Classic Acorn Squash

With the advent of squash season I wanted to try something new this year. The last few years we’ve been making butternut squash in various recipes but we’ve yet to make acorn squash. I found an acorn squash on sale at the grocery store the last time I was there and decided it was high time to try it out. I went with a classic recipe for this particular trial of acorn squash. The mix of brown sugar and maple syrup is absolutely incredible. However, I realized that I personally don’t care for the texture of squash since its very slippery. Alex doesn’t prefer sweet versions of squash so this wasn’t really to his tastes either. However, if you’re looking for a very classic squash recipe this one is perfect for you. The sweet taste compliments the sweetness of the squash perfectly and is perfect for those cold fall nights.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:239]

Spicy Butternut Squash

Once you know how to make butternut squash it is super easy to make it again and again. We love to have squash, especially with large meals. This particular recipe we served for the last large family dinner we hosted.This recipe errs slightly on the spicy side. I personally don’t like this combination of spices, but Alex and his family really did. This is a great recipe to try if you like spicy food. You can amp up the chili powder if you’d like it spicier, or you can lighten it up of you want something less.Squash is super easy to make, the longest part is the time in the oven. It is best to serve it straight out of the oven so it is piping hot. I find it best to poke the squash with a fork to see when it’s done. If it is done the squash will be very soft and pliable.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:159]

Savory Baked Butternut Squash

This is a surprisingly fantastic squash recipe. I mean, I probably shouldn’t be surprised it’s so great, but I actually really loved the way all the flavors melded together to create an amazing dish. I’ve been realizing more and more that I actually love the taste of nutmeg in dishes. I’ve never really been one to use it, but recently I’ve been putting it in more dishes and have come to find that I really appreciate the flavor nuances it brings.I would say this is a must try fall squash dish. If you only make one butternut squash this fall, you need to try this recipe. This is definitely something to get you outside the plain old butter and maybe brown sugar baked squash, yet it’s not exotic like Alex’s recipe yesterday.The only things I would say you can substitute in this recipe are the extra virgin olive oil and the white pepper. The rest of the spices are very key to the resulting flavor so you can’t really change them. If you want to add more than called for, go right ahead. Just keep the ratios the same. If you decide not to use EVOO you will need to use plain Olive Oil. Because of the cook temp called for in the recipe, if you use anything else you risk it either smoking or catching fire. I would not suggest substituting coconut oil, as it will change the flavor far too much.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:101]

Simple Baked Butternut Squash

Alex and I had a butternut squash from a family member’s garden and decided we needed to try some new recipes with it. Alex created this recipe and decided I just HAD to share it with you guys. Tomorrow I’ll be sharing a milder and savory version I created.If you’ve never cooked butternut squash before you should really try it. It is one seasonal vegetable that I really love cooking this time of year. You can do so much with it and it is really a great vegetable to serve for dinner.This recipe isn’t too spicy. It has just enough spice in it to really make the flavor pop, but you’re not going to have a spice explosion in your mouth. If you like a complex yet slightly spicy flavor this is definitely the recipe for you. If you are worried about the spicy level in the cayenne you can definitely tone it down either by using less or substituting chipotle pepper.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:100]