Skip to main content

Roasted Butternut Squash

Squashes of all types, Cucurbitaceae,  are arriving at supermarkets now and should be enjoyed without a moment to lose.  I'm always looking out for beautiful butternut squashes to roast and serve to my family throughout fall and winter.  There's something about roasting these Cucurbita muschata around this time of year that makes my home seem a little bit cozier & nicer.  A good source of Vitamin A, E, C, and fiber, butternut squashes are not only nutritionally beneficial for you, they're also very tasty.  Apart from that, roasting this squash is the easiest thing in the world.  Let me show you what I do in my kitchen. 



Preheat your oven to 425°F.  Cut your butternut squash in half, lengthwise, with a very sharp chef's knife (be careful!) & scoop out the seeds. 

Note: I'm roasting squashes that weigh between 2 to 3 lbs. 


Place the squash cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet & roast for approximately 45 minutes, or until the halves can be pierced with a knife all the way through. 



As soon as the they're cool enough to handle (after about 20 minutes or so), remove the skins with a spoon to expose the flesh.  You can also turn them over & scoop out the flesh. 

Note: At this point, they're wonderful to have as a side dish if left in big chunks.  Simply dot with a little bit of butter, and salt & pepper to taste.  Delicious.


Place the peeled squash in the bowl of your food processor & purée until smooth.  You may have to pulse this several times & scrape down your bowl. 


Butternut Squash Purée 


At this point, I let the purée cool completely & then freeze it in 1 cup portions for later use.  This is the type of purée I reach for if I'm making a pumpkin pie or my delicious pumpkin bread.  It's also perfect for my Butternut Squash Soup.  You can, of course, serve this purée to your baby or toddler as is, or as a side (dot with butter) at dinner time.    

 



As soon as you spot butternut squashes or any other type of Cucurbitaceae at your local supermarket, buy a few of them.  Roast the squashes in the oven and either serve as is, or create something else with their delicious flesh.  It doesn't take much to coax the full flavor of butternut squash, but if you want to enhance this vegetable you can try a few fresh herbs.  Sage & thyme are naturals, but should be added sparingly to your dish.  I also like rosemary and flat leaf parsley with my butternut squash; let your taste buds guide your preferences.  Do I need to tell you that cream & butter are exquisite with butternut squash?  Whatever you decide to add to this vegetable, remember these words: make it your own & enjoy! 

Comments

  1. I like that you freeze the pureed squash. Do you put it in containers, bags or something else? TIA. The puree looks good!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like to freeze the puree in reclosable freezer bags. I put 1 cup portions in the bags, squeeze out as much air as possible (to reduce freezer burn), and place them in the freezer. Don't forget to label with dates. I use the puree within a few months. Happy Roasting!

    ReplyDelete
  3. We have been growing butternut squash this year so your timing is great David! I have never made the purée but made soup the other day. Thanks for the tips. Ina Garten had a great recipe for a warm squash salad which looked really good.,

    ReplyDelete
  4. I want to see your squash straight from the garden! Ina always has really good recipes, so I may have to look that salad up and try it. Thanks Pru!

    ~David

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank You for Posting!

Popular posts from this blog

Antique Salt Cellars

There was a time when salt cellars played an important role on the dining table for the host or hostess.  As a result of it being such an expensive commodity several hundred years ago, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well to do that made salt cellars quite fashionable & a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar usually sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer one sat to the salt cellar, the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Smaller cellars that were more accessible and with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  Fast forward to the 20th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free-flowing, and one begins to see salt cellars fall out of fashion.  Luckily for the collector and for those of us who like to set a table with Good Things , this can prove to be a boon. Salt cellars for the table come in silver, porcelain, cut glass

How to Paint a Chair

If you have ever felt the need to spruce up a set of chairs or give them a new look, why not try a little bit of paint?  Our tastes in decor and color will probably alter throughout our lives, and at some point, we may find ourselves wanting to change the look of our furniture without having to spend a lot of money.  That's where a few handy tips, some tools from the hardware store, and good-quality paint come in handy.   I know I'm not alone in paying visits to local antique shops, antique fairs and flea markets, and falling in love with pieces of furniture that would be perfect if they were just a different color.  You don't have to walk away from a good purchase simply because it's the wrong color.   My dear friend, Jeffrey, is forever enhancing his home with collectibles from flea markets and tag sales.  However, certain items aren't always up to Jeffrey's tastes when he brings them home.  He is the type of person who won't hesitate to chang

Vintage Wilton Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes have certainly evolved over the decades just as tastes and styles have in our American way of life.  There was a time when elaborate & very formal towering feats of sweetness were the standard for every bride & groom.  Growing up in a household where I witnessed several wedding cakes take shape from start to finish, I can tell you  that every single one of these was a true labor of love.  For mom, Wilton was the go-to supplier in every aspect of cake baking, including the wedding cakes which flew out of our house every single year for friends & family.   Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers It’s fun going back and looking at Wilton’s methods and styles for wedding cakes during the 1960s and 1970s.  Back then, the shapely cakes were not simply stacked and covered in perfect fondant the way they are these days, but were iced and decorated with real buttercream, along with a multitude of accessories.  There was even a working fountain available that could b