Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is my favorite winter squash. But there have been days that squash is the very last thing I want to look at, think about, or cook. A day like that came about a week before this delicious recipe graced our table.
This particular day began on unsteady legs to begin with. I still wasn't feeling 100% over the morning sickness, but at 17 weeks along, I figured I'd better get to the doctor at least once before we delivered. :) So I made the appointment and brought my 5 and 2 year olds along . . . and the REALLY long grocery list.
I did this out of insanity and pure love for my gluten guy. He'd been the shopper for the last 4 months while I lay in misery on the couch. However, the poor guy was far more familiar with looking for corn bores in the field rather than lemon juice in aisle ten. The last time he stumbled home from a shopping trip I'd been expecting him for about three hours.
So, I dressed myself, which at this point was still a monumental task. I got my shoes on the right feet, the kids in the van, and headed 35 miles to the clinic. We arrived amid H1N1 warning posters, large arrows pointing to blue face masks, and coughing, sniffling patients in the waiting rooms.
What I really wanted to do was to crawl back into bed where there were no H1N1 viruses, no grocery lists, and no one waiting to draw 3 gallons of blood from my arm. After three hours at the clinic I was tempted to crawl in the van with the boys, lock the doors, take a nap, and not move until Junior decided it was hungry. It took about two minutes to decide to go out to lunch. Junior is not patient.
A word of advice: choosing fast food because you are starving, and eating it with a churning stomach does not make it feel better.
Then we were off to get groceries. I got about halfway through the list before I gave up, staggered through the check-out, and fell into the van. I didn't fall asleep on the way home because of the two chatter-boxes in the backseat, and visions of a warm, soft bed kept me going.
Then, about five miles from bed - I mean home - the gluten guy calls. He'd heard there was a chance of frost for the night. The radio predicted the same. This meant one thing - the produce in the garden had to come out.
I pulled in the driveway, gathered the four boys together, my garden clippers, a wheelbarrow, and we marched off toward the garden while the dream of my bed floated further and further away.
We'd planted quite a large garden that spring. I wasn't pregnant or sick then and we were hoping for a good crop. I hadn't been out to the garden in the four months since I'd been sick and it soon became apparent that God had been abundant in His blessings.
Very abundant.
The grass under the nearest tree suddenly looked very soft and very inviting. Like a fluffy green mattress.
My first thought as I stepped into our field/garden of was utter horror. I couldn't believe how many squash were out there. I thought about raising my garden clippers above my head and bellowing a "KILL THE SQUASH!" war cry. The boys would have loved it. I would have loved it.
I needed a nap.
To make a long story short, the gluten guy came home and we ended up backing the truck up to the garden because we were tired of hauling the wheelbarrow full of squash, mini pumpkins, and zucchini up to the house.
We harvested 5 gallon pails of onions, peppers, brussels sprouts, and cabbages. I counted 78 butternut squash and the gluten guys were guessing the mini pumpkins were in the 150's. I didn't even look at the zucchini.
What was I supposed to do with all of it? The thought of canning, blanching, and freezing it all made me want to sit on the floor and cry.
The gluten guy took pity on me and my quivering chin. We gave most of it away. We carried boxes of it to church, offered it to the gluten guy's co-workers, and called on family. There is still about 40 squash in the basement, some frozen brussels sprouts in the freezer, and a corner dedicated to the pumpkins which I still haven't counted.
Then, after several good nights of sleep, a few naps, and some very low-key days, I felt adventurous enough to try a new squash recipe I'd found on allrecipes.com for our supper side dish. Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash. Yum. We were amazed. Thank you to Anita Bukowski for sharing this recipe!
If you have a basement full of squash, or even one you brought home from the store, I encourage you to try this recipe. I made only tiny, minor changes to the recipe with what I had on hand. It's healthy, delicious, and of course, gluten free.
Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash (EF, GF, NF)
2 T. dried parsley
2 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. white pepper
1 large butternut squash, baked, peeled, and cubed
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Bake the butternut squash until it is soft enough to cut. I usually place a whole squash into a 9x13 pan with some water in the bottom and bake it at 400 degrees for about an hour. I've also set it in my crockpot with some water on low for several hours. Once it's cooked enough that it's soft, yet firm without being mushy, it's easy to cut up and scoop out the insides. 
2. Cut the squash in half from top to bottom. Cut the skin off of the squash and scoop out the insides and discard. Cut the squash into 1" cubes. Place cubes into 2 qt. baking dish. 
3. Combine the parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over top the squash cubes and toss enough to cover.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes until squash is nice and tender.
5. About five minutes before it's done, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over top.
In the end, was it worth it? Junior thought so. :)
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