Farm to table

What do you do with 4 HUGE Hubbard squash in the school garden?  What do you do with two mystery pumpkins or Kabocha squashes?

This is one we picked and started with!

You take a big risk and teach outside the box.

Here is how it went down:

Over the summer, one of our substitute teachers who is avid gardener suggested making squash or pumpkin gnocchi with the students.  I actually prayed that the squash would spontaneously disappear or not be harvestable.  True story...those beasts SCARED this amateur gardener.  I really did not think that even the new food service department wanted them.

So on Monday, I put on my "Big Girl Pants" and we (Bethany and I) picked two of the squash.  One of each type.  Bethany (the physical education teacher) took home the mystery item which we are calling Kabocha Squash to roast on Monday night, but her oven broke so we roasted at school on Tuesday.  Tuesday night, I roasted a big Hubbard squash.   She pureed hers after roasting while I just lumped my in a bowl.

Our mystery item

Cut open Kabocha squash

Before roasting the Hubbard squash

All cooked up and smells divine

You are supposed to tell it is roasted when the back droops

On Wednesday, Bethany and I co-taught a lesson on FARM to TABLE.  Students were able to help mix squash and flour together to make edible "playdough".  My recipe was off because the kobocha squash turned out like applesauce and the other was more like fork soft baked potatoes.  Two very different consistencies.  A parent helper, Annette, and I mixed the dough.  It took extra flour,  but came together. Students rolled out dough "logs".  Next, they cut those in pieces.
Then Mrs. May assisted in cooking.  Finally, the students tasted the gnocchi.  At this point, Mrs. Pinzok and I switched classes.  My first group went off for some exercise and hand washing with Mrs. Pinzok while Annette and I made the recipe with the second group of students.

The best part was that 90% of the students tried and LOVED the pasta!  The Kabocha squash that we used was a lighter yellow so it looked like regular noodles in the end NOT squash noodles.

On Friday, we wrapped up our squash gnocchi unit with a follow up from our local news station!

Here is the video clip - Farm to Table News

Now we are figure out how to spread our success and 16 cups of left over Hubbard squash to 2nd and 3rd grade next week!

The question is more gnocchi or a new recipe???  Time will tell!

Here was our inspiration recipe - gnocchi link - search Spoon University Pumpkin Gnocchi

Kabocha squash information