Fall Food/SQUASH!

One of my favorite musicians, John Mayer says "When autumn comes, it doesn't ask. Its just walks in, where it left you last." He puts it perfectly.
I woke up this morning and realized, IT'S AUTUMN! The leaves are starting to change here in the Coulee region and there is a crispness in the air. I am sad to see summer go (sunshine, berry picking, triathlons) but I love fall. With fall, comes a wide variety of delicious recipes---and I can't wait to start cooking with fall produce! I went to the local farmers market on Friday and I have to admit, I went a bit crazy. Sometimes I forget that I am shopping for just one of me, and end up buying enough food to feed a whole family (hence why I end up having friends over for meals quite often!). I purchased four acorn squash, Yukon gold potatoes (yes, a whole crate of them), green beans (the boy who was selling them gave me about 5 pounds when I asked for ONE), and some spinach. Now the question is where to store all of this food in my little apartment...

Here is one of my favorite squash recipes that my dad makes all the time. Does it count as a recipe if there are three ingredients and no measurements?! Who knows....

Cut one acorn squash in half and remove seeds. Place it upside down (yellow part down) in a glass pan and add a bit of water to the pan. Bake squash for one hour @ 400 degrees in oven. Remove pan and flip squash upright. Add maple syrup (I use the real stuff) and a half tablespoon of butter to each half. You can also add some brown sugar if you would like. Return squash to over and bake a few minutes, until butter is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Each person gets one half of the squash and you can eat it with a spoon right of of the skin....kinda like a bread bowl, only squash.





I will also include another recipe for squash that I will try later this week!

Butternut squash filled with spinach and ricotta cheese (Recipe by Jean Kressy)
Ingredients
1 (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash
1 egg
6 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out cavities. Sprinkle with salt. Place squash, cut sides down, in shallow baking dish lined with foil. Bake 40 minutes or until tender.
3. Remove squash from oven, turn cut sides up.
3. Combine butter, sugar, curry powder and pepper in a small bowl; mix well. Spoon into squash cavities and spread on tops. Return squash to oven and bake, 10 minutes, or until butter is brown and bubbly. Cut each piece lengthwise into halves. Serves 4.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 120 calories, 4g fat, 10mg chol., 2g prot., 23g carbs., 3g fiber, 320mg sodium.