Fresh From Oregon

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Fresh Pumpkin vs can… you decide!

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Blue Hubbard Squash & Pie PumpkinsThanksgiving is less than a week away and I am getting ready early for my holiday baking and cooking my fresh blue Hubbard squash and pie pumpkins.   I have been using fresh blue Hubbard squash or pie pumpkins to make my Thanksgiving pieHubbard Squashblue Hubbard Squash2013.11.03@20.05.48._K5I85252013.11.03@20.48.10._K5I8552 for over 20 years.  Marrying into a farm family helped me understand all the uses for fresh winter squash.  The fresh taste you get from baking your own you will make you never open a can again.  Both the blue Hubbard squash and pie pumpkin can be found at your local farm stand or farmers market.  I bought my blue Hubbard squash a month ago during the fall harvest season at Kiyokawa Family Orchard and Farm Stand in Hood River, Oregon.  The blue Hubbard squash may look like it came from another planet but this light blue and odd shaped squash has been used for a long time.  I can picture the covered wagons heading west to Oregon with blue Hubbard squash in back.  With its hard and thick shell they can keep for many months.  I got a few extra Hubbard squash and stored them in my cool garage to use later during the winter months.

To prepare the Hubbard squash or pie pumpkin cut in half and scoop out the seeds and as much fiber as you can.  Do not throw away the seeds you can roast them later.  Place upside down on a rimmed baking sheet and place into a 350 degree oven.  Pour 1 cup of water in the pan, this we help steam the squash or pumpkin.  Bake for at least 1 hour or until it is soft.  I stick a knife into the shell and if it comes out with ease it is ready.  Take out of the oven and flip them over, let cool for 30 minutes.  With a food mill placed over a bowl scoop spoonfuls of the squash or pumpkin in and turn the handle to push the squash or pumpkin through.  You will get a nice smooth puree in your bowl.  Using a food mill helps to collect any fiber or seeds you may have missed when preparing the squash or pumpkin.  The general rule for the amount you will need for a pie is 1 cup of the pumpkin puree to make one pie.  I like to have the puree ready any time I need it so I cook a lot at one time and place 2 cups in a freezer container.  You can keep in the freezer for up to a year.  So any time you want to make muffins, pies, pumpkin rolls, soup or any other dish you can think of you can pull from the freezer, thaw and you have fresh puree.2013.11.03@21.20.15._K5I8555

So what is the difference between using a Hubbard squash or a pie pumpkin?  Both have a great fresh taste but I tend to use the blue Hubbard squash first over a pie pumpkin.  The taste of a blue Hubbard in a pie has a richer flavor and it is lighter in color.  The hard shell of the blue Hubbard helps them keep for long periods in storage vs the pie pumpkin which has a thinner shell.  But the blue Hubbard squash is harder to find than the pie pumpkin and a lot harder to cut up.  If using a pie pumpkin I always look for the ones with the most brown speckled spots.

Hubbard Squash2013.11.03@14.01.11._K5I8477Check tomorrows post for recipe and how to make a homemade pumpkin pie and do not throw away your seeds I will have recipes for them too!

Apple Slab Pie

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What do you think of when you see an pan of slab pie on the table.  I think of family reunions, church suppers and picnics.  It is apple season here in Oregon and each week there are several apples coming into season.  I wanted to take some of these apples and create something that I could share with friends.  When you make a slab pie you are making two pies at once.   The flaky crust of the dough and the sweet filling of apples is a great way to start the fall apple season.

Pie Crust: Make recipe twice
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, cold, small chunks
1 egg
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
5 tablespoons cold water
In large bowl combine the flour and salt, add shortening and butter. With a pastry blender mix together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, do not over mix.  In a small bowl combine egg, cider vinegar and water, add to the flour mixture and combine until the dough just comes together in a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to rest the dough.  Make another batch of pie dough and repeat above.  You will have two balls of dough when you are done.

Apple Filling:
8 golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 tart apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In large bowl combine apples, lemon juice, flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  You will need a 10×15-inch baking pan.  On a floured surface roll out one piece of the dough to fit in the bottom of the 10×15-inch baking pan.  Place apple mixture over the dough spreading out evenly.  Take the remaining dough and roll out slightly larger to place over the top of the apples.  Since the dough is so large to work with I use my large pasta rolling pin to do this.  Roll the top dough under the bottom dough and cut some small slits in the top to vent the pie as it cooks.  Bake in oven for 1 hour or until golden brown and you see the apple mixture bubbling up a little from the slits. Remove from the oven and cool on wire rack.

Icing:
2 cups confectioners sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk
Combine the confectioners sugar and milk in a small bowl and with a whisk combine until smooth and slightly thick.  Drizzle over the pie.

Experience fresh food from Oregon!

Recipe Master: Carrie Trax Editor: John Trax
Photographer: John Trax

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