, even the mashed...they all sound good!
I don't know if I could cook one that big though! I hate chopping!
You have some very inventive recipes there. I've never tried squash, as it's not commonly available here in the UK. Thanks for the visit. Happy TT!
did you make all those? Was it that big?
Mmmm, squash...
joyismygoal-- I hadn't thought about it, but yes, we made all these recipes, feeding six-seven people each time, and we only used up one squash and half of another! They're huge! In fact, even though I said they weighed ten pounds, Hubby is inclined to say they are closer to twenty. We'll be eating squash all winter...
We love squash at our house. It is very good cooked on the grill with olive oil and garlic/ or butter and brown sugar with nutmeg.
thanks for stopping by earlier!
I've been pureeing squash for my baby and he LOVES it!...these sound like some other good ideas for the rest of the family!
I've had squashed sliced and fried, but not hashed before. Hmmm....I'll have to try that one.
YUMMY! OK - my favorite way to eat swuash is sliced in thin rounds, breaded and deep-fryed - like fried okra or like you would cooka chicken fried steak! Don't cook them too long or the squash will get tough. Zuchini is fantastic that way too! (Dip it in a little homemade buttermilk ranch dressing - yummmm!!)
OK - NOW I'm hungry!
Wow! Look at all these comments!
This makes squash sound yummy! Makes me want to try it!
I'm not fond of squash, but I've done it the soup with potatos, and I like it that way... pureed with some sour cream.
Mmmmm...we love squash. With a little brown sugar and melted butter, delicous.
The fried as hashbrowns sounds interesting as does, adding it to mac and cheese. I wonder if I snuck it on the kids if they would notice! :)
Thanks for all the great ideas!
Hope you had a wonderful New Year and Happy TT!
BTW` My almost 14 yo daughter, plays the violin. I hope she keeps it up, because I'm not biased being her mother, but I think she plays beautifully.
And it's nice to meet someone else with four children, I have three girls and one boy. You have a lovely family.
Thanks for stopping by my TT!
Your is really interesting :) I'm not a big fan of squash, but using it in the "spud gun" (I've always heard potato gun) sounds like fun!
(I saw in your profile that you play the fiddle. I am soooo jealous.)
Sorry to be so late in stopping by for T-13. You have quite a fan club here!
Your "hash brown" idea is fantastic. I'll try it.
Funny, I had a bowl of butternut squash soup topped with a dollop of plain yogurt for dinner tonight. Delish.
e-Mom @ Chrysalis
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