Squashapalooza

I was right! This weird, warty thing is a buttercup squash! When I first saw it, I asked, "Are we supposed to eat that?" but then I found out buttercups are supposed to be a particularly tasty squash. And, like carrots, they are full of vitamin A and beta carotene. Pretty soon we should be able to see in the dark!

So, what do do with it...hmm. I saw a recipe in this month's Cottage Living that looked promising, so Gerry gave it a try.

Cider Roasted Winter Squash

1/4 cup fresh apple cider or unfiltered apple juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

about 4 1/2 pounds winter squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 2-inch wedges

4 sprigs fresh sage, chopped

4 sprigs fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk first four ingredients together in a large bowl. Add squash and remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Place in a single layer on a shallow baking pan and roast, turning once, for 50 to 55 minutes or until tender and a light, golden brown around the edges. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Gerry had his along with some boiled beets and local turkey.

I had mine smushed up with butter. The picture is sort of embarrassing.

In my defense, this is the first time I've eaten squash that wasn't almost completely hidden in bread or a casserole. Gerry told me it would taste kind of like mashed potatoes, and I thought, "Sure, SQUASHY mashed potatoes." He was right, though, it did kind of remind me of mashed potatoes, and it was nowhere near as squashy as I'd feared. Melting some butter on top didn't hurt, either.