Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar Glaze

This is barely a recipe.  It's just good.  

Roasted acorn squash with brown sugar glaze

Acorn squash are a great vegetable (actually, Cheeks, they're a fruit) to keep on hand in the fall/winter months.  Kept in a cool place, it keeps indefinitely (probably more like a month or maybe two) until you're ready to use it, or when you're simply in search of something to go on the side of something else. 


Is this helpful or what?


The hardest part of cooking acorn squash is - literally (I used it correctly this time, Yeshua) - cutting through the skin/shell/demon cover.  Since the squash is knobby, it doesn't lay flat on a cutting board, making the slicing process even more difficult - and potentially dangerous.  I thought my giant meat cleaver might come in handy, but it turns out even I'm smart enough not to hack at a roly-poly squash with a giant knife.  


No, the bread knife's long, serrated edge, and a fair bit of muscle, were the best way I found to saw through the tough, inedible skin.  Once you overcome this obstacle, though, a delicious bounty awaits you as fair reward.  Does anyone else have a better way to cut through them?  Because, I'm all ears...and clearly no expert. 

You have no idea how pretty you are, do you?

Squash is nice and versatile, with endless recipes available online to celebrate this fall fruit. But really, the easiest and most familiar way of all is simple: butter and brown sugar.  Oh yeah.  


Like I said, barely a recipe needed.  Quarter (or more) the squash.  Place skin side-down on a baking sheet.  Dot top with butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, S&P, and roast until done (about 40 minutes at 400 degrees). They're done when easily pierced with a fork.  Oh, and they're pretty.  



Sweet Roasted Acorn Squash
Serves 2-4 as a side


1 acorn squash
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
S&P


Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.  Quarter squash (a serrated knife works best for me), scrape out seeds and membranes from the middle, and place hollowed quarters skin side-down on the baking sheet.  


Rub each cavity with about a teaspoon of butter and sprinkle with half a Tablespoon of brown sugar.  Season with S&P.  


Roast at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until very tender and easily pierced with a fork.