How to get your kids to eat Squash ;)

Well, this week I have been particularly frustrated with my brood of kiddos.  Even the babies who are normally excellent eaters have become picky.  I made Butternut Squash Soup and they turned their noses up at it.  I made tuna noodle casserole (a BIG request 2 weeks ago), but no takers.  Chili, no thanks.  I even made an old standby, Italian Sausage casserole, but apparently bought the wrong kind of noodle!!!  I pulled my now famous pumpkin pie french toast and they were still crying for cereal........UGGGG! 

What is with these kids, don't they know money doesn't grow on trees, there are starving kids in.....you get the point.  So, I decided to NOT go to the store until the end of the week.  I had my hubby stop last night for milk and eggs, but that was it!  He even offered to order me some sushi, but I declined the treat and told him that probably wouldn't be fair to the kids!  So, guess what?  They are all eating what IS in the fridge!  They ask occasionally for a granola bar, I keep reminding them that I will go to the store on Friday.  They will live and this week there will be less to throw out to make way for our next batch of groceries.

 

 

Look at that all gone!!!  And they were crying for more  :)

 

Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash, sliced and steamed

2 cups chicken broth

1 can pumpkin

1can carrots

1 onion diced small and sauted in olive oil

cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger to taste

 

I cook the squash in the vegetable steamer (or cooked face down in a pan of water in the oven). 

Saute the onion in oil and add the scooped out squash.  Pour in the broth.  Drain carrots and add them to the pot as well (you can use fresh carrots, I just happened to have some canned to use up).  Let it cool and run through the food processor.  If it is too thick you can add some milk, water, almond milk OR more broth to taste.  Put back into soup pot and stir in the can of pumpkin and spices to taste  (cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg).  Serve warm, stores in fridge for 1 week.

Garden Fresh Stuffed Peppers

 

We had a bumper crop of green, yellow and purple peppers this year.  I usually make my stuffed pepper stuffing and eat it like a casserole just like my mama taught me, but this year with so many peppers I decided to actually stuff them!  Here is what I did:

I started 2 cups of rice in my steamer while I browned the ground beef in a pot (about 2 lbs of beef).  Then I chopped up 2 onions, 2 tomatoes, and the tops to my peppers and added them to the beef.  When the rice was cooked I added it to the beef mixture with 2 Tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce and 1/4tsp. of chili powder.  I stuffed the peppers, placed them in a pan, covered them with foil and baked for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. I pulled them out of the oven we sprinkled them with shredded cheese (leaving it off for those who can't have dairy).    I have leftover rice mixture and that is great on it's own.  You can cover them in pasta sauce while they bake, but I left it off so they wouldn't get mushy.  They were WONDERFUL!!!  Enjoy!