Buying seasonal produce is a great way to save money and be trendy. I love squash year ‘round, but there’s something special about eating squash in the fall. Perhaps it’s the ever-growing presence of Halloween or the advancing winter season, but there’s nothing like great recipes to warm up the coming chilly months. Below are some of my favorite gourd recipes (hyperlinked to the titles), loosely listed from easiest to hardest.
1. Spaghetti SquashPasta is my favorite food, but if I ate it as often as I would like to, I’d be about 300 pounds overweight. Every now and then I like to substitute the bad carbs with some good ones, and the difference is barely noticeable. You get the same fine texture of angel hair, it’s just slightly sweeter and softer. Find out how to cook spaghetti squash by clicking the hyperlink above, and dress it up in your favorite sauce!
2. Butternut Squash with Onions and PecansButternut squash has to be my favorite of the gourds because it can be enjoyed at least 100 different ways. Squash can be simply roasted and sprinkled with salt, cheese and melted butter, or it can be sauteed in delicious lemon and garlic. No matter how you cook it, it always seems to taste great. This recipe includes another fall favorite — pecans. The combination of squash, pecans and parsley make a simple homemade dish taste like a gourmet meal.
3. Roasted Butternut Squash and Shallot SoupSome soups can be complicated and time-consuming to make, but the good news is that butternut squash soup is probably the easiest and fastest soup for lunch or dinner. If you’ve ever come home exhausted from a full day at school and just want something warm and tasty in your yummy, then this recipe is probably for you. Top your soup off with some freshly grated cheese and you can die happily in bed from your fall food coma.
4. Downeast Maine Pumpkin BreadIf you’re a fan of Starbucks’ pumpkin loaf, you’ll love this recipe. Plus, home-baked goods always beat pricey cafe items. Collegiettes, you can’t put a price on baked goods filled with love. This recipe will leave you with a ton of pumpkin bread batter, so you can decide how best to split it up, or cut the recipe in half. Your apartment will smell like happiness and comfort when you’re done.
5. Butternut Cheesecake BarsIt might just be me, but I think the whole pumpkin spice thing is overdone. Do something different, and introduce your palate to butternut squashes. Not only is squash cheaper than pumpkin, but it’s also so much easier to handle! Cutting, cleaning and cooking squash will save you the many tears of frustration that pumpkins bring along. This recipe is the epitome of fall: squash and cheesecake. Need I say more?
Creating delicious foods is perhaps the best part of the changing season. Make the most out of these recipes over the next few weeks, and get to know various foods that you’ve never thought to try before. You might end up finding something that you adore and adding it to your mom or grandma’s recipe book. Always remember that you have creative license, so make something great. Happy eating and happy fall, ladies!
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