Acorn Squash Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

2 � cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
� tsp. baking soda
� tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1 cup mashed acorn squash
1 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line muffin pans. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large mixing bowl and mix. Add eggs, mashed squash, butter, and sugar and beat until mixed - the batter should not be smooth. Fill muffin cups almost to the top by spooning in batter. Bake for about 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Baked Acorn Squash

4 med. acorn squash
8 Tbsp. butter or margarine
16 tsp. honey
Fresh ground pepper for seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the squash in half crosswise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Trim the bottoms so that the squash will stand hollow side up. Place 2 tsp. honey in the hollow of each squash. Add 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine to each and a speck or two of fresh ground pepper. Place squash in a large, shallow baking pan and bake, uncovered, in a moderate oven for about 2 1/2 hours or until the squash are tender.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 med. acorn squash
1/2 cup brown rice
1 package (16 oz.) pork-sausage meat
1 egg
1 can (3 oz.) sliced mushrooms - drained
1 Tbsp. maple syrup or maple flavored syrup
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each acorn squash lengthwise in half and discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side down, in 12 x 8-inch baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions. In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook pork-sausage meat until browned. Remove meat (discard drippings) to medium bowl. Toss with egg, mushrooms, syrup, and cooked brown rice. Turn the squash halves, cut side up, in the baking dish and sprinkle with the salt. Spoon the meat mixture into the squash halves. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes or until tender. Transfer to warm platter and serve.

Buttercup Squash Casserole Serves 4

1 med. buttercup squash
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
1/8 tsp. nutmeg, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash into quarters and remove seeds. Place with the cut side down, in an ungreased baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until tender. Cool slightly. Grease a 1-quart casserole dish. Scoop squash pulp from skin and place in medium bowl. Discard the skin. Add the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, and margarine to the squash and mix until well blended. Spoon into the casserole dish. Sprinkle with chives and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Bake for 20-25 minutes until thoroughly heated.

Buttercup Squash

Serves 4

1 med. buttercup squash, unpeeled and cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 lrg. Cortland apples
12 cranberries
1 cup sugar and 1 cup water, mixed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat cranberries in sugar/water mix just to the boiling point (they shouldn't burst.) Cool and leave in mix for 1 hour. Slice the apples into 1/4 inch slices and spread on buttered tray. Steam buttercup squash until the inside is soft but the shell remains fairly firm. Let squash cool slightly then scoop out the mash. Whip the mashed squash with the butter, nutmeg, salt, and maple syrup. You want the mix to hold its shape. Mound mix onto the apple slices by squeezing it through a piping bag. Place a cranberry on top. Heat for 10-15 minutes.

Baked Butternut Squash and Parsnips

Serves 6

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 med. white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 med. butternut squash
1 1/2 lbs. parsnips
2 sm. oranges, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. honey
2/3 cup fruity white wine
1/3 cup de-fatted chicken
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated good quality Parmesan cheese

Butter a 9 x 12 inch baking dish and set aside. Sauté the onions in oil over moderate heat until just beginning to soften and are lightly browned and set aside. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, peel, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Peel parsnips and cut into 1/4 inch rounds. Boil salted water in a large saucepan. Cook squash until almost cooked through but still firm. Add parsnip slices and cook 1 minute longer. Drain and combine with the onions in a large bowl. Set aside. In a blender pulverize the oranges, honey, wine, stock, and nutmeg. Add this mixture to the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top of mixture when ready to serve.

Butternut Squash Pasta

1 sm. butternut squash
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 hazelnut butter
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash into quarters, remove seeds, and place in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover and bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender. Let cool. Mash flesh and set aside. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup squash with remaining ingredients to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and pliable – like a firm bread dough. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Shape and cook dough as desired.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 medium onion chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger - optional
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups water as needed
Sour cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Arrange the halves cut-side down in roasting pan that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Bake squash in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until very tender. Set aside to cool. When the squash is completely cool, scoop the flesh from the skin. While the squash is baking, cook the onion and the ginger in the butter in a saucepan, over moderately low heat, for 5 minutes – until the onion is softened. Add the broth and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, covered. Add the squash pulp to the saucepan.
Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, in batches, and puree until smooth. Add enough water to achieve the desired consistency, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the soup to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat until it's hot. Garnish each portion with a heaping teaspoon of low-fat sour cream.

Butternut Squash with Ginger

1 Irg. butternut squash
1 Tbsp. ginger root, freshly minced
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
Nutmeg, freshly ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and seed the squash. Cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Put the squash, gingerroot, and apple juice into a lightly oiled baking dish. Cover and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Sprinkle with the nutmeg just before serving.

Hubbard Squash-Almond Crisp

4 Ib. Hubbard squash
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brandy
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 ground cinnamon
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter - softened
1/2 cup Amaretti cookies - crushed
1 pint heavy cream - chilled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toast almonds and chop until fine. Halve the squash lengthwise and remove seeds and fiber. Place squash, cut side down, in a shallow baking dish. Pour in the water. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove dish from oven, turn squash over and cool. Use a spoon to remove the flesh. Cut into 2-inch cubes. Place squash in a bowl, drizzle with brandy, sprinkle with sugar, and set aside for 30 minutes to macerate. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix in the butter, working with your fingers until the mixture holds together and is crumbly. Stir in the chopped almonds and the crushed Amaretti cookies. Set aside. Place squash and juice in a 12-inch round baking dish. Spread the almond mixture evenly over them. Bake for 1 hour or until the squash is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve with hot crisp drizzled with heavy cream.

Hubbard Squash Soup

1 Tbsp. virgin olive oil
1 onion - finely diced
2 garlic cloves - finely diced
1 quart vegetable broth or water
4 cups Hubbard squash - pureed (about 1 medium squash)
1 salt
1/2 black pepper
1/8 cinnamon
1/8 mace
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped scallion

Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden. Add the broth and simmer 15 minutes. Add the squash, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and mace, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the heavy cream and continue to simmer 5 to 6 minutes until heated through. Serve garnished with chopped scallion.