Locally grown butternut squash is a fantastic dish from the oven or the microwave. Let’s look at three delicious recipes!
Fall is finally here and besides the amazing weather, beautiful scenery, and wonderful holidays (from the spooktacular to the merry), it is also the season of squash! And that is the most delicious reason to love this time of year! One of the most common is butternut squash (sure, pumpkin is better recognized, but isn’t as popular for cooking). If you’re a little intimidated to tackle butternut squash this season, don’t be! Locally grown butternut squash can be an amazing dish, whether your cooking tool of choice is the oven or limited to the microwave. Let’s look at three delicious recipes!
Prepping The Squash
The first step of any squash recipe is going to be to prepare the vegetable for cooking. Butternut squash has a hard, thick shell that can be intimidating. Start by cutting off both ends of the squash. Next peel off the outer layer of skin. It is easier to do this if you wear an apron so that you can hold the squash against you. Cut the squash in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds from the inside. Using a grapefruit spoon (the kind with the serrated edge) makes this task easier if you have one. Depending on the recipe, you can either cook the squash as halves or cut it further into smaller chunks.
Baking
Baking butternut squash halves in the oven is a great way to cook it. Coat the cut sides in butter and seasoning. If you like, drizzle a little honey over the halves as well. Place them in a baking pan in a 400 degree oven and cook for about 25 minutes. The squash is done when it is fork tender.
Roasting
Roasting is best when you’ve got squash cut into chunks. Coat the chunks with oil and seasoning and spread them out on a baking sheet. Bake them at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Butternut squash lends itself to both sweet and savory seasoning, so go with what you enjoy.
Microwaving
Microwaving works more quickly for smaller chunks but it can still be used even for intact halves of the butternut squash. Make sure that you butter and season the squash first. If you’re cooking halves, rub extra butter into the cavity. Butternut squash is especially delicious with brown sugar and cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix. Please the halves cut side down on a microwave safe plate and cook them on high for five minutes at a time. Check the squash frequently to see if it is tender. Most butternut squash takes 10-15 minutes in the microwave.
BAYWATER FARMS HAS THE RIGHT PRODUCE FOR YOU
Baywater Farms is a family-owned and operated farm servicing Baltimore, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware beaches, and the Eastern Shore. We are capable of meeting the demands of your produce distributor, restaurant produce supplier, CSA produce supplier, or wholesale produce supplier while maintaining the integrity and character of a small farm. When you work with Baywater Farms, you work with an experienced, ethical, and local farm dedicated to providing the highest-quality heirloom produce.