1 Squash 2 Ways!

I've had a butternut squash sitting in my fridge all week, but was tired of my same ol' recipes.  So I decided to create my own dishes and they turned out pretty good! The first one is sweet, the second savory. Layla couldn't eat the second one because it contained dairy, but she really enjoyed the cinnamon apple squash.

First I baked the squash, uncut in a 400 degree oven for an hour.  You will know when it's done when the skin is easy to pierce with a fork and peels off easily.  Once cool, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.

Cinnamon Apples and Squash
1/2 baked squash
3 baked apples, with skin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp maple syrup

Mash ingredients together in a bowl (or puree for babies who prefer a smooth texture)

Mashed Squash with Garlic and Asiago Cheese
1/2 baked squash
1/4 cup milk
1 T butter or margarine
1 cup asiago cheese
1/2 tsp crushed garlic (or more, if you prefer)
salt and pepper to taste

Mash ingredients as you would potatoes.  Delicious!

In other news, we had a good week! Layla and I returned to Melick's farm with my mom and sister.  The apples were pretty much all gone, but we picked up some little pumpkins and I bought cranberry orange marmalade to put on my baked brie dish - Yum!

Layla loved seeing the donkeys

I LOVE this picture - it was like they were posing!

Layla and MaryGrace picking out pumpkins

Me and my beautiful mom

Layla and I also checked out a few new parks in our area that we haven't been to.  It's always fun to explore a new place.

Layla loves to swing!

We also made some forts with blankets.  Layla's hair looked so funny.

Oatmeal Apple Crisp

The traditional recipe calls for butter, but I found that if you use an equal amount of oil (I used canola), it comes out just as delicious.

WARNING: Contains Wheat

Ingredients:
4-5 large apples, cored and peeled
1/3 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil

Cut apples into bite-sized pieces and place in a baking dish. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add oil and mix until crumbly. Pour mixture over apples. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees (apples will be soft and the crust will be golden brown).

Depending on the kind of apples you use, the sugar is optional. I include it when I use very tart apples, such as Granny Smith. You can also substitute brown sugar.