Acorn squash (gag)

[Valerie]

I got some acorn squash at the market, and I prepared it really simply because I've never had it before and I wanted to see what the flavors were like. I cut it in half, seeded it, added a little butter and roasted it at 350 for an hour in a pan with a little water in it (the simplest recipe I could find).

When the halves were done, they were so stringy they almost gave me the gags.

Well, they weren't that bad, but definitely not good. What I'm wondering is: is this what acorn squash is usually like? Would I be better off roasting and then puréeing (sp?) it?

Any acorn squash advice?

[Valerie]

Out of the 199 of you, there are no acorn squash eaters??? Just kidding. I'll just cross this one off my list until further notice.

[RandomAnthony]

I love Acorn Squash, Val! I have a recipe somewhere where I bake it with blueberries...it rocks...let me look when I get home.

[Valerie]

Does it come out stringy when you make it? Does that mean that I undercooked it? Or maybe I just had a bad acorn squash (possibly under-ripe)?

[jennifer]

I cook a lot of acorn squash, as my husband is from Michigan and really likes it. The easiest way to cook it is to split it, seed it and put it cut side down in a ceramic or glass pie plate that is half-filled with water. Put it in the microwave for 8-9 minutes and check it, because the time depends on how big the squash is. I use a skewer to check-if the skewer goes through the back of the squash easily, it's done.
Acorn squash, like a lot of the squashes, can have bits of string, but not really throughout. If it really bothers you, scoop the cooked squash out and put it in the blender with butter. I don't like it pureed, but my husband does.

[Sandi]

I do the acorn squash the way Jennifer does...when it's done, I scoop it out of shell and mash it with a fork, adding some butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Haven't made it in the oven in a while..microwave is much quicker. Almost like sweet potatoes.

Spaghetti squash is stringy..like spaghetti! I separate those strands with a fork, add lots of parm. cheese, salt/pepper. Yum! Some folks like to add pasta sauce..

[Lori]

Oh yes, Bunny, winter soup is starting to look very attractive with fall settling in.

[Valerie]

Bunny - do you roast it halved and seeded? Or cut into chunks?

[Sally]

I roast mine in halves, and depending on if I'm in a sweet or a salty mood I'll either fill the cleaned out cavity with butter and brown sugar or olive oil, sea salt and spices. Then I cover each half with foil.

mmmmm. I could eat acorn squash once a week for the rest of my life.

Give it another try, Val. It is fantastic!

[Will]

Acorn squash! Mmmm....

Try it as a soup if you'd like; it's awesome. Make the soup savory with your faves like rosemary, parsley, sage or thyme, but I use garlic and onions, salt and pepper, and sour cream in it. Yum! (sometimes a bit of butter; helps the calory count, you know)

[RandomAnthony]

I finally made it today...very simple, very good:)

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Vegeta...

[Valerie]

Thanks, RA. I'm going to give it another shot.

[Kathy]

You all have made me hungry for squash. I think I'll pick some up this week. This is one of my favorite winter vegetables.

[Valerie]

I love butternut squash soup. I think that's pretty much the only thing I make with squash on a regular basis, though.

[Sally]

We've talked elsewhere about the sheer glory of spaghetti squash, right?

After eating that for so long to go back to plain ol' noodles was actually kind of gross. Squash has this delicious crunch...

I'm going to wander off to the spaghetti squash thread. I know it is around here somewhere.