Squash Thanksgiving

If you are a foodie, there is no squashing this holiday. Thanksgiving is all about good eats, football and napping. Here is an easy recipe with a favorite Turkey Day vegetable - butternut squash. From a culinary standpoint, we refer to squash as a vegetable but botanically speaking, the squash is a fruit (seeds on the inside). We are always learning at Annie’s Gardening Corner.

If you didn’t plant any squash this season, you should be able to find some locally grown squash in your travels. Then make a note in your horticultural diary that this delectable winter treat finds a place in your garden next year. Squash can be a tough one to peel, although it dresses up nicely with a few basic ingredients.

Simply Sweet Butternut Squash (Recipe to taste)

Peel, core and cube one medium squash – serves six to eight people
Note: when peeling the squash, don’t just peel the skin. Peel down to the dark orange flesh. The thin, light layer under the skin can make the squash bitter.
Boil until tender, drain.
Mash by hand, leaving it slightly chunky.
Add:
1 to 2 tablespoons of Butter (not margarine)
A good glug of extra virgin olive oil
1 to 3 tablespoons of Maple Syrup to taste; measurements depend on your tolerance for sweetness. (Use the real thing – nothing with corn syrup. A substitute for maple syrup is dark brown sugar.)
A pinch of nutmeg
A pinch of cinnamon
Salt & Pepper to taste
If you want to make it rich and savory, add a half teaspoon of good quality chicken base. (Minors Chicken base is the real article. It’s not all salt and MSG. It’s real chicken and good restaurants use it.)
Mix and serve with all the fixings.

Leave plenty of time to enjoy company, food and football by taking Andy Rooney’s advice when tackling the Turkey Day meal. “I don't like food that's too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef is spending too much time arranging and not enough time cooking. If I wanted a picture I'd buy a painting.” What’s the fun in Thanksgiving if lots of food and color aren’t plopped all in one plate?
(Photo of Squash 101 from Internet)