Top Five Friday: Squash, Squash, and more Squash!

Vegetables are a must on a diet.
I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

 ~ Jim Davis

N

othing says Autumn more than squash. And no squash is equal to the pumpkin.

Personally, I love pumpkin in any way, shape, or form there is: baked, fried, frozen, smashed, pureed, emulsified, sautéed: you name it, I’ll try it.  Pumpkins are most associated with pie, but it shines in savory dishes as well. 

However, there are other, if smaller, squash stars in the Autumn garden and kitchen: butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and Hubbard to name a few. Here are my top five favorite squash recipes.

Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Butternut Squash - Epicurious
This recipes has it all: squash, ‘shroom, and gnocchi ~ what more could you want!?

Winter Squash Soup with Gruyère Croutons - Epicurious
Even though I think dairy is evil and I can’t enjoy it anymore, I don’t always force my guests to go the non-dairy path.  However, you can forgo the cheese in the croutons, and use coconut cream instead of the whipping cream, and it’s still just as peachy.

Or squash-y.

Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Ricotta - Epicurious
Again, the cheese!  I haven’t found a substitute for this one, but my guests sure love it ~ once they get past their dubiousness of eating a flower.  Gotta love this one: beauty and taste!

Butternut Apple Crisp – Taste of Home

I’ve paired butternut squash and apples before.  Here, they remain intact and not pureed to smithereens in a soup.  Goes well with a pot of Constant Comment tea and a comfy chair.(1)

Harvest Stuffed Acorn Squash – Choose Veg

Finally, a non-dairy option! Yay!  Plus, these ladies show you exactly how it’s done.  Trust me, no one will ever know what’s not in this recipe ~ it’s so good by itself!

Oremus pro invicem,

~ Mikaela

(1)“Not the comfy chair!!”