It's Me or It. Boud vs. last of the pumpkins and squash

So yesterday, since we had a freeze or two, I thought I should do something about the two giant pumpkins on the front step. Not before time. They were getting close to their sell by date, ready to collapse on me.  They were huge, big enough to turn into a coach.

But, after scooping and cutting and slicing and generally doing, I now have several bags of frozen pumpkin in the freezer ready to make soup. The squirrels had gnawed a small bit, so I guess they were getting ready to take over if I didn't.  Or possibly it was mice sizing it up for when they turned into horses to pull it to the ball.

Then there was one last butternut squash in the house.  Sigh.  I boiled it to fairly tender, then peeled and deseeded it. Honestly, recipes for squash always seem to me more like rescue attempts than actual meals.  It's such a hopeless vegetable really, very dull despite being worthy and packed with nutrients.  Like an improving book in a way.

However, I did what I could with spices, including sumac and that Ottolenghi spice mix, name always escapes me, plus a sprinkle of capers, always a good bet to cheer up a dull food. And some giant crystals of sea salt.  And a nut of butter.

And here it is.  That's actually two complete meals for me but I thought I would just set it up all at once with the statutory glass of red wine.  Most of the butter will go back into the fridge, too.

Capers are cheerful additions to dull noodles, too - I made a nice buttered noodle supper recently with addition of capers and little cubes of fresh ginger.

And that is the last of the cucurbitaceae family processing happening around here for a while.

On the subject of single ingredient meals -- this is one of the lovely advantages of feeding yourself solo.  If you want just one item, you can have it.  I wouldn't offer a plate of squash as a full meal to anyone else, but I like it.  I do likewise with broccoli.  Or a single baked potato, split and buttered and salted and peppered.  Over the course of a few days I have no doubt it all balances out.