Don't call the dishes sides!

For the next few blogs,I am going to concentrate on the lowly "side" dish.  Often when I ask what people want for a meal, they will name a meat, but meats should really be considered the sides and the vegetables, fruits, and starchy foods that we serve should be the show stoppers.  

Growing up in the Midwest, in the 60's and 70's, well that wasn't so easy three seasons out of four.  No wonder I preferred canned green beans to fresh into adulthood and am still suspicious of green peas, unless I know exactly where they came from and how they were cooked.

Truth is, I love vegetables, but I am no where near a vegetarian.  Fruit has been a struggle since I suffered through salads made with marshmallows, whipping cream, and canned in heavy syrup fruit as a child.  The only food I liked less was fruit in flavored gelatin salad with cottage cheese.  As an adult, living in an urban area, I now know that there are apples more delicious than Red Delicious Apples and that you can get Mandarin Oranges and pineapples fresh, not just canned.

So tonight I will show you one of my favorites from my childhood, the acorn squash.  Although it is called a winter squash, you can find it almost year around in stores and farmers markets.  It is genetically in the same family as zucchini and yellow crooked-neck squash. They are dark green and deeply ridged.  Choose one with a smooth skin and you will want one that feels heavy for its size.

Cut each squash in half.  Scrape out the seeds and discard. One squash will easily serve 2.

You can cook two ways.

Grandma Donna's Method

Preheat oven to 350

Place a pat of butter (about 1 tablespoon) in the bowl of the squash and generously salt and pepper each half.

Place on a cookie sheet cut side up and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender.

Remove from the oven and serve.

My Method

Preheat oven

Spray the cut side of the squash with a high quality cooking spray and place cut side down on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender.

Remove and scrape the cooked flesh from the green skin into a casserole dish.  Mash into a uniform consistency

. Add about 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco Sauce) or more to taste.

The taste differences are subtle.  It is really in the appearance.  My husband prefers not to fight with the tough skins and I think most children would prefer not to see the green skins either.