Musings of a Vintage Junkie: white pumpkins

Showing posts with label white pumpkins. Show all posts

Monday, October 7, 2013

A Pink Pumpkin and A Fall Lunch

In an earlier post I said how my pink and cranberry parlor does not lend itself to Fall decorating with oranges, rusts and golds.

Well, this past weekend at the Public Market I found a pink pumpkin! Yup, I did not paint this pumpkin! I also picked up two white mini pumpkins.

Now a small corner of my parlor is Fallish!

Every Fall my Mom Jane and I celebrate her birthday with a special lunch. If the weather cooperates, a walk in the park surrounding Canandaigua Lake and maybe a game of Sequence, SkipO, or Rummikub. The plan for this year, her 75th, was to have it at her house because it was a rainy, dreary, dark day. Only the weather was dreary!

A sneak preview of the birthday lunch with recipes to follow. There is Taster's Choice Zucchini bread, the best zucchini bread and only one I make, Harvest Squash Soup and Hot Chicken Salad served in an acorn squash.

For The First Course.....

The soup is a recipe that Mom Jane gave me. It is a thick, hearty soup with fresh butternut squash and apples.....

Harvest Squash Soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 tablespoon cooking oil

4 cups mashed cooked butternut squash (about 1 large)

3 cups chicken broth ( I use the reduced fat kind)

2 cups unsweetened applesauce (homemade is best *)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Saute onion in oil until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Tip - all squash is not created equal! Some are sweeter than others. I added more cinnamon, nutmeg and a little sugar to my last batch because the squash was not as sweet.

* to make unsweetened applesauce just cut up 3-4 apples, add a little water and cook down by simmering on the stove. Mash apples and you have unsweetened applesauce!

The main entrée.....

This hot chicken salad served in half an acorn squash is from my most favorite cookbook, Applehood and Motherpie. There is not a bad recipe in the book and this is in the top ten!

Hot Chicken Salad

8 to 10 servings

4 to 5 pounds chicken (4 cups cooked and cubed)

4 cups chopped celery

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup grated onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1 cup sliced, blanched, toasted almonds
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1/2 grated parmesan or romano cheese
Acorn squash, enough for half per person

Bake chicken in 400 degree oven till done. Cut into cubes. Combine chicken with the next 8 ingredients. Allow to stand at least one hour.

(While the oven is hot, bake your acorn squash. Cut an acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Put in a casserole with a little water on the bottom, cover with foil and bake about an hour at 400 degrees).

Spoon the chicken mixture into buttered shallow glass 2 quart casserole. (Refrigerate here to bake later or continue).

Top with crushed cornflakes and cheese. Bake till heated through and lightly browned.
350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes

On the side....Taster's Choice Zucchini Bread

This recipe is from For Goodness Taste, the companion cookbook to Applehood and Motherpie. I posted about it last year and you can find the recipe here.

Mom Jane enjoyed the lunch and we always have a great time together. She beat me in SkipO though.....!