What To Do With All That Squash?

Currently, our squash and cucumber plants are engaged in battle. Each one wants to dominate the garden, but only one will win. This year, I believe it will be the cucumbers. However, we are still left with many delicious yellow squashes, but have frankly become bored with the same old recipes. Steamed squash. Grilled squash. Baked squash. We’ve had each countless times this summer and we are in desperate need of new recipes, as there are about a dozen squashes in need of eating at any given time (free squash to the first ten takers!)

So, Green Mansions Foundation has spent the morning looking up new and creative ways to consume said squash. Here are a few of the tastiest-sounding recipes we could find. We’ll let you know how they turn out. Any suggestions?

Paula Deen’s Southern-Style Squash Casserole Recipe - mmm, loads of butter and a cracker crust. We don’t think we can go wrong with this one.

Squash and Onions and Brown Sugar – Sweet and simple.

Smothered Yellow Squash with Basil – Combines two of our favorite garden plants! Plus, this recipe uses olive oil instead of butter.

Summer Squash Bread Recipe - A twist on the traditional zucchini bread. Add pecans for sweet crunchiness.

 

Pickle Update

With the help of Pick Your Own’s handy guide, Green Mansions Foundation made 7 Ball jars’ worth of pickles. Using cucumbers from our ever-expanding garden (seriously, we should set up a farm stand outside of our front door), we jumped into our first home canning adventure. Was it as easy as we thought? No. Was it worth it? Definitely. The results? Not out yet. We have about 3 more days worth of waiting before we try out our test subjects. We’ve included a few photos of the process below.

Barrington Farmers Market

Yesterday, Green Mansions visited the first  Barrington Farmers Market of the season. Located by the Northwest Metra train tracks in downtown Barrington, the market included local nurseries, farmers, food vendors, and an area non-profit organization, Smart Farms. Though small in size, the market had a bevy of fresh foods, including delicious strawberries from Cedar Creek Organics and local honey from S & D Honey.

Barrington Farmers Market is held each Thursday from 2pm – 7pm at the corner of Main Street (Lake Cook Road) and South Cook Street. The market runs throughout the summer months and ends October 21, 2010.

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