Easy Baked Acorn Squash

We have been doing a lot of squashing in our house, something I am not too familiar with, but have really been enjoying the experiments!

I have tried Acorn Squash in soup, but have never tried it roasted. This is a great and EXTREMELY easy side dish for Fall.

 I cut the squash in half, from stem to end and scooped out all the seeds and stringy stuff inside.  I scored both halves with a sharp knife.

 I rubbed the insides with a little butter and put a tablespoon of brown sugar in each cavity.  I drizzled a little maple syrup around also.  I baked the squash in a pan with a little bit of water to keep the skin from drying out.  It did take over one hour at 400 degrees for the squash to become soft.  After they cooled slightly, I spooned the extra sauce over the exposed areas.  We really enjoyed this side, but to cut down on the calories next time, I plan to use less butter and I am going to try to make a paste with the maple syrup and the brown sugar, using only about 1/2.  

Baked Acorn Squash

1 Acorn squash
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
Dash of Salt

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a strong chef's knife, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.  Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.