Caramelized Acorn Squash With Rosemary

Do you need an easy, colorful side for Thanksgiving that won’t stress you out, can be done ahead of time and tastes delicious? Have you ever wondered what to do with an acorn squash? If you answered yes to either of those questions, I have the recipe for you!  Or, if you are like me and want to make any dish that has the word caramelized in front of it, then this is for you, too.  I love squash, but in the past have been a little intimidated by them, because they seemed so heavy and awkward, full of seeds (I’m thinking of Halloweens past where scooping out the insides of the pumpkin took hours), and I never knew how long to cook them or how to fix them.  Well, at least for acorn squash, that problem is solved.  This is the simplest recipe, but the results are out of this world delicious!  Top that with the fact that the insides of this squash are such a pretty color, and you have one of the best side dishes ever.

The nice thing about an acorn squash is that the amount of seeds and goop in the middle is relatively small.  It took me all of about 5 minutes to clean out both halves.  I also love that you don’t need to peel the squash in this recipe.

You will need a large sharp knife, however, to cut it into 1-inch slices.  It wasn’t that difficult, but in the interest of full disclosure there were a few flying squash pieces that ended up on the other side of the room.  It helped to cut slits into each end of the squash where you want to cut it, then insert your knife in the slits, in order for the knife not to slide around.   It was very therapeutic to cut the squash.  I got all my aggression out and am now completely de-stressed.  Actually, I am making it sound harder than it was.  Flying squash is really pretty funny and made for an entertaining afternoon (I really need to get a life)!:)

The best part about this dish is how easy it is to caramelize it.  It is a simple paste of brown sugar, butter, salt, and rosemary.

Instead of melting the butter, you just soften it a little bit, add the other ingredients and smear it onto the top of the slices.  Then you can either put the slices in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them or cook them right away.  The sugar doesn’t make the squash overly sweet, but just gives it a melt in your mouth quality.  And the rosemary, it goes so perfect with the squash.  Fresh herbs have such a delicate, aromatic flavor that is very different from dried spices.

Because of its beautiful color, this would be a great side for Christmas dinner as well.  But, I know I will be making this again and again whether it is a holiday or not because it was so flavorful and easy to do.  If you need another side dish or just need a good laugh and to de-stress, consider making this recipe.  Your family and your tummy will thank you!:)