I was delighted to receive a Sweet Dumpling squash from the garden at The BeHive.  Wow -- amazing what the kiddos are growing this summer with the help of dedicated volunteers and staff.  Thank you, BeHivers!  This is definitely a summer squash, as the skin is easily peeled and the seeds are soft.  The color is a beautiful green-peach, a bit lighter in color than a cantaloupe.  See pics below.

I sent 2 pies back to The BeHive kids with some fresh whipped cream so that they could reap the benefits of their garden.  This pie has the consistency of pumpkin pie, but a little sweeter.

Yields 2 pies

Ingredients:
1 sweet dumpling squash, peeled and deseeded, steamed in chunks for 25 minutes or until tender
3 cups peeled and chopped carrots, steamed until tender
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 T. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. allspice
2 cans evaporated milk
2 unbaked pie shells -- I always use David Letterman's mother's recipe

Instructions:
Okay, ya gotta take your time with the pureeing and the draining of the carrots and the squash.  Here's what I did:  I pureed the carrots first, since they have a bit more density, then added the squash chunks a bit at a time to the  carrots and continued pureeing.  You can do this in a food processor, but I've had better luck with a mixer with the wire whisk -- you know, the one you use for whipped cream?

After everything was PRETTY well pureed, I put the carrot/squash puree through a  sieve to drain the excess moisture.  This also required a  lot of
patience, but I was rewarded with a 1/2 cup of yummy carrot squash juice, which  I mixed with apple juice for a fab-o breakfast drink.

After you've drained the puree, then let it go for another spin in
the mixer/processor just  to get it extra smooth.

Okay, hard part over!  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix the sugar, beaten eggs, cinnamon, salt, allspice and evaporated milk until a uniform color.  Pour into
unbaked pie shells.  Bake for 15 minutes on 425, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 45 minutes.  Let cool and set for 2 hours.  Eat immediately after, or refrigerate.

Zoe and I spend a GREAT weekend with Adam and the boys; Zoe is head over heels in love with her cousins Ethan and Noel.  For toddler dinner on Saturday, Adam prepared a delish dinner of these cakes with a side of broccoli.  He found this recipe on Weelicious, and here's the link to the recipe. 

Since Zoe and I are such cheese lovers, I might experiment with a bit more cheese, perhaps parmesan.  I'll let you know how the next batch with extra cheese goes.

What's your favorite toddler snack?

I just love cabbage, but not the usual salads made with cabbage, especially cole slaw.  I found this recipe and altered it slightly.  It is crisp, balanced and delicious.  Give me your feedback if you try it!

Ingredients:
¼ large head red cabbage, cored and shredded
1 to 2 ounces gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled
⅓ cup chopped walnuts
⅓ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
Salt and black pepper

Instructions:  Put the cabbage, cheese, walnuts, cranberries, oil, and vinegar in a medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.