Something I have wanted to do for quite a while (which in my life admittedly is a million things) happened upon me via a friend's invitation last week.
I was wait-listed then got a space in the EntryPoint DC cooking competition. There were 3 categories: appetizer, entree, and dessert. My invitation was to compete in the dessert arm. The rules were as follows:
- The secret ingredient (revealed 7 days before the competition, 4 in my case) had to be the star.
- $50 spending limit
- 55 cupcake size servings
The secret ingredient: squash
So what on earth is a Squamoa and where did I come up with such a thing?
As I tend to do to solve all life problems, I googled and was immediately amazed at the amount of butternut squash dessert action that is happening on the Internet and therefore immediately committed to not using it (pumpkin goes in the same category.). My thought was that anyone could use these two and score a home run.
Deep inner dark secrets revealed: My favorite squash is acorn squash. I to try to put it in about everything. My boyfriend really likes spaghetti squash. I wanted to use both of these.
It's Girl Scout Cookie season of course (one of the best seasons of the year)! I have long held a strong belief that more powerful than the Gregorian Calendar, at least in the Honey Boo Boo broadcast area is the Confection Calendar (ex: "It is ________ season!!! fill in the blank with candy corn, candy cane, Girl Scout cookie, Peep, Jelly Bean, you get the point.) And Samoas are one of the most delicious cookies ever.
So I decided to combine an acorn squash shortbread cookie, a baked then sugared then dehydrated spaghetti squash in lieu of coconut, and a much loved homemade Samoa recipe.
The Squamoa
Dehydrated Candy Spaghetti Squash
PREPARE THE DAY BEFORE!!!!!!
Ingredients:
2 Spaghetti squash
2 cups of powdered sugar
1. Bake or Microwave spaghetti squash after using a knife to make slits. Depending on the size of your squash microwave for 8-12 minutes. Bake squash at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes.
2. After baking the squash and cooling for 20 minutes, cut in half and remove the seeds. BE CAREFUL OF STEAM!
3. Use a fork to make spaghetti like strings and place in large mixing bowl.
4. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix
5. Transfer to dehydrator and dehydrate at 135 degrees F for 8-12 hours
This will make just over 4 cups of dehydrated squash
Homemade Caramel (wonderful if you can get it right which requires a good candy thermometer)
I used this recipe from Just a Taste: http://www.justataste.com/2012/02/salted-caramels/
You can also use store bought caramels. You need 20 no matter what.
The Acorn Squash Shortbread cookie base*
*You can make this as a sheet cookie or individual cookies. At chips, spices, whatever your heart desires, they will be delicious.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of cooked acorn squash
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/12 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar and butter until creamed then beat in eggs and squash. Add sifted baking soda, baking powder, flour and salt gradually until well mixed.
3. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper and then spoon into pan in either cookie or sheet cookie form.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes for individual cookies 12-15 for cookie sheet (or if your oven is finicky like mine until cookies are light brown on the edges).
5. Remove from oven and cool in pan on cooling rack
Makes 4 dozen cookies or one cookie sheet. After cooling this is the time to decide if you want chocolate on the bottom of your cookies or just drizzled on the top. If you want chocolate on the bottom flip your cookie sheet and melt chocolate and spread.
While it is cooling you can use this time to make melt your caramel.
All of the other ingredients:
20 caramel candies
3 Tb of milk (I substituted almond milk)
1/4 tsp salt
10 oz of the chocolate of your choice (I used dark)
Directions:
1. in a double boiler melt 20 caramels with milk and salt. Remove from heat.
2. When melted add 4 cups of dehydrated spaghetti squash.
3. Spread on cooled cookie sheet cookie.
Now melt your dark chocolate (either double boiler or microwave) and use a fork to drizzle over.
**If you are serious chocolate lover you should use a knife and spread the melted chocolate over the bottom of the cookie and cool before adding the spaghetti squash caramel mix.
Voila!! Squamoas! Serve and Smile!!
Squamoa recipe adapted from Just a Taste: http://www.justataste.com/2013/05/homemade-samoas-girl-scout-cookie-bars-recipe/
***As always please send any feedback or thoughts on my recipes :)
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