It’s Fall. It’s November. It’s…it’s…3 weeks away from Thanksgiving! How did that happen?
So we’re out with the candy and sweet Halloween treats, and into green bean casseroles, apple pie, and turkey.
And squash. Acorn squash.
I absolutely love it. It’s center not only provides the perfect center for stuffing, but it’s also conducive for puddles of melted butter to reside. Oh yes. Just a few simple pantry items can transform this odd looking food into something A.MA.ZING. I’ve been known to eat an entire 2-pounder all by myself.
Take advantage of it’s blank canvas – cinnamon, honey, or maple syrup absorb into the orange flesh making it so sweet. More into savory? Okay. Try garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Or garlic, cumin, and lime juice. OR my favorite – a combo of brown sugar and cayenne pepper give you the sweet and spicy. Best of both worlds!
This is perfect for your Thanksgiving feast, crazy easy to make, and can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.
If you can’t wait 3 weeks, do what I’ve been doing – it’s called breakfast :D
Roasted Acorn Squash with Butter, Brown Sugar and Cayenne
Serves 2
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
• 1 acorn squash
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• sprinkle of salt, to taste
• sprinkle of cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash and dry the squash, then cut in half along the ribs, lengthwise. With a spoon, scrape the seeds and pulp from each half; discard.
Spread the butter over the flesh of each half, then sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and cayenne. Place on a lined cookie sheet or in a baking dish with cut sides up. Bake for 1 hour, or until soft.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks so perfect for this time of year! And of course, delicious too.
So tell me, dear Amy – I’m always a skeptic when adding sugar to squash recipes, since they’re so lovely on their own (now the butter, I ALWAYS put the butter in there)… these aren’t too sticky sweet??
I am a sugar whore, so take this with a grain of salt (snort) – the cayenne really balances out the sweetness. Each bite gives you the sweet, but then bam! you get a great kick from the heat, neither is overpowering. And really, you’re only talking about 2 tablespoons, as opposed to 1/4 cup or something. Maybe even cut back to 1 tablespoon? Try it! I’d like to know how delusional my insatiable sweet tooth is.
How DID Thanksgiving get here so quick? Not that I’m complaining or anything….
My mom used to make acorn squash all the time when I was a kid. My favorite way to enjoy it was with lots of melted butter and brown sugar. Good till the last drop! Thanks for taking me back to my childhood. :)
I love all winter squash but haven’t had any acorn squash this year! This sounds delicious.
Oh, I REGULARLY eat a giant squash and call it dinner. Who needs protein when you have squash? Not this girl. Also, it wasn’t until recently that I realized that normal people don’t just eat an entire squash in one sitting along with the rest of their dinner…because that is what my family did the entire time I was growing up. Just eat half a squash? Puh-lease!
I’ve totally devoured an entire squash singlehandedly and called it dinner. Sometimes, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do! I definitely see myself singlehandedly devouring one of these babies. Like…next week.
Hello Amy-Thank you for the wonderful recipe! Rachel and I treat and tricked by your old house and I thought about all of you. Hope you are doing well-Karen
Hi Karen! It was 75 degrees here for Trick or Treating and I thought about our old neighborhood all night. Teri and I exchange e-mails every now and again. Miss you all!
Yum! I love it too! I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving again.
I gotta get crafting!
Breakfast works for me!!!! I LOVE acorn squash!!! Heck, we LOVE any type of squash!!!!
Good. Heavens. All. Mighty. Yes.
Lol. My sentiments exactly, Bev!
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