How to Cook Butternut Squash

Pureed butternut squash is one of the few vegetables both of my children are enthusiastic about. I've tried many different methods of cooking: peeling first and cutting it up raw, microwaving, baking at various temps and times. So through trial and error I now have the perfect recipe.

Things You'll Need

• 1 largish butternut squash.
• 1 9 X 12 rectangular baking pan. The kind you would put a cassarole in.
• Water
• An oven
• Usual kitchen utensils and gear
• tongs
• Food processor (ideally)
• Optional: 1 Tablespoon butter, salt & pepper to taste if needed.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Slice your squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds from each half. Make sure you get all of the surrounding soft matter as well.

3. Fill your baking pan with about 3/4 inch of water.

4. Set the squash face down in the pan. The bulbous ends of the squash should be facing out; think shoes in a shoe box.

5. Put your pan in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

6. When the 40 minutes is up, remove the pan from the oven and flip the squash over with the tongs.

7. Now comes the fun part. Take a tablespoon and begin scooping the squash out into the food processor. If it's done perfectly, it will more or less fall of the rind. If not, use the tongs or an Ov Glove (an oven mitt with fingers) to stabilize the squash while you scoop. Try not to get any rind in the processor.

8. Discard the empty rind, but leave the loose chunks of squash floating in your pan. Then pour the remaining water and the chunks into the food processor. Your finished squash will need the liquid and you won't lose the vitamins.

9. Turn the food processor on for a moment. Taste. Is it moist enough or does it taste dry and chalky? If it is still dry, add some more water, just a little at a time and keep tasting. If you get too much you'll end up with soup. Add your tablespoon of butter if you are using butter, and any salt or pepper you feel it needs. Depending on your squash you may or may not need this. I bought one from our local produce stand and it only required a little butter to be fantastic. But if the squash has sat in storage for awhile it may need additional help.

10. Puree until smooth. Scoop out with a spatula into individual or serving bowls. Enjoy at once!

Tips & Warnings

• You can do this in the microwave, but I really don't recommend it. The problem with the microwave is that the heat isn't even and neither is the squash. So the bell, where the seeds were, gets overdone while the middle is rock hard. You have to keep taking it out and scooping the portions that are done while you renuke the portions that are still hard and it takes about 40 minutes anyway with all the taking out and scooping; so why not just bake it and go do something else?

• To make this a vegan recipe, omit the butter. It's optional anyway.

• A blender can be used instead of a food processor, but you may have to do it in batches and make sure you add enough water. You could also try a mixer, but you probably won't get it as smooth.

• Some recipes call for milk or cream instead of water to mix with the puree. Just say no! Milk makes it heavy and rich instead of light and airy, and doesn't really help the flavor.

• Be very careful during the scooping out process...the squash will be extremely hot!