Squashes

I love a variety of squashes and sadly my favorite is rarely found here in Germany, acorn squash. So I make do with what I can find; butternut and hokkaido pumpkin.

Squash is pretty simple really.

Butternut: I prepare this one of two ways. The first is to cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds (you can roast them just like pumpkin seeds) butter it, and bake it. You can stuff the open hole with a multitude of things from regular stuffing to chopped apple with nuts and brown sugar. Throw it in a 375° oven until fork tender 45 min to an hour.

Or, peel it, chop it and boil it in salted water for 1/2 hr to 45 min until it is tender. Drain WELL! Mash it with a masher or a fork, add butter and salt, serve

Hokkaido: Can be prepared the same, though you can also cut off the top and stuff it 'whole'. The skin of this pumpkin is quite thin and delicate. You can just go ahead and mash it and eat it if you like. It is great for soups in this way because you don't need to peel it.

Acorn squash if you can get them! I split mine in half (lengthwise, saying it because if I don't someone will either ask or try it the other way and complain that the halves wont sit in the baking pan. Let's use some common sense people). Butter it and lightly sprinkle with brown sugar and some spice (poudre forte, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, clove, etc...). Bake until fork tender, scoop the flesh out of their shells, mash and serve.

Blue Hubbard: I have never tried baking it though I suppose you could. Normally these babies are big so I just peel and boil them. Serve them well drained and mashed with butter and salt.