My‘Honeynut ’ winter squashgot a previous start in the garden this year , and that , mate with our insensate , wet fall , leave me with a big pile of not - quite - ripe squash rackets . It ’s not that the squash are not ripe enough to eat — although somearepretty green — they are just not good enough to hive away over a long time period .
Butternut squash is the only winter squash I arise in my small urban garden , and Honeynut is by far my favourite variety . The flora conurbation like other squash rackets , but they are highly generative and the fruits are yummy . In the past , I ’ve followedstandard squash procedure , curing them alfresco on warm drop day , and then storing them for a few month in a cool spot in the cellar . ( My experience is that well - cure , mature squash will keep until mid - January in a distinctive , bare basement in Minnesota . After that , it ’s time to make it off . )
But what to do with squash that is not ripe ? you may proceed to mature unripe squash by bring them inside , dampen them off and put them in a cheery maculation . You watch them carefully , turning them from time to time until they reach out to the right color for eating . About 10 of my unripe squash rackets are currently taking the indoor Lord’s Day cure . I will report later on how they do .
Not-quite-ripe squash bask in the indoor sun.
Not - quite - mature squash racquets bask in the indoor Dominicus .
Three of the squash had some knicks in them , so they will be used in my fall mum pot for Halloween .
The rest I decided to cook . ( Two recipes follow )
The finished muffins.
Roasted Honeynut Squash Half - moon
change by reversal the oven to 400 degree F. Cut off the top and rear of a squash vine , then peel it and remove the seeds . Cut it in half and slew the half into slices . ( Mine are about 1/4 of an in thick , but would have been better thin . ) Place the halves in a single bed on a sheet genus Pan and sprinkle about 2 tablespoon of olive oil over it . Move the slices around to coat . Add a generous shake of salt and common pepper . slip the cooking pan into the oven and laugh at for 20 hour . Squash is not as dry as potatoes , for example , so it may be a second mushy . An alternative would be to cut the squash rackets into 1 - inch cubes and guy it that way . Thinner slash will dry and crisp more and savour more Saratoga chip - corresponding .
steam the Squash and Muffins !
The finished muffins .
The sleep of the squash I steamed so it could be easy mash and frozen . To steam it , I set a steamer rack in a declamatory soup pot with an column inch or two of water in it . I ignore the squash into half , leaving the hide on . set up the half on the rack ( about 2 squelch per batch ) and cover the quite a little . Steam for 25 to 35 minutes , depending on the size of the squash . You want to squash to be lenient when you stick a fork in it so it can be well grind . Once cool , I tamp the squash into quart size of it bag , two cups per bag . I flatten the bags on a cooky tray so they would freeze in an easy to store shape . Squash is a alimental replacement for Irish potato and a corking plus to strike sweets .
Butternut squash are just one step away from Cucurbita pepo so I decided to make a mess of muffins with some of the steamed squash .
Honeynut Squash Muffins
hot up the oven to 350 degrees F.
devise a 12 - cupful muffin pan with paper liner or spray with nonstick spray .
Mixed together with a whisk broom :
2 cups all - purpose flour , undyed
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bake soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Cinnamomum zeylanicum
Set aside , and in a large bowl premix together :
2 egg
1/4 cup canola oil ( or melted butter )
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed squash ( or autumn pumpkin )
whip the wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed . I apply an dousing blender to verify the squash rackets strings and bits are incorporate . Then lightly impart the ironical constituent to the moisture and stir to blend . ( You could also add a half cup or so of raisins , hot chocolate chip or nut at this point . I went plain . ) Divide the intermixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups and broil in the center of the oven for 18 - 22 minutes . These are not super sweet muffins , so if you like a piece more sweetness take append the raisins or even frosting the muffins .
Enjoy !
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