Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Making the Most of the Harvest : Butternut Squash

This was the first year that I ever grew butternut squash.  I am pleasantly surprised at how well they did.  We got soooooo many squash.  I should have enough to hold me till next years harvest. YAY!
Some of this years harvest.
In my attempt to make the most out of what I had grown I picked all mature butternut squash, immature squash, and squash blossoms. 
I quickly got to work. I cleaned the mature squash and inspected them for any damage. I wiped down all of the squash with a diluted bleach water mixture to prevent fungus. I now have them curing for winter storage.
There were a couple of squash that were slightly damaged and needed to be used up right away.  I decided to make some crock-pot "pumpkin" butter. Yummm!!
This "pumpkin" butter is so good.  The recipe made enough for a year with some to give away as gifts.  I am bringing a container to my sister next week.  I decided to freeze small containers instead of canning.

I scooped the seeds out of the squash from the "pumpkin" butter and roasted them up with a little salt. Instant protein packed snack.
The immature squash will be used like a zucchini.  I think I want to make zucchini appetizer.  I just need to get some Bisquick. 
Fried squash blossoms and one lone eggplant.

The squash blossoms I stuffed with a bread crumb cheese mixture and fried'em up Delicious!!
These were sooooo good!
Look at how many things can be made from a single crop.... And that is why I *love* butternut squash! 

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4 comments:

  1. That all looks so yum! I've never heard of pumpkin butter, but it sounds like it would be delicious! do you put it on bread and the like?
    We didn't get any potimarron (the french version of a pumpkin) last year so this year I put in tons of seeds and they all 'worked'. We thus have lots of them in the cellar for the winter, I going to give them a little 'bleach' wash this afternoon!! - never heard of this before either!
    It's only 9.41 am and I've learned two new things already! Thanks.

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    1. Yes pumpkin butter is delicious on toast. I am going to try some with my oatmeal in the morning instead of jam. I have read about the bleach water bath. on several gardening forums. I hope it works well. I checked your blog today and am really enjoying it!

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  2. I hear you can use butternut squash in place of pumpkin to make a "pumpkin pie". That might be a way to get my hubby to eat butternut squash - just put it in a dessert! LOL Thank you for the info about the diluted bleach wash - good to know.

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    1. Yes butternut squash can easily be replace for any pumpkin recipe. I made a "pumpkin" cheesecake with some of this butternut squash and it was delicious. The only way to get my son to eat butternut squash is to mix it in with macaroni and cheese he doesn't taste the difference lol.

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