by Herb Senft

Acorn, Kabocha, Blue Hubbard or Sweetmeat type squashes. The following used a Kabocha.

Cut the squash in half, clean out the inside — save seeds for roasting. Put halved squash in a baking dish. Add 1/2 inch water to the bottom, dab squash with butter and seasonings, sliced fruit or nuts, cover and bake/steam for 20 -30 min. at 350. Squash should not be done. Open and cover the fruit/nut center with apple or cranberry sauce. Return and cook another 10- 15 minutes. Open, remove lid and put oven to broil for 5 minutes.

1-2 Tbs. butter, pinch of nutmeg and chili,
1 tsp. cinnamon,
1-2 to 1 apple cut up in slices, lastly topped with 6 Tbs. applesauce. (I used no sugar, the Kabocha should be sweet enough and the applesauce provided some)

Some squashes like the Blue Hubbard might need some brown sugar. Cut into quarters and serve. (Do your own timing, as every squash will be different, use a fork to test. All told, this one was some 45 minutes.) Next time I might try walnuts/pecans with raisins or dates. Applesauce or cranberry topping.

A Czech Hungarian version might use 1 clove garlic, 1 small onion (or greens) chopped, 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp. Hungarian paprika, some flour, parsley.

In a skillet, melt some butter, add the onion then garlic, saute 5 min. Add the tomato, maybe 1 Tbs. Flour, salt and paprika, cook only to blend and thicken the sauce; sour cream if you have it, fill in the squash and bake. Top with parsley or cilantro. The last time I added a smoked and finely chopped poblano chili.

It isn’t what I do, but how I do it. It isn’t what I say, but how I say it — and how I look when I do and say it. Mae West