Impressive Collection

Now that the squash have cured upstairs in the warm dry air, they’ve been moved to the much cooler dining room and have become, in effect, an awesome tablescape, to borrow a phrase. There’s delicata, buttercup, butternut, acorn, sweet dumpling, and sweetmeat, which is the large greyish-blue one in the top corner. I roasted it last night to use for making “punkin” pies, which, accompanied by huckleberry pies, will be the big extent of our quiet, stay-at-home Thanksgiving dinner.

Nutritious, delicious winter squash is great served a number of ways. I mentioned plain roasting above, and to take this a few easy steps further, try the following method for cooking squash and any number of vegetables, to be chosen according to your own personal preference.

Peel and trim your choice of squash, however much you think you will eat, then cut into large chunks or strips, and put into a large bowl.
Next, quarter up a couple of small onions (peel and trim the onion, but leave the root knob intact and cut through it so as to leave all the onion layers connected), put into bowl with squash.
Peel and trim 1 small apple, cut it into chunks, put into bowl.
Peel and thickly slice 1 or 2 baking potatoes, put into bowl.
NOW (and this all takes longer to explain than to actually do) sprinkle with plenty of salt & pepper, dabble with olive oil and just a bit of balsamic vinegar (Napa Valley Naturals imports a scrumptious cask), then mix together with your hands.
Take a little taste of the marinade and see if you need any more seasoning.
Spread the veggies evenly on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment, and place in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350-degrees until veggies are tender and caramelized.
You can turn up the heat for 15 minutes or so if you want them browner.

I was going to give you a recipe for Sweet & Creamy Winter Squash Soup, but I guess I got over-enthusiastic about roasting… Yum…