W A T E R T O W N C I T Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T Monthly Faculty Farm2School E-Blast October 2016 What s Up this Month! PUMPKINS! 1st Annual TRICK-r-TROT! The Legend of Stingy Jack Fall Gourds and Squashes What s on the Menu! Fall Appetizers A joint publication of WHS and CMS A pumpkin is really a squash? It is! It's a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash and cucumbers. That pumpkins are grown all over the world? Six of the seven continents can grow pumpkins including Alaska! Antarctica is the only continent that they won't grow in. That the "pumpkin capital" of the world is Morton, Illinois? This self proclaimed pumpkin capital is where you'll find the home of the Libby corporation's pumpkin industry. That the Irish brought this tradition of pumpkin carving to America? The tradition originally started with the carving of turnips. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S., they found pumpkins a plenty and they were much easier to carve for their ancient holiday. Fun Facts About The Pumpkin! Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A. Pumpkin flowers are edible. The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake. In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling. Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites. The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds. The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin. Pumpkins are 90% water! 80% of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October. Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats. Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash." Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine. People have been making jack-o -lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed Stingy Jack. According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years. Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as Jack of the Lantern, and then, simply Jack O Lantern. In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack-o -lanterns.
How do you mend a broken Jack-o-lantern? With a pumpkin patch! Fall Gourds & Squashes: What They Are & How to Use Them What s the Difference Between a Squash and a Gourd? Squashes and gourds are members of the Cucurbitaceae family. This is a massive plant group containing over 800 species of plants such as gourds, melons, squashes and pumpkins, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Really, the main distinction between squashes and gourds is that squashes are grown and harvested to eat, while gourds tend to be cultivated for decoration purposes. The squashes and gourds we ll be talking about here are often referred to as winter squash. Don t let the name fool you; they aren t grown in the winter. These plants are harvested in late summer and early fall. They re called winter squash because, unlike their summer counterparts, they have a hard, thick rind that doesn t bruise easily and keeps longer, even into the winter. Winter squashes also have more nutrients like vitamins A, C and B6, as well as potassium and antioxidants. Let s take a look at some common ones you can find at your local farmers market, and a few ideas on how you can use them. Autumn Wing Gourd These little guys are some of my favorites! They come in such unique shapes, like spoons with little wings or horns. Each one looks different, and they make wonderful decorations. Autumn wing gourds aren t really intended for eating, but their traditional fall colors really spruce up a table or a mantle. They re fairly small as well, usually about 2 to 3 inches long. Sweet Dumpling Squash These squashes are little, but they pack a big flavor punch! As you probably guessed from their name, these are a small, sweet squash. What you might not have guessed was how pretty they look on a plate! Check our Recipe central for a wonderful dish using this squash. Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti squashes are on the larger side; if you re cooking for one, you ll probably have leftovers. They re called spaghetti squash because the meat falls out in strands, like spaghetti, when you scrape it with a fork. You can use this squash as an alternative to pasta. They are a little sweet, so I like to mix them with something savory. Acorn Squash Last on this list is acorn squash. It s a fitting name since it looks kind of like a big, green acorn. This is a medium-size squash, usually between 4 and 7 inches long. There are numerous ways to use this mild squash. Check out recipe central! Warted Gourds Also not intended for consumption, warted gourds are a fall decorating staple. Their unique sizes, shapes and colors make them perfect for a fun fall display! They get their name from their appearance, since it looks like there are little warts all over them. (Don t worry, they re not real warts.) If you buy smaller warted gourds, my favorite way to use them is to drill a small hole in the center just large enough for a tea light or a candle stick. If you like the larger ones, you can set them out as-is, almost like a pumpkin. Butternut Squash...Cook It & Decorate with it! Butternut squash is similar to a pumpkin. In Australia and New Zealand, they re actually referred to as butternut pumpkin. The outside is a pale tone, but the inside is a vibrant orange, adding color to any fall plate. They re versatile, too. They can be roasted, toasted, pureed or mashed. Hollow them out and fill with fall flowers for a beautiful fall decoration.
Sweet Dumpling Squash w Quinoa, Bacon & Cheese (yea...bacon!!) You Need: 4 Sweet Dumpling Squash 1 cup dry Quinoa (cook according to package directions ) Filling: 1/2 Red Onion, 1 cup diced 1 Zucchini, diced 1 Red, Orange or Yellow Bell Pepper, diced Garlic Salt Smoked Paprika Garlic Olive Oil Black Pepper 3 ounces cooked Bacon, chopped a few ounces Cheddar Cheese Preparation: Sweet Dumpling Squash: Pre-heat oven to 350 F with the rack in the middle. Pierce squash several times with a sharp knife. Bake for about 40-50 minutes until soft. Remove from oven and cool a bit. Slice off the tops and scoop out the seeds. Set aside. Keep warm. For the Quinoa Filling: Saute onion over medium high heat with garlic olive oil until soft. Add zucchini and bell pepper. Season with some garlic salt, smoked paprika and black pepper. Cook until everything is soft and slightly browned. Add a cup of the cooked quinoa and bacon pieces. Combine well. Coat the inside and tops of the squash with some garlic oil. Scoop some of the quinoa mixture into the squash. Top with cheese. Place filled squash back in the oven in a casserole dish. Bake 15 minutes uncovered. Finish by melting the cheese under a low broil until it is slightly browned. Why do jack-o-lanterns have stupid smiles on their faces? You'd have a stupid smile, too, if you had just had all your brains scooped out! Streuseled Acorn Squash Muffins You Need: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg 2/3 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1/4 cup coconut oil (can sub with vegetable oil) 1 1/4 cup peeled and finely grated acorn squash 1 small overripe banana, mashed 2-3 1/2 tablespoons milk (depending on batter consistency) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract streusel topping: 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup all purpose flour Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line or grease a muffin tin and set aside. 2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside. 3. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, sugars and oil. Stir in the squash, banana, milk, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined. 4. Pour the batter into the liners and fill each about 2/3 full. 5. For the streusel: Combine the butter, sugar and flour in a small mixing bowl and cut together, using a pastry knife or he back of a fork. (the end result should have a very fine, grainy texture) 6. Sprinkle a generous amount of streusel over the top of each muffin, about 2 tablespoons. 7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the muffins. 8. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
Instead of filling up on candy, enjoy these devilishly delicious appetizers on the night of the year. If you are hosting a party or just a guest bringing food, let your slow cooker do the work for you. Set up a chili bar with toppings or lay out a spread complete with pumpkin hummus and butternut squash queso PUMPKIN HUMMUS Prepare this pumpkin hummus recipe up to a day ahead, and refrigerate. What you Need Cooking spray 2 tablespoons sesame-seed paste 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon olive oil 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 1 garlic clove, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon pumpkinseed kernels, toasted (optional) What you DO! Place sesame seed paste and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add parsley; pulse until blended. Spoon hummus into a serving bowl; sprinkle with pumpkinseed kernels, if desired. Serve with pita wedges and veggies. BUTTERNUT QUESO FUNDIDO What you Need 1 teaspoon canola oil ¾ cup diced red onion 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ cup unsalted chicken stock 1 (10-ounce) package frozen butternut squash puree, thawed 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce 3 ounces shredded Oaxaca or part-skim mozzarella cheese (about ¾ cup), divided 3 ounces shredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican-blend cheese (about ¾ cup), divided ⅓ cup very thinly sliced radishes ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves 3 tablespoons sliced green onions 2 tablespoons thinly sliced jalapeño pepper 30 light tortilla chips Celery sticks (optional) What you DO! 1. Heat oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add red onion; cook 5 minutes or until softened. Add flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock, squash, chipotle, and adobo sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; add 2 ounces Oaxaca cheese and 2 ounces Mexican-blend cheese; cook 2 minutes or until smooth, stirring until cheese melts. 2. Preheat broiler to high. 3. Sprinkle remaining cheeses over top. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Top with radishes, cilantro,