Have you seen the different hard squashes piled up on every table in the farmer’s market? That’s because it’s winter squash season, my friends! Buy them, display them on your kitchen table for a couple days, then cook. And then keep repeating through Christmastime. Why? Because squash is nutritious, full of B-vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids, that good phytochemical that can help you fight disease, and it’s delicious! And it’s extra delicious like this!
Melissa Clark’s Maple Ginger Kabocha SquashEasy-peasy, all you’re doing here is cutting up squash like muskmelon or canteloupe slices, tossing it with a little ginger, maple syrup, and olive oil, and roasting. You serve the wedges whole, and you can eat them like melon slices if you’re a kid, or use a knife and fork if you’re a grown up!
Brown Sugar Squash PieGet a gigantic hubbard squash, and drop it out the window onto the driveway. Now you’ve got useable hubbard squash! Or you know, get in there with an axe or however you do. Once you’re in, you can make Brown Sugar Squash Pie, which is a delicious American classic. Alternately, use a butternut squash if you like the easy road in life, but I think I know you and you prefer extreme squash sports.
Delicata Squash and Brussels Sprouts SaladI know you want healthy, but this is almost too healthy—all those cruciferous vegetables and bright orange vegetables and then a living miso dressing? Come on, what are you, one of those 100-mile-runners? It’s too much!
Squash SmoothieThis is a true fact: You can put frozen squash chunks in your morning smoothie, with some yogurt. You really, really can. You can also use leftover squash from dinner, so make an extra one!
Rick Bayless’ Squash TacosI am crazy for this recipe, you take sweet winter squash and put something called salsa macha on it, which is essentially a dried chili and oil blend. Add some butter, you’re basically done—it’s so roasty, so savory, just amazing. Now, here’s my lazy secret: Making your own salsa macha is emotionally and culinarily rewarding, but you can buy a very solid version of the stuff and save yourself some time. From where? From a Latin American specialty market, or on Amazon.