For those of you who asked...

For those of you who asked me about this on my facebook page & group...

The pattypan squash!

AKA The flying saucer squash.

Its a summer squash, like a zucchini.  It cooks like a zucchini and it tastes like a zucchini.

It just looks a little bit different!

And, boy, can they be different...

Pattypan squash is low in saturated fat and sodium and contains no cholesterol. It provides an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. One cup of cooked pattypan squash provides 38 calories and 43 percent of your daily value of Vitamin C, 13 percent of your daily value of folate, and substantial amounts of vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium and Vitamin A. Additionally, one serving of pattypan squash provides 5g of fiber.

 

Pattypan squash has many disease-fighting elements. Its fiber content helps reduce the risk of colon cancer and reduce dietary cholesterol. The vitamin C found in pattypan squash can also help prevent oxidation of cholesterol in the blood vessels, which in turn can decrease risk for atherosclerosis. Pattypan squash's potassium and magnesium content work to lower blood pressure. Magnesium also reduces the risk for heart attack and stroke.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/43951-pattypan-squash-nutrition-information/#ixzz23YG5KWFd

Above is the view of the top. 

I say top because, traditionally speaking, the plant is attached to the veggie via the stem. 

Above is the bottom view.

Now to the burning question!

How does one prepare such a veggie?

I slice off the top.

Then slice down the center.

(makes it easier for handling and further slicing)

Once halved, I quarter it!

Pattypans aren't supposed to be as big as your head, but like most summer squashes, if you blink, it will go from cute like disks to humungous veggie monsters!

This one was a little big and therefore had a small row of seeds.

The seeds are soft and you can cook them too, but I just sliced them out.

What you are left with is above.

(kinda looks like a heart!)

Continue slicing to your hearts desire.

The thinner the veggie slice, the faster it will absorb oil and cook.

You have to be aware of the thickness because you could end up with some slices where the inside is cooked, but the thicker outer rim is still raw.

My favorite way to prepare these veggies is to heat up some oil and fry them up, adding pressed garlic towards the end.  You can stuff them...

...roast them or steam them. 

Throw them in your favorite casserole, stir-fry or even muffins or bread (shred them for use in baking).

Since they are really mild tasting (or don't really have a specific taste of their own), you can add just about any spice to add flavour.  Chili powder, cayenne, coriander, black pepper.  Or you can serve them with a really flavourful food to balance out the meal.

Salt is a must!



These veggies don't keep, so its important to eat them shortly after they have been picked.

Trust me, if I ever find a way to store these beauties, YOU'LL be the first to hear about it!

Helping out helps everyone...

I'm pretty sure I've already mentioned this before...but we don't really have a full garden this year.

In the meantime, we are committed to helping out my mother in law with her garden!

She just lives around the corner, so its not an inconvenient endeavour.

I have to say, it's great to get my hands back in the dirt and taking care of blooming plants.

She planted cabbages, herbs, carrots, beets, beans, peas, pumpkins and cukes.

There are also tomatoes of various varieties.

Our mother in law is a busy lady and always has loads of stuff on the go.

She returns the favour by offering up some of the surplus veggies as well as bringing us the odd bucket of compost!

Owen checked to make sure the apple trees are still strong...

Helping out has so many benefits:

-healthy outdoor exercise!  (my legs are killing me)

-aiding another's desire to grow their own food is never a bad thing.

-pooling your resources is a wise endeavour.

-if you don't want to dig up your own property but still want home grown organic foods, helping someone else could supply you with that extra food!

-make a deal with your gardening neighbours, food for work!

-building relationships with your gardening buddies.

-takes the load off of someone who is busy.

-builds good karma!

and last but not least...you can still get the opportunity to get in the garden...even if it isn't yours!!!

Garden Update: Making due...

This could possibly be the first year I have not had some sort of a garden...

It has not been easy for me.

Above pictured is our proposed garden space for next season.  It seems like an eternity to me sometimes.

Certainly everytime I go to the grocery store and have to buy things I used to get for free in my backyard.

It stings a bit at the checkout too.

However...in true Pedersen fashion...we are making the best with what we have!

We started a number of containers with herbs.

My mother in law donated a whole herd of plants!

Crazy stuff like lime basil and purple basil.

The living mint plant I bought from the grocery store in march still lives!

Ches turned the back part of the old garden patch and planted all of the gifted plants.

Tomatoes a plenty!  Romas, cherry, beefsteaks and yellow plum tomatoes.

  

Our pepper plants went into an old metal container we found next to the garage.

Repositioned at the end of the big garden , we have a bunch of pepper types growing.

Yellow wax hot peppers...

Also regular green bell peppers.

It's amazing what you can do with a little imagination!

So the garden efforts are a bit hampered this year, they are not spent!

There are other things happening on our property that were pre-existing.

The concord grapes are coming along nicely (we think)...we've never grown grapes before!

I plan on reading up on their care this winter, but for now we are just marveling at how they grow.

Another thing we seem to have plenty of, in all of the areas with disturbed soil, is lamb's quarter.

Lamb's quarter is one of those wild edibles you never forget once you identify them. 

We're seeing it in all of those containers pictured at the top, basically anywhere we used the free topsoil from my husband's parents property.

You can use lamb's quarter like you use spinach, either steamed or raw.

I seem to only like the young leaves in salads...other wise the leaves of just about any age plant (before flowering) are good cooked.  The reportedly have astronomical health benefits.

How are your gardens doing?

Be sure to post pictures of your gardens and bounties on my facebook page!

Just about missed the strawberries!

We are so fortunate to have a choice of pick-yer-own farms in our area.

Both are great for different reasons.  Both are run by members of the same family.

We decided to go to Paulridge this year, because of necessity.  My mother in law called ahead to see which farm actually still had strawberries left!  We had waited too long in the season to have the luxury of choice.

So off to Napanee we went back at the beginning of July!

(Ideal timing in our area seems to be the middle to end of june for strawberries...but raspberries are later on)

Paulridge Farms is a family run operation that has been going on for years.

They really do have it down to a fine art.  They provide everything one might need for the experience.

http://www.paulridgeberryfarm.com/

Quaint placards display current pricing, wagons to haul your load to the car.  The parking lot is a short hike from the fields...kind of a nice treat to see the exhaust is kept a safe distance back from the food.

Owen shows me he is ready to go with all the tools he needs.

(Lucky for him Mum brings the other essentials like sunscreen, a cushion for your knees or bum and lots of water.)

The driver takes us on a flat bed trailer to the spot that is currently being picked.

Owen moves down the rows searching for the ultimate berry!

Lucky for us it was a hot day with no scorching sun.

Owen still needed a rest in between the rows.  Whew!

We were able to haul out 3 baskets of berries between Owen and I.

Nana picked 3 baskets herself.

We do eat some while we work...but after a while you just want to get out of the uncomfortable hunched over position.  So you pick faster...and snack less.  On the ride back to the main buildings, we snack a bit in sheer exhaustion and bliss.  Behind Owen are the baskets picked by the employees.  Those berries are sold at a premium, as "pre picked berries" at the main buildings.  The flavour of home grown, fresh picked berries but without the back pain.

Paulridge Farm has a play area at the main buildings. 

Its a nice little spot to rest up before heading back home.

We had to wait a little bit as Ches and Noah went their own route.

We decided to divide and conquer, splitting our efforts between strawberries and raspberries!

Ches and Noah picked 2 baskets of raspberries, which is saying a lot!

We have found that filling a full basket of raspberries takes twice as long because they are smaller and the bushes hide those ripe suckers!

In the end the boys were happy with the haul.

Total haul:  6 baskets of strawberries, 2 baskets of raspberries, 4 pints of fresh peas and 1 pint each of green and yellow beans.

It took approximately 2 and a half hours from the start of our trip door to door.

We made a huge batch of strawberry jam along with a couple of raspberry jams.

We rinsed and froze some of each kind of berry in large freezer bags.

Some of those frozen berries will turn into smoothies or be inserted into pies or crisps.  The newest thing for us is thawing a few for a batch of home made raspberry vinaigrette. 

All the tops we cut off the berries when we prepared them will go great in our composter too!

We ate the beans and peas almost immediately.

Eating fresh peas from the pods remind me of my childhood driving from Oshawa to a farm in Bowmanville.

My Mom and I would shell and eat them all the way home.

My paternal Grandma Bell was also big on picking your own when they were in season.

Perhaps that is a peak into her farming childhood or a reminder of the hikes in Selwyn Park in the Kawarthas where her and her husband built a cottage on Chemong Lake.

I just hope that my sons take their children picking berries and the tradition will continue.

Memories are made along the journey...not when you get to the destination!