How to Roast Butternut Squash

My daughter said to me, "Look Mommy, a squash family." Out of the mouth of a four year old.

Recently I found myself with a butternut squash family living in my kitchen. We received some with our regular weekly CSA share. And I picked up a few at the "extra" day our CSA held a few weeks ago. Once a month during the season, the organic farm that supplies our weekly CSA share holds an "extra" day for members to drive up to the farm and pick up FREE extra produce. It is wonderful and makes the CSA even more valuable.

Butternut squash is packed with Vitamin A, beta carotene and is a source of fiber. It can be used as a substitute in any recipe that calls for pumpkin.

Even though butternut squashes keep fairly well, I decided to roast them to put in the freezer for future use. It is very easy.

Slice the squash in half lengthwise and place downward on baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. You should be able to pierce the squash all the way through with a fork when it is done.

When cool enough to handle, flip the squash over and scoop out the seeds. I discard seeds into my compost.

Scope out the pulp and put into containers for freezing or use right away in your favorite recipes.

I was able to freeze five 2-cup containers of the roasted squash. I will post some of my favorite butternut squash recipes in the next few weeks. They will be posted in my Make It Yourself Monday series.

Butternut squash makes great baby food. Last year, when my toddler was a baby, I pureed the roasted squash until I got the desired consistency for her and put into ice cube trays to freeze. I stored the frozen squash cubes in a freezer bag. It was wonderful to have homemade organic baby food and it was so much cheaper, healthier and tastier than store-bought.



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This post is linked to the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM and Frugal Days Sustainable Ways.