Acorn Squash

Acorn squash, or as my beloved in-laws in WA state say it "squarsh," contains beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B, magnesium, and manganese. A little powerhouse! It is a fruit because its seeds are inside--and yep, that means cucumbers, green peppers, tomatoes, and zucchinis are also fruits. (Strawberries are in their own class, not technically fruits, the little dickens.) But when you are a kid a squash might as well be a vegetable and, therefore, inherently repulsive. So this is how I get my monkeys to eat their squarsh. :)

You will need:

1 acorn squash for every two people
I used 2 squash for the four of us so...
4T butter (Smart Balance!!)
4T brown sugar (light or dark)
Kosher salt
2 cups water
aluminum foil lined 9x13in baking dish



Preheat your oven to 400.


Wash your squash with soap and hot water, even if you found organic, and dry them fully. Then cut them in half from the stem down. Be careful--they can be slippery.



Use a spoon to remove the guts, just like you would with a cantaloupe.



Reserve the guts to feed to your chickens...or not.



Place the halves in your pan cut-side up.



Use a fork to score the insides of each squash...



then smear 1T of butter on each half.



Now drop 1T of brown sugar into each half, no need to spread it around. (In the picture, the bottom left-hand squash has Splenda brown sugar in it and that's why it is darker.) Then sprinkle with Kosher salt--just a pinch per half.



The last step is to carefully add 2 cups of water to your pan. Don't get any water inside your squash.



Bake for 40-50 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.



You will want to serve these right away. I put them in a bowl and the use a fork to scrape down the sides...



until all the flesh is removed from the skins and is mixed up with the delicious butter and brown sugar.



They are so flavorful--almost as good as a dessert! In fact, I always save mine to eat last because I am one of those people who needs a bit of sweet after a meal. And, no offense to the Biggest Loser, but sugar-free gum just doesn't cut it. :)


Enjoy!!


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