Cook Club: Explore the versatility of butternut squash

Fall is here and to us at Gazette KCRG-TV9 Cook Club it means it is the perfect time to enjoy winter squash. Great for both sweet and savory dishes, squash is a versatile ingredient that not only tastes great taste but is nutritious, too. Our ingredient focus, as we mentioned last week in our October Cook Club article, is the apricot-hued butternut squash.

Butternut squash can be cooked by steaming, sauteing, grilling, roasting or baking. For added flavor and a nutrition boost, try adding butternut squash to stir fries, soups and casseroles and baking it in breads, cakes and pies. Butternut squash, with its lovely yellow-orange flesh, is a good source of vitamin A. Like other squash varieties, it's also a good source of vitamin C, B vitamins and fiber.

Our recipe, Butternut Squash and Black Bean Soup, gave us a peek into the squash's ability to meld with the smoky flavors of black beans along with spices cumin and paprika. Mount Vernon Road Hy-Vee registered dietitian Kimberly Proctor offers us a couple more butternut squash recipes that display how well it plays off other vegetables as well as pairs easily with fruit.

Need some tips on peeling and cutting your butternut squash? Follow the below steps or watch our video at Thegazette.com/living on our favorite way to tackle this thick-fleshed gourd.

Although tough-skinned, butternut squash is easy to prepare for cooking by using the following steps:

• Rinse well and allow squash to dry.

• Place squash on cutting board and use a sharp kitchen knife to cut 1/4 to 1 inch from the top and bottom of the squash for stability.

• Using a sturdy vegetable peeler, remove the tough outer skin of the squash.

• Stand the squash on one end and carefully slice it down the middle, rocking back and forth with the knife to get all the way through.

• Using a spoon, remove the seeds and inner membranes.

• Cut squash according to recipe instructions.

Recipes

Roasted Autumn Vegetables & Chicken Sausage Ingredients (Serves 4)• 5 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash

• 1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

• 1 large red onion, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

• 1 (12 ounce) package chicken-apple sausage links

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine squash, brussels sprouts, onion, garlic, oil, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir the vegetables and place sausages on pan. Continue roasting, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes more.

(Adapted from: www.eatingwell.com)

Slow Cooker Spiced Butternut Squash with Apples 

Ingredients (Serves 6)• medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices

• 6 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1-inch slices

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, salt and spices. Spray inside of a 4-5 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Layer one half of the squash in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with half of the apple slices and half of the spice mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

(Adapted from: Hy-Vee dietitian Greta Farley)