Easy Peasy Recipes: Perfect for the Fall

Perfect for the Fall: Acorn Squash

 

It's Fall, and here in 'Bama we're even having Fall weather.  It's amazing, and it puts me in the mood for Fall favorites like squash! I've always eaten regular yellow squash, sauteed on the stove, boring old squash. So yesterday at the grocery store, I decided to step out of the box.  I bought a beautiful Acorn Squash, though I had NO IDEA how to make it. The Internet is a world of wonders though, and within minutes I had a simple recipe to play with.

 

So, first set the oven to 400, then cut the Acorn Squash in half.  You need a sharp knife for this, and a stable hand.  When you cut it, it will look like this:

 

 

Then scoop all the seeds out of the middle with a spoon.  Take a knife and score the sides (make little cuts in the side), and in the bottom in multiple places.  This helps the squash soak up the juices while cooking in the oven. 

 

Then get all your ingredients ready: Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Salt, Butter, Nutmeg and Cinnamon...plus a little wine for you to sip on while you're waiting for the squash to cook.  Remember: the wine doesn't go in the squash!

 

 



 





Put 1 tablespoon of butter into each half of the squash.  Then 1 tablespoon of brown sugar into each half, and drizzle Maple Syrup over the inside of the squash (1 teaspoon each side).  I added salt, because we use non-salted butter, and then I also added nutmeg and cinnamon for a little more taste (1 teaspoon each side). 

 

Place in a dish or inside a pan with a little bit of water on the bottom so the squash does not stick:

 

 

 

Place it in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 400 degrees.  Sit on the couch, enjoy a sip or two of wine, while it cooks and take in the amazing aroma as it feels your house.

 

And here is the finished product:

 

Drizzle the leftover sauce at the bottom over the remaining acorn squash, and serve this tasty Fall treat. Serves 2-4.

 

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Ingredients:

• One Whole Acorn Squash (cut in half)
• 2 TBSPs of Butter
• 2 TBSPs of Brown Sugar
• 2 TSPs of Maple Syrup
• 2 TSP of Nutmeg
• 2 TSP of Cinnamon
• Dash of Salt
Optional: Crushed Walnuts

Directions:

Set over for 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut Acorn Squash in Half.  Scoop out seeds. Score sides with knife.  Put 1 TBSP of butter in each side of the squash, 1 TBSP of brown sugar in each side, 1 TSP of maple syrup in each side, 1 tsp of nutmeg in each side, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and finish off with a dash of salt.

 

Put a little water in a baking pan or dish, then place acorns in dish.  Cook at 400 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

 

Serves 2-4.

 

Let cool! Enjoy!