Pumpkin or Squash!

[janelleTG]

I was in the kitchen the other day cutting up pumpkin, and my mind was wandering, as it does when you're there on your own. It wandered back to a conversation I had with our Miss Katie and TBP, (remember him?). Katie was saying she had never had roasted pumpkin, which didn't surprise me as I have had American friends who have only eaten pumpkin as pie or in bread.
Suddenly it occured to me that what I was cutting up, I call Butternut Pumpkin, but the American girl on the Food Network calls it Butternut squash.
SO other than using pumpkin as a Halloween decoration, or to make pie, do any of you cook, or eat pumpkin (squash) any other way?

I have a list of different ways I use it, but I would be interested in hearing how others cook it and what area/country you're from.

[reedmaster]

I dice up butternut squash and bring it to a boil until you can stick a fork in it. then I mash it like you would potatoes. I love acorn squash cut in half and baked in it's skin. While living in Scotland I couldn't get pumkin for Thanksgiving pies so I used turnip instead. I just treated it like pumpkin adding a few eggs and yolks with milk, nutmeg, allspice and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. They were a big hit! Tasted like the real thing.

[jessierose]

I adore summer crookneck squash, also called yellow squash sometimes. I slice it into thin little circles while sauteeing sweet onion also sliced thin. Then I sautee it all together until it's fall-apartish. MMMMMMMMMmmmm. Tastes like summer!
However, if someone cooked it and put it in front of me, calling it yellow pumpkin, I might not eat it. I am not a pumpkin fan. Even the word makes my tongue feel itchy.
I use spaghetti squash in place of noodles, too! Mmmm. Mmmm. Mmmmmm!

[Scottish piper]

I might try some of these out - sound scrumptious!

[reedmaster]

I forgot my all time favorite way to make squash. Zucchini boats! You slice a zucchini in half, lengthwise, scoop a little out to make room for spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese, sprinkle parmasian on top and pop it in the oven 'til the squash is cooked and the top is a little brown. It's like a vegetable pizza and kids love it.
It's is also great for making zucchini bread. It's actually a cake like carrot cake, with the same spices. Cut up really fine and quick pan fried or boiled, zucchini makes a tasty frame for a platter of spaghetti.

[janelleTG]

Originally Posted by longwind

I dice up butternut squash and bring it to a boil until you can stick a fork in it. then I mash it like you would potatoes. I love acorn squash cut in half and baked in it's skin. While living in Scotland I couldn't get pumkin for Thanksgiving pies so I used turnip instead. I just treated it like pumpkin adding a few eggs and yolks with milk, nutmeg, allspice and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. They were a big hit! Tasted like the real thing.

I often use orange sweet potato instead of pumpkin to make pie. It's a nice bright colour and often sweeter. I just use a recipe appropriately called American Pumpkin Pie, and substitute the pumpkin.

Originally Posted by longwind

I forgot my all time favorite way to make squash. Zucchini boats! You slice a zucchini in half, lengthwise, scoop a little out to make room for spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese, sprinkle parmasian on top and pop it in the oven 'til the squash is cooked and the top is a little brown. It's like a vegetable pizza and kids love it.
It's is also great for making zucchini bread. It's actually a cake like carrot cake, with the same spices. Cut up really fine and quick pan fried or boiled, zucchini makes a tasty frame for a platter of spaghetti.

I agree, my kids ( the now grown up ones) all loved Italian zucchinis, as we called them. I also make a similar recipe using little yellow button squash as mini cups for the filling.

Another favourite is grated zuchinni in chocolate cake. It makes the cake really moist, and the kids that don't like zucchini, don't know they're eating it.
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Originally Posted by jessierose

I adore summer crookneck squash, also called yellow squash sometimes. I slice it into thin little circles while sauteeing sweet onion also sliced thin. Then I sautee it all together until it's fall-apartish. MMMMMMMMMmmmm. Tastes like summer!
However, if someone cooked it and put it in front of me, calling it yellow pumpkin, I might not eat it. I am not a pumpkin fan. Even the word makes my tongue feel itchy.
I use spaghetti squash in place of noodles, too! Mmmm. Mmmm. Mmmmmm!

Sounds great Jess. I'll have to try it. I made a similar thing last night using zucchini, and carrot. Shaved with a vegie peeler and sautued, with a little Ramona cheese over the top just before serving.

I use pumpkin, butternut or the halloween type LOL, for a whole lot of things. Pumpkin bread or scones, Pumpkin Rissotto, as pasta sauce, Pumpkin soup (yum) and my favourite roast pumpkin. Cut into chunks, with the skin left on, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, a little nutmeg, and some curry powder, then cook in the oven for about 30 to 45 minutes. Just to mention a few. I love it when it's cook longer and the bottom burns slightly. Burnt pumpkin skin is so yummy. All these recipes are common here in Australia.
Sorry to make your tongue itch Jessie LOL.

[ppyper1]

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

[jessierose]

I think I used pumpkin in place of oil in too many cakes and breads when I started on Weight Watchers years ago. That was their trick-du-jour back then.
Oooo....there is a place in Glasgow...or maybe Edinburgh....or maybe both....called The Olive Branch and they have the most amazing, amazing, amazing squash and parmesan risotto. My ex-husband and I ate it 3 nights in a row the last time he and I traveled together. He is an incredibly picky eater, if that tells you anything. DELICIOUS!
Anyone wanna teach me to make a good risotto?!

[dharron]

The pumpkin here is similar to that in Canada and the US except the skin is a grey-green colour instead of orange. The inside is almost identical though. It's called calabaza or zapallo... coincidentally zucchini is called zapallo Italiano here.

Chilenos don't make pies like in North America, nor do they use pumpkin in any sweet form that I have ever found. It's a vegetable and used in soups and stews, also mashed up in sopapillas made on rainy days.

[jessierose]

This thread is making me sorely disappointed in myself that I didn't fight for the lives of my little rows of squash this summer! They just get so tough and hard-shelled when it's this hot and I didn't feel like watering after my accident. Now I wish I had made myself do it! Miss those little golden yummies!