SQUASH 'EM®!

References to the pumpkin dates back many centuries from the Greek word for "large melon" which is "pepon." To the French it was "pompon," to the English it was "pumpion," and American colonists changed "pumpion" into "pumpkin," as it is still named today. While there are conflicting reports of whether the pumpkin was a part of the first Thanksgiving meal, or didn't come along until the next year, it continues to be a Thanksgiving tradition. The Colonialists used the pumpkin as the piecrust, not the filling, by slicing off the top, removing the seeds, and filling the inside with milk, spices, and honey. The pumpkin was then baked in hot ashes. Pumpkin flowers are edible; roasted pumpkin seeds are great snacks, and were used as medicine at one time.

Pumpkins are members of the gourd family, and in reality are a winter squash.  Pumpkins are considered to be drier, coarser, and strong-flavored compared to squash and are therefore used differently in cooking. Pumpkins that make great jack-o'-lanterns, don't make great eating; they will be stringy and tasteless. The smaller "pie" or "sweet" pumpkins have a sweeter flesh that is less watery.

Butternut Squash Em'® Soup

6 Squash ‘Em® containers, defrosted  (2 boxes)
1 tbsp unsalted organic butter
2 tbsp organic extra-virgin olive oil
1 small organic yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 organic garlic cloves, smashed
3 sage sprigs, tied with string, reserve leaves for garnish
3 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
1-2 cups purified water, as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup organic parmesan cheese

Our Tasty Recipe: Sauté onion in the butter in a saucepan, over moderately low heat, for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened, add the garlic and sauté a little longer. Add 6 Squash ‘Em containers and continue stirring the mixture, so that the water from the squash is steamed out.  Add the broth and simmer the mixture for 30 minutes; continue stirring. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree, in batches, until smooth.  Add the parmesan cheese, salt and truffle oil (optional) to each batch. Add enough water to achieve the desired consistency, and salt and pepper to taste.   Return the soup to the sauce pan and cook over moderate heat until it is hot. Garnish with  sage and pumpkin seed oil (optional).

Organic Pumpkin & Squash Em'® Curry with Santa Barbara Prawns

9-3.5 ounce packs(3 boxes) Squash ‘Em Tastybaby Frozen Organic Baby Food, thawed
3-14 ounce cans Organic Light Coconut Milk
1 ½ to 2 Tbsp Palm Sugar
3 tsp Fish Sauce or as needed to desired saltiness
1 ½ to 2lbs(about 20 pieces) peeled Wild Caught Prawns or Shrimp
2 cups Organic Baby Zucchini, cut on the bias in ½ inch pieces
2 large bunches Organic Thai Basil or Fresh Basil, reserves basil sprigs for garnish
2-4 Organic red hot chilies, cut into thin slivers with seeds(optional)
Kosher salt for seasoning
6 Organic Acorn Squash(about 1 lb each), hollowed out into “bowls”

Serve with steamed Jasmine Rice

Our Tasty Recipe:

Do not shake the cans of coconut milk before opening. Spoon 2/3 cup of the thickest cream off the top of a can into a large pot placed over medium-high heat. Reduce cream until thick and bubbly (about 3 minutes), then add the curry paste. Stir and mush the paste into the coconut cream and fry for a few minutes until it is very aromatic and darkened in color. Then pour in the remaining milk from both cans, stirring well to dissolve the paste to make a smooth rich sauce. Whisk in all of the defrosted Squash ‘Em to the curry base until combined well.

 Add 1 1/2 Tbs. of palm or coconut sugar, stirring well to blend into the curry sauce. Taste and add fish sauce only as necessary to salt to the desired saltiness. Add the pieces of zucchini & the basil bunches (tied with string).

Return to a boil, then lower heat to medium, or just enough to simmer the sauce gently. Cook partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender (15-20 minutes or more). Taste the sauce and adjust as needed with fish sauce, palm sugar & kosher salt to the desired salty-sweet combination. Season the prawns/shrimp with kosher salt. Add the seasoned prawns to the curry and poach for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through and firm.

Turn off heat and spoon curry into a hollowed out acorn squash or serving dish. Garnish top with basil sprig(s) & slivered chilis. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Squash 'Em Ravioli with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce

8 Squash ‘Em® containers, defrosted  (2 boxes)
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
25 wonton wrappers
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Our Tasty Recipe: Fill a pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil.To make the ravioli, place a wonton wrapper on a clean, flat surface. Brush edges with the egg white. Place about 1 tablespoon of the Squash 'Em mixture in the middle of the wonton. Cover with a second wonton wrapper. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers and squash mixture until all have been used. Drop a few ravioli at a time, into the boiling water, and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until tender. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.  Stir in the sage. Continue to cook and stir until the sage is crispy. Place raviolis on serving plates and drizzle with sauce.

Pumpkin Squares made with Squash ‘Em®

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 - 3.5oz containers Tastybaby® Squash ‘Em®

Our Tasty Recipe:  Butter and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar; add eggs and continue beating until light and fluffy. Stir in chopped pecans. Sift together the flour, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add about 1/3 of the sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in milk. Add remaining sifted ingredients alternately with the pumpkin purée. Pour batter into pan; bake pumpkin cake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cake rack. Optional, serve with your favorite frosting or whipped cream.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches made with Squash ‘Em® Cookies

1/2 cup organic butter, room temperature
1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup organic molasses
1 organic egg
2 - 3.5oz containers Tastybaby® Squash ‘Em®
2 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons organic cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon organic nutmeg
1/2 cup organic milk
Organic sugar & cinnamon for sprinkling
Your favorite flavor of ice cream

Our Tasty Recipe: In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy.  Beat in molasses & egg.  Stir in Squash ‘Em®.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon & nutmeg.  Stir flour mixture into the creamed mixture along with the milk.  Blend thoroughly but do not over beat. Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 375° for about 12 minutes, until set. Remove to racks & continue to cool.  Sprinkle cookies with sugar & cinnamon & scoop a generous portion of ice cream between two cookies and enjoy!

Squash 'Em® Cupcakes

Ingredients
3 Squash ‘Em® containers, defrosted
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
1 tablespoon baking powder
/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten until frothy
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Our Tasty Recipe: Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Blend in Squash ’Em. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, blending until batter is smooth after each addition; stir in chopped walnuts or pecans. Spoon batter into well-greased and floured or paper-lined muffin pan cups. Fill about 2/3 full. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Frost with frosting of your choice.

Squash 'Em® Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
5 Squash ‘Em® containers, defrosted & set to room temperature
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Our Tasty Recipe: Heat Squash 'Em slightly, stir thoroughly and drain in a cheese cloth to remove excess water. In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, add squash 'em puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk. Stir well after each addition. Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown. Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

Squash 'Em® Pumpkin Maple Flan

This flan is flavored with spices and maple syrup, along with the wonderful pumpkin filling and caramel layer.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 container of Squash 'Em® frozen organic baby food, defrosted
1/2 cup grade B or dark grade A maple syrup (grade B is more flavorful, available online)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Our Tasty Recipe: Heat oven to 350°. Place an 8-inch square baking dish inside a13x9-inch baking dish. Fill the larger pan with very hot water to a depth of about 1 inch; set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is melted, smooth, and golden brown in color. Pour into the 8-inch square baking dish. Pick the dish up out of the hot water immediately and swirl to coat the bottom with the caramel. Place the baking dish back in the larger dish of water and set aside.

Beat the eggs with the pumpkin, maple syrup, spices, vanilla, and salt. Whisk in the milk until well blended. Pour over the caramel layer. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or longer, until a knife inserted into the center of the flan comes out clean. Remove the flan to a rack and cool. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly, for about 4 hours or overnight.

To unmold, place the pan in about 1/2 inch of warm water for about 30 seconds. Run a knife or small spatula around the edge of the flan to separate the sides flan from the baking dish. Jiggle the dish gently to loosen the bottom more then place a platter or serving plate over the top of the baking dish. Invert and jiggle gently until the flan releases to the serving plate. Let stand for a few seconds to let excess caramel adhering to the baking dish drip onto the flan. Cut into squares or triangles to serve. Spoon a little of the caramel sauce over each serving.  Serves 6 to 8.