Squash Pie

This recipe is the reason that I will be growing squash all year round for the rest of my life. It is a taste of pumpkin pie except it is made with squash. Who knew?!?! This is one way to get little ones and adults to eat their veggies! Although, it is more of a dessert :) Try it out and you won't be disappointed. Especially if you love pumpkin pie.

You will need about six squash from your garden or the store. 

Cut the ends off of your squash and discard. Cut into 1/4 inch slices

Add just enough water to cover squash and cook until tender.

Drain and set squash aside to cool.

Add pie crust to a 9 inch pie dish. Ignore my silly crust. I am still learning that part!

 Now, add 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk (1 can), 2 eggs, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into a food processor or blender and blend for 5 seconds.

Add squash to food processor or blender and blend for 2 minutes.

Pour into pie crust and cover rim with tin foil or a pie rim.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes and then 350 for 35 minutes or until the pie does not jiggle! Let cool and refrigerate! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon 

6 yellow squash

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

-Cut off the ends of the squash and discard

-Cut squash into 1/4 inch thick pieces

-Add squash to pot and cover with  just enough water to cook until tender

-Drain and set squash aside to cool

-Add sweetened condensed milk, eggs, brown sugar, and cinnamon to food processor/blender

-Blend for 5 seconds

-Add squash to food processor/blender and blend for 2 minutes

-Pour into unbaked pie shell

-Cover edges with foil or a pie rim

-Bake at 400 degrees in oven for 10 minutes

-Turn down heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes or until pie does not jiggle much

-Remove for heat, let cool, and then refrigerate! 

-Can be served with cool whip for extra yumminess!

Cream of Spinach Soup

Hey guys! So our garden decided to produce tons of spinach at the same time. I was overwhelmed looking at all of the leaves thinking, "What am I going to do with all of this?" I can only eat salad so many days in a row before I get the urge to never look at lettuce again! I had a few recipes already picked out but nothing sounded good. Then it dawned on me! CREAM OF SPINACH SOUP! So I threw some ingredients together and away I went. Little did I know that I would end up sauteing 36 cups of spinach that day to keep in the freezer because this soup was so quick and easy to make. On a side note, if you are on a diet this soup is not for you. You are more than welcome to make it diet friendly but I don't believe in diet friendly when it comes to cooking things that taste oh so wonderful with heavy cream! :)

Take 6 1/2 cups of large spinach leaves and wash thoroughly. Add spinach to large pan and cover with enough chicken broth to saute. When broth has heated thoroughly, saute for 2 minutes and then remove from heat. Place on cutting board and chop spinach. Set aside.

Mince 1/4 cup of onions.

Add 3 tablespoons of butter and the onions to a medium sauce pan. Saute onions in butter until butter is melted on medium heat.  

Add 1/4 cup of flour and mix with onions and butter until a thick roux forms. Stir constantly and do not burn the flour. I usually do this for about 2 minutes.

Add one cup of whole milk slowly. Stir constantly each time you add more milk to the roux.

After the milk is added, your roux should look like this 

Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the bottom of your measuring cup.

Add 2 cups of heavy cream. Blend together until the cornstarch has dissolved. If soup is not thick enough for your liking, add another tablespoon of cornstarch and blend until your desired consistency is reached.

When soup has reached desired consistency, add in spinach and blend into mixture. Cook until heated through thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Add into a bowl and serve!!!!

INGREDIENTS

Chicken broth

6 1/2 cups of spinach or 10 oz of frozen spinach

1/4 cup minced onion

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

*Wash and dry spinach

* If using frozen spinach, thaw, and strain out water

*Place spinach in large pan

*Pour chicken broth over spinach just enough to cover 

*When broth is heated, saute spinach for two minutes

*Remove from heat and place on cutting board

*Chop spinach and set aside

*Mince 1/4 cup onion

*Place 3 tablespoons of butter and onions into a medium sauce pan

*When butter has melted add in 1/4 cup flour

*Whisk about two minutes. Do not burn the roux. The mixture will be thick

*Slowly add in 1 cup milk, constantly stirring

*Place 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in bottom of bowl

*Add 2 cups of heavy cream and whisk until cornstarch has be thoroughly mixed

*Slowly add in the 2 cups of heavy cream/cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly

*When desired consistency is reached, add in spinach

*Stir and continue cooking until the soup is heated through 

*Add in salt and pepper to taste

*Serve in a happy bowl!

**This will taste 'creamy' until you add in the salt and pepper. There are no exact measurements. Some may like the taste of "creamy" but I prefer to taste the salt and pepper.