I should do something interesting with squash or pears.

[Denninmi]

But what?

:shrug:

[beac]

1. For the pears:

Pear Clafouti, Three Ways
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/11/pear-clafouti-three-ways/

[Denninmi]

2. Well, OMG. That is just awesome.

Mind you, my waistline doesn't need 3 desserts at once, but I have got to try the concept. I may just need to stop at this little Ice Cream factory called Ray's in Royal Oak, Michigan, and pick up a carton of their cinnamon ice cream to go on top!

Pears, pears, pears, I've got a bazillion pears now.

I should also make a batch of squash soup this weekend -- I've got dozens of those sitting out there waiting to be picked. Some of the really good kinds -- black futsu, tetsubuko, Chioggia di Marina, butternuts, neck pumpkin, Thai small pumpkin, buttercup, Long Island cheese, Musquee de Provence, and various acorns.

[canetoad]

3. Suggestion for soup

Slow roast the squash/pumpkin with other stuff such as garlic, onion, peppers, chilli, butter and/or oil. Then process to make the soup, adding stock or coconut milk.

Roasting first gives a magnificent flavour.

[Denninmi]

4. I could totally see a Thai inspired squash soup similar to Tom Yum.

Our local Thai carryout place makes a great Tom Yum soup with coconut milk. I could see this adapted easily. I think I have everything required except probably no fresh cilantro, that all went to seed weeks ago.

[beac]

5. Zucchini-green with envy at your squash bounty.

I think I have to resign myself to being a squash blossom gardener. Greedy borers limit me to about one fruit per summer. :(

I've had clafoutis on the brain (spelled w/ or w/out an "s"?-- I see it both ways) since reading this post about a fig & honey version: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2011/08/30/the-fig-tree-the-cardinal-and-a-fig-and-honey-clafoutis-recipe/

And cinnamon ice cream??? *swoon*

[Denninmi]

6. I never have much of a problem with borers.

And I don't think I've ever seen a squash bug. About the only thing that I have problems with here are crows pulling up the young seedlings if I direct sow, so now I do transplants.

Yup, I get a lot of them. Squash is pretty much a crop on autopilot -- set and forget.

[noamnety]

7. I put most of my pears on the dehydrator

I quartered them and cut out the core, but that was it, no other seasoning, no peeling.

OMG they are great. Now my only problem is wanting to binge on them, a handful is like 4 or 5 pears and I'm having control issues.

[Lucinda]

8. Pears + Bleu Cheese = Yum.

Crumbled blue, blue cheese dressing...any way you combine them = Yum. Especially chilled.

[beac]

9. But don't discount hot... I had a pear and gorgonzola pizza for the first time this summer.

HEAVEN!

[Lucinda]

10. Oooo...I bet!

I'll have to try that. Sounds intriguing!

[grasswire]

11. harlequin jam for the pears?

My grandmother's harlequin jam was quite a prize at the fall bazaar, I'm told.

[Aerows]

12. My grandmother and great-aunt used to can pears

They would boil it, etc, and then use it as a sweetener for cakes and pies. It was heavenly.