Thursday, October 30

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This is one of my favorite times of the year for food. I read that in a food writer's column and I would have to agree. I just love all the winter squash, wonderful varieties of potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, cranberries, apples, pears, etc. I'm looking forward to going to the Westside farmers' market Saturday morning and checking out all the great food. Its such a temptation to buy lots of food, but since I'll be picking up my CSA box from Harmony Valley Farms, I'll have to keep my purchases to a minimum.

We also belong to a fruit CSA and get locally grown certified organic apples and pears from Future Fruit in Ridgeway, Wisconsin. http://www.savorwisconsin.com/AllListings/detail.asp?recordid=646&table=producer I'll be picking up a box of fruit too. I definitley think an apple crisp will be on the menu this weekend.

Time to cook our Kabocha Squash tonight. I decided to try this super simple recipe:

Kabocha Squash With Sage and Leeks
(adapted from RecipeZaar)

1 kabocha squash
2-4 tablespoons butter
8 leaves fresh sage, chopped into ribbons
1-2 leeks, sliced (mine were very small, more like the size of green onions so I used 2)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.
Prepare squash by washing, poking 2-4 holes into center with sharp knife.
Bake whole squash in oven for 60-90 minutes, until soft.
When squash is done, cut in half, remove seeds and fibers, and scrape flesh from skin into a bowl, mash but do not puree squash.
Melt butter in a large skillet.
Add sage leaves and fry until crisp 1-2 minutes.
Add leek and salt and continue heating 2-5 minutes until leeks are soft and translucent.
Now add squash to skillet and mix until all butter is incorporated.

Arthur said it was some of the best squash he had ever had. I'm sure it helped that it was a very good squash in the first place.

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