Hi there. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I was able to make a last minute trip up to Jersey to see my family. We cooked a completely gluten free Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious! I will share the link to some of my favorite holiday recipes in the next few weeks in case you need any inspiration for your holiday parties in December.
we had so much fun cooking together!
We have been so spoiled here with the warm weather. It was over 60 degrees on Black Friday! Despite the warmer than normal temps I am still loving my flavors of fall. I can't get enough of winter squash. Spaghetti, acorn, butternut, delicata - they each have their own unique flavor and texture. Lately, my go-to snack has been roasted acorn squash. I want to share this super simple and super versatile recipe with you and let you know the best ways to enjoy it.
If you have never experimented with winter squash I highly suggest starting with acorn squash. It is smaller and the skin and flesh is less tough which makes the cutting process easier (and less dangerous) than other varieties.
anytime acorn squash
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- Butter, salted (I prefer the creamy, rich flavor of Kerrygold grass-fed butter)
- Cinnamon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While it preheats rinse your acorn squash and dry it. We won't eat the skin in this recipe, but we don't want dirt from the skin to get onto the flesh when we cut it open.
2. Cut the acorn squash in half. Remove the stem (sometimes it just breaks off easily when you cut it down the middle and sometimes you need to use a knife to cut it off). Then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy center, discard.
3. Place acorn squash halves skin side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle copious amounts of cinnamon on the cut acorn squash. Then cut large pats of butter and arrange them in the hole where the seeds once were.
4. Place in the oven for at least 45 minutes or until the squash appears browned and caramelized. You can't overcook it! So let that butter bubble and look for that crispy brown looking crust.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle.
6. Use a spoon to scrape out the insides of both halves of the squash. Place into a bowl and mix together so that the buttery and cinnamon-y brown parts are dispersed throughout.
Enjoy warm or put in a tupperware in the fridge for later use.
Here are my favorite ways to enjoy this super simple acorn squash.
Okay, so can you tell I really love my almond butter?! But seriously, they go so well together, it almost tastes like pumpkin pie. Add some chocolate chips to satisfy a nighttime craving. My sister has this squash with eggs for a sweet and savory breakfast.
This also makes a great meal prep item. Make it any day of the week (I prefer Sunday) and store in the fridge for an easy snack to pack up or eat at home.
Pick up an acorn squash at your local farmers market this weekend and give it a try.
