crushes on squash

well that sure was a short and sweet week!

i hope you had a wonderful long weekend. 

 

yes we still have apples to pick, 

and yes we will be open til the end of the month!

to our delight our mutsu orchard has been prolific..

they are much more sweet and mellow since we began picking them..

now tasting similar to a golden delicious. 

mutsus are the perfect apple to share with a loved one.. they are sooo big!

 perhaps an apple picking date is just what you need!

there are blossoms in the mutsu orchard.. see if you can find them!

did you know we have pumpkins with the most personality?

ohhh the colours, ohhh the textures, ohhh the shapes! 

there are acres still in the field that you can pick, 

and oodles already picked for you

the fog and mist and dew has cast a quite spell on the farm..

things are beginning to spook up...

we have been enjoying all the squash the kids have grown.

denise, who you’ve probable met since she’s been helping us on the farm for decades, 

shared this fabulous recipe. you will love it. 

i changed it a teeny little bit…adding butter and chestnuts.. 

2 of my favourite ingredients.  

 sage apple chestnut and quinoa stuffed squash

 you will need..

2  acorn squash.. i used our autumn frost 

6 ish tablespoons of olive oil

2 ish tablespoons of  butter 

stuffing..

3/4 cup of quinoa

1 large mutsu apple chopped

1 medium onion, chopped 

1/4 cup cooked chestnuts chopped  

several fresh sage leaves.. leave a few tiny ones whole, but chop the large ones

salt and pepper

saved seeds to roast later

method..

preheat your oven to 350°. 

add the quinoa to 1 1/2 cups of boiling water, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, then set aside.

cut the squash in half,  or 2/3 and 1/3  

scoop out the seeds and reserve.

cover a baking sheet with parchment. 

brush the squash flesh with olive oil and set on the tray, flesh side down.  

bake until done.. about 40 - 60 minutes. keep checking. 

while the squash bakes,  sauté the chopped onion slowly on low heat in  2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter until it is browned. 

add the chopped apple near the end and sauté until soft.

add the sage leaves and chestnuts. combine the sautéed mixture to the quinoa. 

clean the squash seeds and pat dry.

toss them with a little olive oil and salt and roast for about 10 minutes..

'til they just begin to brown and are dried. 

fill the squash halves with stuffing.. there will be some left over. (dreamy with tomorrow’s eggs for breakfast.)

garnish with roasted seeds and a couple of fresh sage leaves. 

enjoy 

  

enjoy the beautiful changing colours..

autumn hugs

laura 

carl laidlaw orchards