Thinking of putting up more food?  Don’t forget the vegetables that store very well with no fuss.  Butternut squash and sweet potatoes are on the top of the list.  We grow them and usually have 30-40 butternuts that we store and eat over the winter months.  They keep amazingly well in a cool basement.  And don’t forget that butternut squash make excellent “pumpkin” pies.

An easy way to prepare butternut is to bake it whole in a baking pan in a 350 degree F oven for about an hour or until it is soft–a knife should easily pierce the top end (not the round end with the seed cavity).  Remove from the oven and cut in half.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard.  Cut into serving sizes leaving the skin.  Top each serving with 1 tsp of ghee or butter.  Season with dried onion powder, salt, and other herb seasoning of your choice if desired.  Eat out of the skin (discarding the skin) while still warm.

Although cooked butternut squash alone is sweet, if seasoned with garlic and salt and olive oil it surprises with a whole new taste.
Give this roasted version a try. We love it.

Serves 4-6

1 medium-sized butternut squash
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
black pepper

In a large bowl, mix the oil, crushed garlic (use a garlic crusher or finely mince the garlic), and salt. Set aside while you prepare the squash.

Peel the butternut with a vegetable peeler and then cut in half. Remove the seeds by scooping out with a spoon. Place halves cut-side down on a cutting board and cut across the length in 1/2-inch thick slices. You may want to cut each slice in half to make the pieces manageable when stirring them with the rest of the ingredients.

Place the squash pieces in the bowl containing the other ingredients. Stir well to coat the squash evenly. Spread in a baking pan so pieces are only 1 layer thick (not on top of one another). Season with black pepper if desired. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes in a 375 degree F oven turning once with a spatula after 15 minutes of roasting. Pieces should be tender (easily pierced) and slightly browned before removing from the oven. Serve immediately.