Maple Winter Squash Recipes

MAPLE SWEET DUMPLING SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut the squash in half and remove seeds with a spoon.
• Use a fork to poke several holes in the outside skin of each half of the squash. Place squash in baking pan with hollow side up. Add 1" of water to bottom of pan.
• Place 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in the hollow of each squash half. Pour 1/4 cup of maple syrup on each.
• Bake uncovered on middle rack for 30-45 minutes or until the flesh is soft.
• Serve hot. If using sweet dumpling squash, each half will serve one person and can be served with dinner "as is." Alternately, you may allow the squash halves to cool partially, remove the skins, and mash or puree the squash.

MAPLE ROASTED WINTER SQUASH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Roll out one half of pie dough, and line pie dish. Freeze additional pie dough for later use. Dock dough with a fork, line dough with parchment and fill pie crust with pie weights. Blind bake for 10 minutes, remove parchment and weights and cool crust on a rack. Do not brown the pie or over cook it at this stage. The blind baking will help to achieve a crisp crust.
• Cut squash in half. Scoop out and discard seeds. Lay squash halves, skin side down, on a baking sheet. Drizzle with syrup, cover with aluminum foil and bake until tender. Cool squash completely. Scoop out flesh of squash and puree in a food processor. Add cream, sugar and eggs, and pulse quickly. Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, allspice and ginger and add to squash. Pulse to combine. Pour squash filling into pie dish. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325 degrees. Bake until set, about 45 to 60 minutes. Cool and serve.

WINTER SQUASH BAKED WITH MAPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Wash the squash.
• Cut the squash in half from top to bottom.
• Remove the seeds (these are great cleaned up and roasted).
• Sprinke with salt and pepper (you really need very little of both).
• Place cut side down on a baking dish.
• Bake for 50 minutes or until the squash is easily pierced with a fork.
• Turn the squash cut side up and poke the cut side several times with a fork.
• Spread 1 tbs of butter and drizzle 1/2 tbs of maple syrup onto each half.
• Return to the oven and cook for 5 minutes.
• Serve warm and enjoy!

ROASTED WINTER SQUASH WITH SOY-MAPLE GLAZE

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 400*F.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Brush the oill over the foil and the cut sides of the squash.
• Place the squash, cut side down, on the foil.
• Roast until a skewer inserted into the squash meets no resistance, about 40-50 minutes.
• Soy-Maple Glaze:.
• Stir together maple syrup, soy sauce, and ginger.
• Fifteen minutes before the squash is finished cooking, flip it cut side up and brush with the soy maple glaze. Drizzle some extra glaze into the cavity.
• Return the squash to the oven and cook until the maple mixture begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes longer.
• Brown Butter and Sage Variation:.
• When the squash is almost done, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped sage and cook until the butter is golden brown and the sage is crisp, about 5 minutes. Pour the sage butter over the squash just before serving.