Baking the Squash:
Cut in half with a hand saw, scoop out seeds, place on pans cut side down at 350 for 1.5 to 2 hrs until pierces easily with a fork. After cooling, flip over, cut off and discard darkened edges, scrape out and discard stringy lining, then spoon out the cooked squash and use in recipe or freeze in ziplocks for later use.
Yummy Mashed Squash
My husband hates winter squash and would never eat it until I baked this squash and used it in this recipe:
Add to each cup of mashed squash: 1/2 T melted butter, 1 t brown sugar, 1/4 t salt, 1/8 t dry ginger, 2T orange juice, 2T raisins, and sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. We also made this recipe in the Eastside Garden classes and the kids loved it.
Curried Squash Soup from Moosewood
3 c mashed cooked squash
2.5 c water
1 c orange juice
1 T butter
1 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1.25 t salt
.5 t ground cumin
.5 t coriander
1 t ginger
.25 t dry mustard
.5 lb mushrooms, sliced
pinch cayenne
yogurt
Puree squash, water, and juice in blender. Saute onions and salt in butter, then add mushrooms, then garlic and spices. Cook until soft. Combine with puree and heat. Serve topped with yogurt. My husband likes this one too!
He also liked this Chilean Squash recipe from Moosewood:
4 c baked mashed squash
2 beaten eggs
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 sweet peppers, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 c defrosted frozen corn
1/8 t black pepper
1/8 t cayenne
1 t ground cumin
2 t chili powder
1/2 t ground coriander
2 c grated cheddar
Saute onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, add salt and peppers and saute 5 minutes more, add garlic, spices, and corn and saute a few more minutes. Mix saute with squash, eggs, and half the cheddar. Spread in 9x13 pan, sprinkle with remaining cheddar. Bake at 375 until bubbly, 30-40 minutes.
Squash Pancakes
3 eggs
2 c baked mashed squash (room temperature or warmer)
.25 c milk
1 T melted butter
1 c whole wheat flour
.5 t salt
1 t baking powder
.5 t cinnamon
.5 t nutmeg
Beat eggs and mix with milk, butter, and squash. Mix dry ingredients together, then stir into wet ingredients. Add more milk if too thick. Butter the skillet or griddle and cook on med-low heat until dry on edges, then flip. Makes about 15 pancakes. Serve with applesauce or maple syrup. Our whole family liked these!
Use Sweet Meat Squash in Pumpkin recipes:
Everyone likes this squash better than pumpkin in my pumpkin pie recipe. It is also excellent in pumpkin molasses bread. These recipes are listed below:
Squash Pie
Crust:
¾ c whole wheat flour
¼ t salt
¼ c cold butter
2 T ice water
Filling:
2 c mashed baked squash
½ c honey
1 ½ T molasses
1/8 t ground cloves
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
¼ t salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c whole milk
Crust: Mix flour with salt. Cut butter into ¼ inch cubes and mix in well with fingers. Add ice water and stir with fork to form ball. Wrap ball tightly in plastic bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours (24 hours is best.) Get dough out of fridge 1 hour before rolling into crust. Use a floured pastry cloth and rolling pin cover to work with the dough. Use a large pie pan (9 inches in diameter by 1 ¼ inch deep or more).
Filling: Set oven to 450. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into crust and bake 10 minutes at 450, then 40 minutes at 350, or until set (quivery in center, not liquidy.)
Squash Molasses Muffins or Bread
1 ½ c whole wheat flour
6 T oat bran
½ T baking powder
½ T baking soda
1 T cinnamon
3/8 t ground nutmeg
3/8 t ground cloves
¼ t salt
2 eggs
1/3 c melted butter
¼ c blackstrap molasses
1/3 c honey
1 ½ c baked mashed squash
1 ½ T grated orange peel (organic)
¼ c milk
¾ c raisins
¾ c chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 350. In smaller bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients. In larger bowl, whisk together next 8 ingredients. Oil muffin pans (12 holes) or line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until barely mixed. Add raisins and nuts and mix as little as possible. Fill the muffin cups or loaf pan. Bake at 350: 20 minutes for muffins, or 60-70 minutes for loaf. Done when firm on top and toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 regular muffins (or 24 mini muffins) or 1 loaf.