October 2024 – Fall Squash

Butternut Cupcakes with Molasses Buttercream Icing

Deb Keebler, Stevens

Cupcakes:

• 1½ cups all purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon all spice
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking molasses
• ¹/₃ cup cane sugar (or regular)
• 2 cups cooked, puréed butternut squash
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside.

In mixer bowl, blend oil, sugars, molasses, squash, eggs and vanilla. Mix till thoroughly conbined. Add dry ingredients gradually.; mix until just combined.

Fill liners about 2/3 full. Bake 17 to 20 minutes, or till tops are set. Cool on rack.

Icing:

• 12 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon baking molasses
• 2½ cups 10x sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon half & half or milk

Cream butter. Mix all ingredients and beat till light and fluffy.

Ice cooled cupcakes.

Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

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Winter Squash Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

Stephanie Trowbridge, Stevens

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¹/₈ teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs beaten
• 2 cups mashed winter squash
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
• 1 tablespoon milk

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in eggs, squash and vegetable oil. Spread into a greased 15”x10”x1” baking pan.

Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes until the bars test done. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, for frosting, beat together cream cheese, confectioners sugar, vanilla and butter. Add milk and mix until smooth.

Frost cooled cake. Cut into squares.

Yields 4 dozen.

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Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 2½ lbs. butternut squash, halved, seeded, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups leeks, chopped
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• (2) 14½ oz. cans chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• seasoned salt and white pepper, to taste
• freshly ground nutmeg and sour cream, for garnish

Combine squash, leeks, apples, broth and water in a 4 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours or until squash and leeks are tender.

Carefully puree the hot soup, in 3 or 4 batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Add seasoned salt and white pepper. Garnish with nutmeg and sour cream.

Serves 8.

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Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 2½ lb. spaghetti squash
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Arrange halves cut-side down, on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes or until soft. Using a fork, scrape out spaghetti strands.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add onion, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Sauté 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, uncovered, on high heat until most liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in spaghetti strands, cottage cheese, mozzarella, parsley, basil and bread crumbs. Put in a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan on top.

Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes.

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Easy Butternut Squash Dessert

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups mashed butternut squash
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• ½ cup melted butter

Mix together everything but cake mix and butter; pour into a 13”x9” cake pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over squash mixture. Drizzle butter on top.

Bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes.

Top with whipped cream or serve with ice cream.

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Squash Cake

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups cooked squash
• 2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1½ cups raisins
• ½ cup coconut
• ½ cup nuts, chopped

Cream sugar, eggs, oil, squash and vanilla. Add rest of ingredients. Mix well.

Bake at 350°F for 1 hour in a greased and floured 9”x13” dish.

Serve warm with Cool Whip.

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Butternut Squash Soup

Doug Bashore, Lititz

• 2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 pears, peeled and chopped
• 1 yellow onion
• 5 celery ribs
• 2 sticks butter
• 8 oz. heavy cream
• 5 cups chicken broth
• ¹/₃ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ¾ cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and roast in oven until squash is soft. Removed from oven and cool slightly.

Put squash and all remaining ingredients except lemon juice in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Purée with an immersion blender. Simmer an additional 15 minutes. Add lemon juice.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• 3 acorn squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 apple, chopped
• 2 cups cooked farro
• ½ cup dried tart cherries or cranberries
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• ¹/₈ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Carefully trim a tiny bit off the top and bottom of each squash to created a flat surface, then cut the squash in half. Remove seeds. Rub the inside with olive oil. Place cavity side down on baking sheet and roast until fork tender, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage, celery and onion. Cook until sausage is cooked through, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add cooked farro, apples, cherries, sage and garlic powder. Continue to cook until apples have softened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Remove squash from oven and turn cavity side up. Fill with sausage mixture and sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired.

Return to oven for additional 10 minutes until heated through.

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Baked Butternut Squash Rigatoni

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. rigatoni
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 3 cups shredded fontina cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss squash with olive oil in a large bowl to coat. Place on a large, rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

While squash is roasting, cook rigatoni according to package directions.

Purée reserved squash, garlic and heavy cream in a blender or food processor until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine rigatoni, squash purée, 2 cups fontina cheese, sage, salt and pepper. Transfer to a greased 9”x13” baking dish.

Combine panko and remaining cup of fontina. Sprinkle over pasta and bake 20 to 25 minutes.

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Sweet & Savory Spaghetti Squash

Pat Roth, Ephrata

“I always shred them in a bowl and combine the two halves & toss. Delicious!”

• 1 large spaghetti squash (4 lbs.), halved lengthwise & seeded
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• salt & pepper
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

In one squash half, combine brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

In the other half, combine 2 tablespoons cheese, 3 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper.

Place both halves in a 9”x13” baking dish and add the broth. Cover with foil and bake at 450°F until tender, about 50 minutes.

Scrape into strands (still in the shell). Drizzle sweet half with honey and savory half with Italian seasoning and remaining cheese.

Serves 4 to 6.

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Stuffed Zucchini

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 2 medium zucchini
• ½ lb. ground beef or bulk Italian sausage
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ²/₃ cup seasoned bread crumbs
• ¹/₃ cup milk
• ¹/₈ teaspoon dill weed
• 1 cup spaghetti sauce
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and leave a 1/4” shell.

Chop the pulp. Set the pulp and shells aside.

In a skillet, brown the meat, onion and garlic; drain. Add the pulp, bread crumbs, milk and dill. Spoon this into the zucchini shells.

Place into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with the spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with the cheese. Cover and bake at 325°F for 30 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.

Makes 2 servings.

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Zucchini Quiche

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 3 to 3½ cups diced zucchini, grated
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup Bisquick
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup Parmesan or cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients, except the zucchini, in a bowl. Add the zucchini last. Pour into a buttered 9 inch pie plate.

Bake at 350°F until brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

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Zucchini Crisp

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

“Tastes like apple crisp!”

Filling:

• 4 cups chopped zucchini
• ¹/₃ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¹/₃ cups butter, chilled

Topping:

• ½ cup quick-cooking oats
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¹/₈ teaspoon baking powder
• ¹/₈ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup melted butter

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir zucchini and lemon juice until zucchini is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg; cook one minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8”x8” baking pan or dish.

In a large bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (can also use a food processor).

Stir 1/4 cup of the butter mixture into the zucchini mixture to thicken. Press remaining butter mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread zucchini mixture over crust.

Combine the oats, 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over zucchini mixture.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Serve warm or cold.