Gourd Noggin
You never realize what a big mouth you have until you brush your teeth with your toddler’s toothbrush.
Apparently there’re a lot of square centimeters in the adult mouth as compared to the child’s. At least that’s what it feels like.
We spent the night away last night and I packed my toothbrush, a gift for everyone around me who didn’t want to smell dragon breath. But when we got home tonight I left the overnight bag in the car and I’m took lazy and cold to go outside and get it if there’s another option available.
Enter… the Strawberry Shortcake pink and red toothbrush with a bristle head the size of an atom.
It also has an unnerving bubblegum taste to it. Yep. It’s like brushing with one of the weird Orbitz flavors of gum.
I wish I could say the rest of this post will be more exciting, but I doubt it. I’m coming up blank with things to write about except the Amazing Race (on in the background – thank you, Lord, for TiVo), being brain-dead after an evening car ride, and…
…oh, wait a minute! I want to talk to you about gourds!
I’ve become a believer in the Bountiful Baskets program. If you’re not familiar, Bountiful Baskets hooks you up with fresh, wholesome produce for a fraction of the price. And I love it!
Every two weeks I trundle myself up to the local elementary school and empty two laundry baskets worth of fresh fruits and vegetables into my reusable sacks and toddle home. Two FULL laundry baskets of food… for $15!
I’m not a terribly adventurous cook, my main concern being not to kill my family with ptomaine poisoning, so the Bountiful Basket forces me to do create meals with dangerous and highly questionable items like brocoli, red bell peppers, fennel, bananas and pineapple.
This time I got all daring and ordered the extra veggie package. It has squash, specifically butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash and a small pumpkin.
I don’t know what to do with this and need your help. Last week I finally processed the pumpkins from Halloween and decided the grilled pumpkin seed thing is WAY over-rated. I’ve got steamed and pureed pumpkin waiting to do… something… in my refrigerator.
So… do you, my super-smart StealingFaith friends, have any suggestions for what I do with these squashy gourds? I need help! What’s your favorite way to make this stuff edible?!
This is a sincere request – I need recipes and suggestions asap so I can get these things off my counter! I also have some red potatoes (highly suspicious) and fresh spinach. Any and all help would be GREATLY appreciated!
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/fruits-and-vegetables/vegetables-n-z/squash/winter-squash/butternut-squash/
wonderful site for great recipes….
Just have the kids paint them or carve them…no one is actually going to eat them right??
The spaghetti squash can be strung out like spaghetti. Other than that…we love veg, but the squash and gourd types don’t go over well here.
If you bake the spaghetti squash (I can’t remember quite how… it’s been awhile!) you can scrape out the inside flesh with a fork and it comes out in strings that look like spaghetti. Serve it like pasta with sauce, butter, parmesan, etc.
We eat spaghetti squash regularly. it is delicious. Also, I’ve been making butternut squash soup like it is going out of style (maybe it is?).
What recipe do you use for the spaghetti squash? (did you know the cookbook you gave me is still my main go-to book?!)
Stab the spaghetti squash so that it doesn’t explode in your oven. Because that would be worse than a toddler with an apple pie. Put the squash in a baking dish and shove it in the oven for an hour or so. Maybe 350 or 375. This is how I cook. Nothing is really precise. After an hour, or whenever your kids allow you to get back to the kitchen, take the squash out. Put it on a cutting board and let it cool so that you don’t burn your fingers and scare your family by screaming a (almost) profanity. Cut the squash in half with the biggest knife you have. Admire the knife. Smile to yourself. Hold one half of the squash in a towel…because it is hot. Scoop out the seeds. Repeat with the other half. Test the strands of squash to see if they are done. If they are even a tiny bit firm or stiff (I will not make an inappropriate joke), put both squash halves, cut side down, in the baking dish. Add an inch of water and put it back in the over for 30 minutes or so. When the squash is done, you will be able to pull the strands out with a fork. Shred them into a bowl (use a towel…again). Season as desired. I like to add some oregano and basil and a little olive oil. We have also used regular spaghetti sauce. Pesto is awesome too. Whatever you use for a sauce, you won’t need as much because the squash has a high moisture content. Tim likes to add a ton of parmesan cheese to soak up some of the moisture and create his own ‘sauce.’ Enjoy.
Let me know when you are ready for stuffed acorn squash or butternut squash soup.
May I say you are flippin’ hilarious? I was giggling all the way through and look forward to trying this out myself!
SouleMama: Our Pumpkin Muffins
These look tasty! I think we might try to make some today.
This recipe also looks amazing: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies