With Jack Frost knock, knocking on the door at night, it was time to harvest the squash. I’m a lazy vegetable gardener and tend to stick to the crops that offer the largest reward for the least amount of effort. In this category, squash probably top the list as the lazy gardener’s dream plant. You tuck a few seeds in the ground in the spring and in the fall, you gather up your squash! I planted a couple of varieties of squash in the garden, but also had a tangle of vines tumbling over the composted manure pile. What a cornucopia!
At the top left of the photo is Heart of Gold. This variety is listed in the seed catalogue as a sweet dumpling hybrid acorn squash. I like it for its compact size, good for two people, and attractive exterior, which as the name suggests, sets off its golden interior prettily. Beside it are some decorative gourds that seeded themselves from last year’s thanksgiving decorations. The large yellow number is a golden zucchini and below it is a little butternut squash.
I picked one of the unnamed varieties and made soup with it last night. The thing I like best about squash soup is the fabulous rich colour. It tastes good, too! I usually add apples and ginger to the squash for a bit of zing. The very easiest way to serve squash is simply to halve it, scoop out the seeds, cut a small slice off the bottom so the squash half doesn’t wobble, and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees till soft, about 45 minutes. Open a can of beans in sauce and warm them up. Fill the squash cup with beans and there you have it, a nutritious delicious no-fuss meal. Serve with warm bread or a salad. If your standards lean more towards the gourmet, you can dress up the beans with onion and pepper and tomatoes, or make your own bean medley from scratch.
Willow House Chronicles 