Fall Foods

We had a fall food festival yesterday after our Monday trip to the pumpkin farm and farmer's market. Everything was delicious, though the kids didn't try any of it (no surprise). But at least they had the opportunity.

We tried doing roasted beets but left them in the oven too long, then forgot about them (with the oven off, mind you), and found them again this morning. I don't include that recipe here!

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Baked Yellow Squash

2-3 yellow squash
olive oil or butter
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Cut squash in half or in even thinner slices, depending on thickness of squash (but not too thin). Spread evenly in pan. Drizzle with oil or dot with pats of butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30+ minutes until tender.

Mom

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Pepitas

1 pumpkin
oil
salt
pepper

Gut one pumpkin, saving the seeds. Save the pumpkin for jack o'lantern carving. Wash and dry the seeds.

Heat oil in skillet. Pan roast the seeds until brown. Spread on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

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Spaghetti Squash


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet. Pour approximately 1 cup water around squash and bake 30-60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.

Scrape squash and mix with butter/salt/pepper, herbs, or butter/cinnamon/spices, as desired.



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Butternut Cider Bisque

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1/2 large carrot, diced (I left this out)
1 stalk celery, diced
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
5 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
2 cups apple cider
2 cups heavy cream (MUST be heavy cream; anything else curdles in the acidic cider!)
pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the onion, carrot, and celery until the carrot and celery are soft and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and saute until all of the vegetables are coated with oil, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and the 2 cups of cider and simmer until the squash is very soft, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Puree the mixture, in small batches, in a blender on medium speed until smooth and well blended. Place the pureed mixture into another pot and stir in cream to achieve the desired consistency. Add the nutmeg and brown sugar. Heat gently and serve.

Red Lion Inn Cookbook plus my changes