Squash 101

Beautiful butternut squash...something I look forward to each fall. They are good year round, but the ones in fall are so fresh and full of flavor. As I aged, it became so hard for me to cut squash of any kind in half to bake. Frozen squash just doesn't do it for me. I was tired of having to ask my husband to cut one for me....I even found him struggling with a sharp knife. I knew that this just wasn't safe for us anymore. Then I got an idea....thinking about baking potatoes...I wondered-- could I prick the squash with a sharp instrument and put on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven. Would it explode and mess up the oven? I took a chance and it worked out beautifully. So, now to save myself from a trip to the ER.....I started doing it this way. 

Just wash the squash, prick it with a sharp meat fork all over, place on a foil lined pan and bake at 375 for an hour or hour and a half....depending on the size of the squash. When it's done, the holes will bubble a bit and the skin will have taken on a shiny look. Take your hot pad and squeeze a little...it should give and feel soft. Let it cool and then cut in half and scoop out that beautiful, tasty, orange flesh.

One time my daughter told me that her squash never tastes as good as mine. This is how I make a tasty squash casserole for Thanksgiving. 

I use 3 or 4 different kinds of squash. This time I used a buttercup, butternut, and acorn. After baking the squashes and scooping out the flesh, I use an old fashioned potato masher and mix in a stick of butter, 1 heaping TBS of brown sugar, pepper and I use Seasoned Salt....to taste. Seasoned salt gives it the taste that I like. Using the three squashes, made up a nice casserole full for the freezer. I freeze it in the casserole and then thaw it the night before the holiday. 

I hope you all will try baking squash this way. It's a lot safer and if you have "old" joints....saves a lot of pain.

Balisha