On the heels of Jessica Bryant’s article, Consuming Wholesome Through the Holidays, here’s a recipe I’ve loved since childhood. The recipe is from my mother! I favor to make use of acorn squash, however any squash will do!
When you have been to a pumpkin patch this season, you most likely have seen many types of squash being bought together with the frequent pumpkin, however what on earth do you do with it?
First, pick your squash utilizing these tips:
- Have a look at the colour of the acorn squash. A ripe squash could have a mix of inexperienced and orange. The bulk will likely be a darkish inexperienced, and the a part of the squash which grew touching the bottom will flip from yellow to a vibrant orange. If nearly all of the squash is orange, it was picked too quickly, and isn’t ripe.
- A ripe squash will likely be agency/exhausting, while you decide it up. It can additionally appear heavy for its measurement. On this case, it’s a signal of fine produce!
- In the event you’re selecting your personal squash, take a look at the stem of the squash. Will probably be brown and withered when ripe.
- Go for a uninteresting coloured pores and skin, moderately than a shiny one.
- Squash can stay in your counter or pantry if dry and funky, for as much as three months after being picked.
What you want:
- A glass baking dish giant sufficient to carry the squash after it has been minimize in half
- Foil
- Water
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- A pointy knife
- Scoop
- An oven set to 350/F
Put together your squash:
- Flip your oven to 350/F to preheat.
- Utilizing a pointy knife, begin on the high and make a minimize straight right down to the underside, slicing in half.
- Take away all of the seeds and webbing such as you would for a carving pumpkin along with your scoop.
- You may bake the squash like this, or minimize into quarters if will probably be simpler to serve. I simply suggest cleansing out the middle whereas it’s minimize in half, as will probably be simpler to scoop out.
- Lay every bit within the bakeware, minimize aspect up, and add your butter and brown sugar. I take advantage of a tablespoon or so of butter in every half. You need to use roughly, based mostly in your style. That is additionally true to your brown sugar. I normally add about two tablespoons to every aspect.
- Add about an inch of water to the underside of the pan, and the duvet the whole lot with foil.
- Bake on 350/F for one hour. It’s higher to overcook, than undercook. In the event you really feel your squash is on the big aspect, simply add a number of extra minutes.
- Take away from the oven and permit to chill earlier than serving.
- You CAN eat the pores and skin as soon as cooked.
- Alternate options to butter and brown sugar embody utilizing a pastry brush to cowl in olive oil, after which add crushed garlic. Nonetheless uncertain? It’s also possible to use maple syrup (once more utilizing a pastry brush) and add some brown sugar.
- Different enjoyable flavors embody: Salt and pepper, recent herbs, Cayenne pepper, or cinnamon.
Similar to another squash you will have had, you’ll be able to merely use a fork to eat the squash. This is likely one of the best (and tastiest) meals you’ll be able to add to the vacation desk this yr, and know you’re getting some fantastic vitamins and nutritional vitamins.
Blissful (Wholesome) Consuming!