Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Glaze ♥

If summer's unexpected romance was with green beans, then the fall's affair is with butternut squash. This is -- what, the third? fourth? -- time I've cooked butternut squash and its cousins the acorn, the kabocha, the buttercup and other winter squashes.

Such a classic winter squash recipe, this! Squash + pantry + oven = delicious.

If you're nervous about cutting butternut squash, try another recipe, one where you can roast a whole butternut squash or you can put the squash into the microwave for three minutes and then it'll cut like a dream.

But this small (just two pound) butternut squash cut quite easily. I put the cutting board on top of a silicone baking sheet so that it wouldn't slip around.

NEXT TIME

• The inspiring recipe suggested coating a baking sheet with cooking spray, which I did. Midway through cooking, the squash started to spit out moisture and sugar. Next time I'll try rubbing oil on the flesh itself, which might seal in the flavor better. [Later: I tried this. It did help but didn't entirely prevent the seepage.]
• The inspiring recipe called for a tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, which turned out to be 2X what was needed for a two-pound butternut squash -- I actually scooped out the goopy stuff before taking the picture.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH with MAPLE GLAZE

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 75 - 90 minutes
Serves 4

1 two-pound butternut squash

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Salt & pepper to taste

Set oven to 400F. Wash squash well, especially on the stem and blossom ends, where gunk can accumulate. Carefully cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seed and gunk and discard. Brush the flesh lightly with olive oil (or spritz a baking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil), place face-down on a baking sheet. Place in oven even if not fully heated and roast for 60 - 75 minutes, until a knife slips into the flesh easily.

In a small bowl, melt the butter and maple syrup in the microwave in ten-second increments til melted. Stir together and season with salt and pepper. Brush the cut-side of the squash with the mixture and return to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the glaze sets. Cut each half into two pieces and serve.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 109 Cal (12% from Fat, 6% from Protein, 82% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 25 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; NetCarb21; 7 g Sugar; 92 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 8 mg Sodium; 4 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

Note: Since the USDA database used for these calculations only cite winter squash by the cup, not by the 'whole squash' as we buy them (thanks, guys, THAT's helpful) I've done a quick conversion from Vegetable Love, the great resource. It says that a 2 1/4 lb winter squash yields 6 cups of flesh; so a 2 pound one would yield 5 1/4 cups. Less exact than many of these inputs but still, useful.

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRED BY
Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop

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MORE FAVORITE BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES
~ My Favorite Winter Squash Recipes ~
~ How to Cut, Peel & Cube a Butternut Squash and Keep All Ten Fingers ~
~ How to Roast a Whole Butternut Squash ~
~ Curried Squash ~
~ Steamed Butternut Squash ~
~ more winter squash recipes ~

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