The perfect squash for cooking and baking

There is nothing better than a bowl of hot squash soup on a cold and wintry day. 

  We save our squash seeds from year to year. Lakota Squash is an American Squash cultivated by Native American Tribes as early as the 16th Century. 

Most of our Hubbard (green) Squash are taken on more and more of the Lakota characteristics.  The bees are to blame. 

 Cut up squash into large chunks. Remove seeds and bake at 350 for an hour or until soft.  After baking, mash the pulp and use in recipes for soups, breads, cookies, muffins,vegetable side dishes and more. 

Squash bread fresh out of the oven.  

  

Everyone likes (loves) my squash bread.

Squash pulp freezes well and is ready to use throughout the winter.

And for Desert the perfect Pear Pie.

All winter squash are loaded with vitamins.  They keep well and are fun to grow.  They never disappoint. 

Until you grow your own, pick up a squash from your local grower and find out for yourself how versatile they are.

Have a wonderful week my dear Friends, 

Gina



Secrets to a perfect Pie Crust

The perfect Pie Crust

Flaky Crust, delicious pears, great Dessert

Here are a few of my secrets

1)  Do not use cold water, use cold 2% milk instead

2)  Mix by hand with long handled fork

3) Roll out dough immediately

4)  If it is a fruit pie sprinkle unbaked crust with sugar

5) only add top crust (no bottom crust, they only get soggy and add too many calories)

My recipe for one generous Pie Crust

1 and 1/2 cups of unbleached flour

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 stick of UNSALTED butter

1/2 to 3/4 cup of cold milk

Mix together flour and salt.  With pastry knife cut unsalted butter into flour mixture until butter is the size of large peas.  Sprinkle milk over mixture until it forms into ball.  Roll out dough onto floured surface. 

Pear Pie Filling

Peel and cut up 3 to 5 pears.  Sprinkle with 2 TB of flour,

3 Tb of sugar,

1 Tb of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of Pumpkin Pie spice.

Mix together and pour into pie dish, dot with 1/4 stick of butter.  Cover with unbaked pie crust.  Cut a few vent holes, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees and another 40 to 50 minutes (or until golden brown) at 350 degrees.

 It takes longer to write this than it takes to actually make it. So, give it a whirl, you'll be so happy you did and so will be your friends 

Gina