I had leftover stew for dinner tonight so I wanted to add a side dish that would add some interest to the return meal. I had an acorn squash from before Thanksgiving, thinking I might use it to make something over that week. I was excited to try this recipe I found while looking for things to make for Thanksgiving dinner. I just had so many other delicious recipes to make that day that I put this one on the back burner. So tonight I got to try it out.

It was hard to cut through the acorn squash. I had to use my sharpest, largest chef’s knife. Once cut up, the recipe was easy and fast. One large acorn squash serves 4-6 people and I baked them on a large 12″ x 7″ baking sheet with a silpat on it instead of greasing it with oil.

The sauce on the stovetop took a whole 2 minutes only and the squash pretty much just bakes itself. Since I only had dried ground thyme, no fresh sprigs, I used only 1/4 TBSP which was perfect and I also omitted the orange zest for convenience. The squash rounds came out looking very tempting and smelling sweet. They tasted really really delicious! The only change I’d make for next time, and there will definitely be a next time, would be to add the cranberries at the last 2 minutes only because they got kind of glazed by the maple syrup on the squash and got a little too hard, like candy, but still hard. This is a fabulous and easy weeknight side-dish for the fall and winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maple-Glazed Acorn Squash

From: Lou Seibert Pappas’ Thanksgiving: Recipes for a Holiday Meal, 2007

Serves: 2-3

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 TBSP, chopped, dried cranberries
• fresh thyme, 1/2 TBSP chopped plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 TBSP maple syrup
• salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3/4 TBSP unsalted butter
• 1 tsp grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Oil a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Trim the ends from each squash and cut crosswise (to make rounds with holes in the middle) into slices 1/2 inch thick. Remove the seeds, leaving a neat circle in the center.

3. Season the slices generously with salt and pepper on both sides and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared pan. Roast the squash slices for about 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the maple syrup, chopped thyme, and orange zest and remove from the heat.

5. When the squash slices have roasted for about 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and brush the tops of slices evenly with the butter mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the cranberries.

6. Continue to roast the squash slices until glazes, browned, and tender when pierced with a fork, 10-15 minutes longer.

7. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer rings to a platter. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve at once.