Thursday, July 1, 2010

SQUASH SEASON

Summer squash is coming in now - what to do with all that bounty? I've typed out the recipe for squash relish three times this week, so decided it was time to post it on the blog along with ideas for some other recipes for this prolific vegetable.

SQUASH RELISH

10 c. chopped yellow squash
4 c. chopped onion
5 tsp. salt

Combine and let stand (covered) in a bowl on the counter overnight. Next morning, rinse well and drain. Place in a large pot and add:

2 1/2 c. white vinegar
4 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. chopped celery
1 green bell pepper and 2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 Tbsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. tumeric
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Bring to a boil slowly. Pack in hot jars and seal. Makes about 7 pints.

This recipe comes from the beautiful and multi-talented Donna Winters - we call it sunshine in a jar. At our house, we eat squash relish with beans (white beans, pinto beans, purple hull peas, etc.), but I have a neighbor who eats it straight out of the jar with corn chips. So yummy!

AND MORE SQUASH...

My family's favorite squash "recipe" is to just brown sliced squash and onions in a hot skillet with a little olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste, and you're done.

For a little "fancier" version of this recipe, melt a few tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add a couple cloves of garlic, minced, and heat until soft. Cut zucchini and/or yellow squash into thin spears and add to skillet with the garlic. Add enough water to prevent sticking; bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender. To serve, season with salt and pepper and top with grated mozzarella cheese and toasted walnuts.

The food blog Simply Recipes (link here) has several delicious ideas for squash, including Ratatouille, a summer squash salad, and the author's mom's recipe for squash prepared with onions, peppers, and cheese. I discovered this website while looking for something to do with our abundance of eggplant. Loosely following the recipe for Ratatouille, I used eggplant, yellow squash, banana peppers, and tomatoes from the garden - the dish looked, ummm, a littly yucky (eggplant has a tendency to look gross, in my opinion), but it was FABULOUS. Even the kids commented on how delicious it tasted.

Do you have a favorite squash recipe? Share it with the rest of us!

1 comment:

The Westmorelands said...

being from the south, i love a good squash casserole! you know, squash, mayo, an egg, lots of cheese, salt, pepper, and crackers on top (with butter!) yum!! i also like these two recipes, which use butternut squash...i know that's a winter squash, but hey!

Squash Brownies (Don't knock it till you've tried it!) Mix 2 cups of pureed butternut squash (or 1 can of pumpkin) with one box of brownie mix. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Applesauce Muffins
(with Butternut Squash or Carrot)

TOPPING:
2/3 c old-fashioned oats
1/4 c firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
2 T margarine

BATTER:
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c old-fashioned oats
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon
1 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c nonfat (skim) milk
*1/2 c butternut squash or carrot puree
1/2 c firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 c vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.
2. To make the topping, stir together the oats, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the margarine.
3. To make the batter, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl or zipper-lock bag and stir or shake to mix. In a second bowl, mix the applesauce with the milk, vegetable puree, sugar, oil, and egg with a wooden spoon. Add the flour mixture slowly, stirring until just moistened. Do not overmix--the batter is supposed to be lumpy.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake until the topping is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the muffins, 18-20 minutes. Turn the muffins out onto a rack and serve warm or cool.

How to puree...
Butternut Squash
Prep: Cut off the stem, cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds.
Cook: Roast halves on a cookie sheet, flesh-side down, at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.
Puree: Scoop out the flesh and puree in a food processor or blender for about 2 minutes.

Carrots
Prep: Peel, trim the ends, and cut into 3-inch chunks.
Cook: Steam for 10-12 minutes.
Puree: In a food processor or blender for about 2 minutes, with a few teaspoons of water if needed for a smooth texture.