Squash lovers unite!

[David1961]

Seems like since I have been retired and spend more time cooking, I appreciate squash more. I love to just slice up the yellow squash and lightly fry it after dipping the slices in flour. Squash seems like such an under-rated vegetable. Restaurants rarely serve it.

 

[FIREd]

I made some refreshing zucchini soup (eaten cold) on saturday night, with squash that I had found that morning at the farmers market:

I agree, it's an under-rated vegetable.

I also made these round zucchinis stuffed with goat cheese and pine nuts a few days ago:

 

[nash031]

My wife and I had squash with our chicken last night. Sliced two lengthwise, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes... deliciously simple.

I probably wouldn't eat it as the veggie on a plate, instead using it to replace the rice, pasta, or potato, but overall I agree!

 

[NW-Bound]

Sure, I love squash.

But it's not anymore than I love zucchini, butter lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, celery, mustard green, onion, cabbage, etc...

 

[W2R]

I love squash! One of the restaurants we go to offers a choice of free side orders, including many items that are too fattening for me. But they also include a seasoned steamed squash that is not. This is a wonderful choice, both delicious and filling.

 

[MichaelB]

Sure, I love squash.

But it's not anymore than I love zucchini, butter lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, celery, mustard green, onion, cabbage, etc...

Yes, but

I also made these round zucchinis stuffed with goat cheese and pine nuts a few days ago:

new recipes are enjoyable, and this one looks tasty.

DW roasts chopped (bite size pieces) squash, zucchini and yellow onions with some evoo and seasoning (salt, pepper, green things). A good cold weather dish.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Never had squash until I married my wife, a southern gal. She a sucker for a vegetable plate while I'm still a meat and potatoes guy. Really, yellow squash is the only squash she fixes and I like it.

 

[scrinch]

Where would one of my favorite summer foods, ratatouille, be without zucchini?

FIREd, how did you happen to have photos on hand of what you had for dinner last week?

 

[NW-Bound]

Sure, I love squash.

But it's not anymore than I love zucchini, butter lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, celery, mustard green, onion, cabbage, etc...

Yes, but

I forgot brussel sprouts, bell peppers, avocados, bean sprouts, green beans, snow peas, egg plants, jicama ...

Can't think of a common produce that I do not eat!

Oops. Just thought of one: tomatillos. Do not yet know what to use it for.

 

[David1961]

I forgot brussel sprouts, bell peppers, avocados, bean sprouts, green beans, snow peas, egg plants, jicama ...

Can't think of a common produce that I do not eat!

Oops. Just thought of one: tomatillos. Do not yet know what to use it for.

I never heard of jicama. Is it similar to a sweet potato?

 

[Larro Darro]

For over half of my life I was a truck farmer. The old saying, 'separation makes the heart grow fonder,' is true for veggies as well as folks. Growing up we ate what we couldn't sell. My Mom cooked squash about fifty different ways. I do like them still, but there can be too much of a good thing.

And don't get me started on cucumbers. The year my Mom and Dad bought an RV and went out west, I had the farm to myself. Our cucumber patch wasn't that big, but it rained everyday for a month. Kind of like the last month here. I was making seven five gallon buckets of cukes a day. If I was lucky, I could sell about half of them. I made all the pickles I could, and fed the rest to the cows and hogs.

The one good thing about that summer, I wrote the blues song, "Cucumber Blues." It may have saved my life the time I startled a mother bear with her cub. She halfway charged me, then stopped to beat the ground. So I belted out, "I woke up this morning. Had them cucumber blues. I know they need pickin', but Good Lord, just ain't no use..." She turned around and left me alone. Just saying.

 

[NW-Bound]

Jicama is commonly found in Hispanic food stores, or in Southwestern grocery stores. It's a tuberous root, that once the outer skin is peeled, the meat is white and a bit fibrous (inedible if too mature). It's crunchy like some apples, and slightly sweet, never tart. Most of the time, it's just bland. Good to julien and add to salad for a crunchy texture, or can be eaten raw like an apple.

 

[FIREd]

FIREd, how did you happen to have photos on hand of what you had for dinner last week?

When I try a new recipe and end up being pleased with the results, I take a pic.

 

[Gumby]

I love squash, but I haven't played in over 21 years -- since I was in law school. What? Oh, sorry. My misunderstanding.

 

[NW-Bound]

Here's another uncommon produce for you: Chayote. It comes from Mexico and Central America, and is also called pear squash because of its shape. Tastes nothing like a pear, of course. My wife often just steams it for a side veggie, or uses it in stir-fry.

I told you I am a veggie lover.

 

[ERD50]

Oops. Just thought of one: tomatillos. Do not yet know what to use it for.

Roast them on the grill, then chop them up for a salsa verde.

Ahh, "Recoll" to the rescue (the indexed search function in Linux, like Spotlight on a Mac, only better):

Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa Recipe

I plan to grill the tomatillos

Ingredients:

1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
1/4 to 1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper*
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup lightly-packed fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup minced onion
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
Coarse salt to taste

* You can adjust the amount of chile peppers according to your taste.

Preparation:

In a food processor, process tomatillos, chile peppers, garlic, and cilantro until coarsely chopped.

Pour tomatillo mixture into a bowl and stir in olive oil, diced avocado, and minced onion. Add lime juice and salt to taste.

Enjoy with your favorite chips!

From my notes, you def need some salt to give it some 'bite'. And roasting them first adds a lot of flavor.

edit - one more thing: Making a small amount in our food processor was a pain. It would get thrown to the side, I'd scrape it down, and repeat, repeat, repeat. Now I use a stick blender and a small glass just large enough for the stick blender. I made a little cover out of an old coffee can plastic lid - cut a hole and a slit in it to keep stuff from splashing. Quick, easy and very little clean up.

-ERD50

 

[scrinch]

When I try a new recipe and end up being pleased with the results, I take a pic.

They look delicious!

 

[JoeWras]

I prefer racquetball.

I love squash, but I haven't played in over 21 years -- since I was in law school. What? Oh, sorry. My misunderstanding.

 

[bow-tie]

We love squash and zucchini, but the vine borers rarely let us have any fruit before they kill the stinkin' plant!

 

[NW-Bound]

Oops. Just thought of one: tomatillos. Do not yet know what to use it for.

Roast them on the grill, then chop them up for a salsa verde.

My wife often makes salsa fresca with tomatoes. We have had salsa verde in restaurants, but have not thought of making our own. Time to try this at home. Thx.

 

[rbmrtn]

We love squash and zucchini, but the vine borers rarely let us have any fruit before they kill the stinkin' plant!

Vine borers will devastate squash plants. I didn't make a thing last year. This year I have been keeping the vines dusted with sevin and doing much better. Actually I'm about sick of squash ( till next summer ). I've put a lot in the freezer and given away a good bit also.

 

[NW-Bound]

This year I have been keeping the vines dusted with sevin and doing much better.

No organic farming for you eh?

 

[rbmrtn]

This isn't much in the way of organic control for vine borers that I know of. Some people use row covers, I have in the past actually surgically removed the beast from the vine but its time consuming.

 

[veremchuka]

Sure, I love squash.

But it's not anymore than I love zucchini, butter lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, celery, mustard green, onion, cabbage, etc...

^ +1

I forgot brussel sprouts, bell peppers, avocados, bean sprouts, green beans, snow peas, egg plants, jicama ...

Can't think of a common produce that I do not eat!

Oops. Just thought of one: tomatillos. Do not yet know what to use it for.

^ +1

Quote:
Originally Posted by rbmrtn
This year I have been keeping the vines dusted with sevin and doing much better.









No organic farming for you eh?

There's ways around that issue ie not using sevin and it is organic.

 

[NW-Bound]

And aren't you going to tell us?