Dried-Cherry Baked Squash
Oct 10 '00
I run into the problem every Holiday Season of trying to find new and tasty ways to present dishes for our family Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. It's a problem only because my oldest daughter and her husband are vegetarian, as are my 2 grandsons, since birth.
3 years ago, I decided to 'fancy up' some butternut squash that I'd grown, which is usually one of the main ingredients in any side dish I bring. I never grew up eating winter squashes of any sort, and now, I love them all. And squash goes so well with Thanksgiving dinner, as a little deviation from some of the more standard veggies.
This recipe makes 8 servings, but you could cut in in half or double it, of course.
You'll need:
4 Butternut or Acorn Squash (I like acorn best, more "pumpkinny" flavor)
l/2 cup Willow Run Soybean Margarine (1 stick)
1 cup dried tart or sweet cherries.....
You can dry them yourself if you know how, or purchase the dried cherries in any grocery store. You'll definitely be able to pick them up in a gourmet market, but most supermarkets carry dried fruit now. The dried cherries are what I found bring out the flavor of the whole dish.
1/2 cup pecans (or other nuts, to your liking)
6 T. light brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
Cut each of the squash in half, using a very sharp knive on a cutting board. Remove the fiber and seeds, and place the cut side down in a glass or metal baking pan, after placing a little bit of water in the bottom. Bake the squash in a 350 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes - or until you can pierce the squash easily with a fork.
(This can also be done in the microwave - place cut side down in a m.w.safe container, adding a little water. Microwave it on High for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the dish once, half-way through. Continue cooking,if needed, until squash is tender).
While squash is cooking, combine margarine, cherries, nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat either in the microwave or the stove-top until the margarine melts, heating slowly if doing it stove-top, to prevent burning.
To complete, fill the center of each squash half with equal amounts of the mixture. Then mix some of the soft squash with the cherry filling remaining. This mixture can then be used to completely fill each squash.
We serve this immediately. I have never yet had anyone (even children), not enjoy this side dish. Although it IS definitely free of animal-products, it certainly isn't just for vegetarians. When I've made it for my family back home, I use butter instead of the Willow Run Margarine, which does give it a bit richer flavor.
This dish is really quite easy and quick to prepare, and I've found is an excellent side-dish, when you are asked to "bring something".
Marty
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Epinions.com ID:
fiona32
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Member: Marty Lentz
Location: Michigan
Reviews written: 22
Trusted by: 57 members
About Me:
Former Alcohol-Drug Abuse/Family Therapist, divorced, live in W. Michigan - love grandchildren and Gateway!!
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