Tastes and Flavors of Fall

There's been a rise in the use of squashes to replace tomato products in Italian-style cooking. Most often as a sauce, but also as a filling.

I could see some roasted/grilled squash in some Bruschetta type things. I make sweet potato rolls; you could sub in squash or pumpkin for a bread or roll.

I've made a lasagna with roasted pureed squash touched up with garlic and herbs , for the sauce. My friend did a pumpkin puree with sausage, peppers and noodles.

Pumpkin cheesecake, though a pumpkin could lend itself well to other custards or even icecream. I've always been a fan of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I've tried to marble a cheesecake with pumpkin and chocolate cheese cakes but not achieved what I envisioned. Perhaps even a pumpkin cobbler with chocolate accents.

There used to be an Afghan place that had pumpkin on their menu. It turned dark but translucent in their preparation with an ethereal spicy taste and an amazingly soft texture that still managed to remain upright and not runny. I have no idea how they did it.

Many of these squashes are native to the americas so think about Latin flavors. A pumpkin enchilada sauce, perhaps with some pipian? A pumpkin salsa--would have to bump up the lime or add some cider vinedgar for the acidity of the missing tomatoes. Never had pipian myself, I just know it's made with pumpkin seeds. A chili with pumpkin instead of tomatoes?

The southwestern native american food trinity was squash, beans and corn. Make a green chile stew type thing with some pork shoulder and inlclude squahs, beans and corn. Serve over fry bread though it's also gussied up with taco fixins such as cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream.

Phil

Tastes Flavors of fall

the squash corn bean thing si called Three Sisters. There si a great 3 Sisters stew in Moosewood Lowfat Cookbook - think I;ll make ot tomorrow!!!
I have made pasta sauce with pumkin and beets in placw of marinara. Beiieve it or not, it tasted similar.

I always go for the simple roasted veg with rosemary, garlic and olive oil

Love butternut squash lasagna

Posted a roasted veggie soup here a few weeks ago...

Pumpkin apple crumble is great even if dessert and not the healthiest.

Same for Cran apple torte


OHHHHH I make these great sweet potato things - stuffed with black beans, corn, onion, shrooms, raisins and cashews - has lime, cumin, cinnamon and such - yummy, healthy, lowfat veggie meal

I like butternut squash gnocchi, tossed in a sage brown butter, fresh chopped rosemary in the gnocchi.

I also make a nice butternut squash lasagna, with bechamel (milk not cream), reggiano and a little mozzarell, sage, and toasted hazelnuts.

There's all sorts of varieties of squash soup.

Also some easy omelets, like caramelize onions and roasted squash, spice it up with whatever, white pepper, nutmeg, whatever you like.

Since someone mentioned Moosewood, someone told me there is a Katzen recipe for Spaghetti Squash pancakes served with sour cream that is supposed to be half decent for a simple recipe. It's online if you google.

somewhere i think i posted my recipe for pumpkin or squash turnovers. briefly, you sautee onions, add mashed baked or steamed squash or pumpkin, salt, pepper, pine nuts or pistachios and raisins, and bake in an olive oil crust. they go like mad at my christmas party and a huge one baked in a pie pan is the main course at xmas dinner for the vegetarians in the family, but enjoyed by all.

A friend of mine who's a chef recommended that I try this for a dinner party a few weeks back (and it was really good, except that I forgot the crucial "draining" step and it was a tad watery - lol)...and it's really easy, too.

Roast a spaghetti squash (poke holes in it first). When it's mostly done (overcooking will leave the spaghetti kind of mushy, and experimenting I've found I like it al dente better) pull it out, scoop the seed out and discard, and separate the spaghetti-like strands into a colandar and let drain -- you could also try cheesecloth to really get the moisture out, I think. Melt some butter in a saute pan and toss the squash for a minute or two with it and a little brown sugar, salt and pepper, and you have a tasty, not too heavy, fall side dish. (I think that's the whole thing, but if I missed a step, my chef friend is around here somewhere, and I'm sure he'll correct me, lol.)

I had never used spaghetti squash before this, but now I've been eating it with my favorite artichoke marinara sauce and fresh grated asiago, too -- like spaghetti, but healthier and with a bit of a crunch.

I'm not a huge fan of zucchini unfortunately...I'll eat it if its the vegetable served with whatever meal I order out, lol...or, here in Maine, a lot of my friends have huge home vegetable gardens, so a lot of zucchini ends up here when I have barbeques -- so I just smile, grill it, and say thank you, lol.

Have you tried Dreamfields pasta? It's a low-carb pasta that actually tastes just like regular pasta...You can find it in higher end grocery stores and on Amazon.com. It's a staple in my house. :) (In fact, the grocery store here in town tried selling it for a couple of months, then decided to stop, and marked everything down to $0.99/box -- less than half price, so I have a healthy supply, now, he he.)

No, you're right, the Dreamfields isn't whole durum semolina, it's enriched with an added fiber blend, so overall the fiber content is higher than most pasta and the glycemic index is lower. I just like it because I find a lot of whole wheat pastas don't cook well. I have also been using a spinach fettucini pasta from DeBole's that's made with whole durum semolina, spinach powder and Jerusalem artichoke flour -- it's pretty good, too.