Glazed Acorn Squash

I love winter squash. It's rich and sweet like dessert, but it's a healthy vegetable. What's not to love?!

Typically I pop acorn squash in the microwave for a quick spin and the mush it up with a bit of brown sugar. It's easy. It's delicious. And I don't have to plan ahead to make it.

This time, though, I wanted to try baking it in the oven. I would actually have to think about dinner preparation before 6:00 p.m., but I was okay with that. It seemed very adult to roast something that I usually microwave. Like taking a Hot Pocket to the next level.

Glazed Acorn Squash
Adapted from Simply Recipes
Serves: 2

1 acorn squash
2 teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In order to make the acorn squash easier to slice, microwave it for 2-3 minutes on high. Once it's softened up just a bit from the microwave, slice it in half through the stem. (I suppose that would be pole-to-pole as opposed to through the equator, if I were comparing it to the world.) Scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy bits. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil (for easy clean up), and place the acorn squash on the baking sheet cut-side up.

Schmear 1 teaspoon of butter on the cut side of each half. Then sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup, and plenty of salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender when you pierce it with a fork. When you place the acorn squash on each person's plate, make sure you don't spill any of the molten buttery, sugary goodness!