In the inevitable transition from the warm golds and browns of fall to the more sparkly, fluffy holiday decor, the winter squash have to go. Their fall hues and bulbous shapes simply won’t do.
Fortunately they play double duty as both decor and dinner.
Because of their hard exterior shell, winter squash will keep for ages. So while it makes sense to go ahead and eat the fall table decor, time is not of the essence. The winter squash will wait.
The situation brings to mind a favorite quote of any purveyor of food and beverages at closing time: “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” For winter squash such as the butternut, acorn, delicata or spaghetti varieties, “home” would be a cool, dry place. Situate them so they’re not touching or wrap them in newspaper to avoid skin-to-skin contact. They will last all winter if you respect their boundaries.
Winter squash must be cured before they’re stored for the season; yours most likely is, unless you grew it yourself. “Curing” means the squash is picked at just the right time, and then left in a sunny, dry place for about 10 days. If you’re unsure, check on your winter squash babies every couple of weeks while they’re nestled all snug in their beds for their long winter’s nap.
Or skip all that and eat them here and now.
For a simple side, slice an acorn squash in half, scoop out the seeds and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Spray the slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper or anything else you think sounds delicious; roast them on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. The skin gets all tough-crispy, while the flesh is soft and salty-sweet. Plus their shape is just really pretty.
Try these recipes when you’re ready to say your final goodbyes to the winter squash.
Slow-cooker butternut squash mac and cheese
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
- 5 leaves sage, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 pound dry elbow macaroni, cooked
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
- 4 ounces cream cheese
Place squash, sage, thyme, onion, garlic and vegetable stock in slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
Use an immersion blender to puree after cooked. Add pasta, milk, salt and cheeses to the puree in the slow cooker. Stir to melt cheese, and serve.
Adapted from www.thepioneerwoman.com
Spaghetti squash lo mein
- 1 small spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds)
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
- 2 1/2 cups julienned carrots
- 2 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
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