Ode to squash!!
 

I have to say I am loving fall and winter. I am able to get fresh apples and squash from local farms.

Yesterday, we went to a local squash farm that boasts about having 30 varieties of squash or so. I bought over 50 lbs of squash.. and a few lbs of apples.

Last night, I cooked a blue pumpkin (aka jaradale) by cutting it up, putting it in the microwave to soften it a bit, then put it on a sheet pan and roasting it in the oven sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper. Then when it was done, I cut it up and we ate it as part of dinner. This morning, I put some of the leftovers in my oatmeal. I also roasted the seeds (after saving a couple) and they are soo good.

So who else is with me on winter squash?

I have a feeling we will be eating squash for a couple months and I plan to roast and freeze the squash we won't eat in the next month.

Here is a picture of the Jaradale
http://www.comusmd.com/images/pumpkin_jaradale.jpg

Luv it!

:bravo: for squash!

Have you frozen squash before? I've read instructions to just cube and freeze it raw (sounds difficult), to blanche it first (still a lot of raw squash cutting), but never *after* roasting it. That sounds easiest, but I wondered about texture.

I love that, I used to have that with pasta. It makes me miss my grandma, and pasta lol!

I don't think I have ever eaten it -- not sure if I can though either -- I am allergic to pumpkin

Nelle that is a darn nice looking squash! I love squash 'specially buttercup with just a big dose of black fresh ground pepper, my absolute fave! I could eat it everyday...

Julie - I've never frozen it after cooking, I didn't even think that there would be a reason not to.. hmm. I have frozen (chunky) squash soup before and didn't have an issue.

Becky - you can't have any winter squashes?

That really sounds like paradise. I love squash!

My mom and grandmother always froze winter squash after cooking, and it was always good. When you buy it in the grocery store, it's also usually already cooked. I think home-frozen doesn't lose as much texture as the grocery store stuff - or maybe the brands I've had have just overcooked it.

I'm a squash lover too. I envy you that you have all those varieties available. The local store just has the 3-4 standard varieties. The picture is a beautiful squash. I usually cook a whole butternut in the microwave and eat the whole thing. I get the ones with the longest neck I can because that's where the meat is. I put spray butter and a little salt on it.

I guess it's just time for me to cook some winter squash again and try to freeze some! Although to be honest, it's not hard for me to use up a butternut squash by myself without freezing leftovers. But it would be nice to be able to pull some out for lazy nights.

IDK if I can or not lol I am more allergic to the spices in pumpkin pie so maybe I could - I don't think it's the actual pumpkin.

How do you cook it even?

I really wish I had the freezer space to stock up on squash (and everything else). I love winter squashes and I've been able to get a really good price on them right now, but I have very limited space. Hopefully by this time next year, I will be able to get a small chest freezer to store in season veggies.

Becky - you can roast any squash in the oven, here is a website showing how:
http://www.elanaspantry.com/how-to-r...n-in-10-steps/