Summertime and still eating last year's squash

[macmex]

Over the last several weeks my wife has called it to my attention that we need to deal with what's left of last year's squash harvest. She's so organized that she had squirreled the remaining squash away, into their own dedicated cupboard in the kitchen. I, not being so organized, completely forgot about them. My way is to leave them where we trip on them as a reminder that they need to be processed (That's my story and I'm sticking to it  )

So last week she came up with a plan to help me to remember. The cupboard is right between the the stove a sink, where I spend a fair amount of time. So she's simply left the door open. I see them every time I do dishes or make coffee. 



This is our "squash/pumpkin cache." The reason there's an empty spot in there is that I had removed one (yesterday morning) to process it.

I tend to do one at a time because of time constraints. 

Yesterday I did an Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin (OTCP). I estimate it had been in storage, at room temperature, for 8 months.


Looking good!

Compare with a photo of a fresh squash.


We cut them, remove the seeds and bake at 350 F. until they can be easily penetrated with a fork since they're soft and mushy.



After they're cooled enough to handle, we scoop out the flesh and either eat it, use it or freeze in 3 cup servings. Yesterday I had a good size serving with my breakfast. I sweetened the first serving with a little brown sugar but quickly realized that it was quite sweet enough without adding anything. The next serving was just plain, nothing added, and it was noticeably sweet.

Jerreth may try freeze drying some of this cache. As I write, I have the other OTCP in the oven.

Then, we went outside to work. Interestingly, I weeded this year's crop of OTCP which is starting to sprawl. I estimate that within three weeks the vines will begin setting fruit. 

The other squash in the photos is White Cushaw, which also does very well in our climate. I have two hills of it in the garden and they, too, are looking good. 

Squash is one of those great crops with is not only quite versatile, being used in a good many ways, but also stores well without any special equipment. If you need any ideas for how to use it, we have a thread for recipes and another one dedicated to squash/pumpkin atole.

[chrysanthemum]

Good job on such an excellent squash/pumpkin harvest that you’re still processing when this year’s are growing.

It looks like all your fruits might be too big for this, but I really like to cook my winter squash or pumpkins in the crock pot if it’s summertime. I really dislike adding heat to the house in the kitchen during the summer, especially since we have lots of west-facing windows, and the kitchen heats up quite enough anyway. With the crock pot cooking, I just put the entire squash or pumpkin in the crock. It’s usually wet from a surface washing, so that adds a little water, but I mostly just let the steam that’s trapped by the lid do the cooking for me. When the flesh is soft, I just cut it open, remove the seeds, and use the flesh for whatever purpose I need it at the time.

[macmex]

A crock pot would be a great way to process the two OTCPs that I've did recently. When I get to the Cushaws, that'll be a different matter. They're pretty large. Some of these electric, counter top devices have great uses for gardeners, of course cooks. I use the rice maker, which my daughter got me this spring, to make yogurt.

[rdback]

Like you George, we're still eating last year's squash. This is the Waltham Butternut - Virginia Select. Sometimes simple can really be good. I grill a lot, some it was an easy solution. A little olive oil, sea salt and black cracked pepper. Delicious.

[macmex]

Last night I got to a cushaw. It was pretty large and when I cut it up, I still had a quarter which wouldn't fit on the tray. (We were baking a chicken and some sweet potatoes, so crammed all we could into that oven.) I put the leftover piece of cushaw in our crockpot and it came out very well. Then, after eating some with supper, I bagged the rest for the freezer.

[heavyhitterokra]

My wife makes some pretty good smoothies out of raw winter squash, OTCP in particular. That's a good way to use some of it up in summer without heating the kitchen. Our blueberries are coming on, so it has been smoothie city around here for the past few days.  She works the blender while I'm outside grilling chicken and brats.  That works out pretty good when it's too hot to cook inside.