News Taffy

Fall is finally here and I couldn’t be happier. Gone is the humidity (I hope) and soon the mosquitos will go and leave me be. Get out and enjoy the weather as much as you can before it turns rainy and bitterly cold. Try a nice walk this weekend at Craighead Forest or even around your own neighborhood for some fresh, crisp air. Even if you exercise at the gym, exercising outdoors brings a whole new dimension to your routine and is a great mood elevator. Get the whole family outside for a rowdy game of touch football. There’s a reason the Kennedy family loved to play football - it’s great fun and a good way to bond with your kids.

Fall also brings a change in the food we eat at our house. On cold, crisp nights, we want something to warm us so I frequently cook soups and hearty dishes. However, I don’t spend more time in the kitchen; I like to eat well but not cook all day. Nor does “hearty” mean “fattening”. Instead of cool fruit and lettuce salads, I make spicier dishes and roasted vegetables instead of steamed ones. I recently tried this mashed butternut squash recipe and it was an instant hit with my husband. If the man in your life is a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy, he will like this as it tastes like a slightly sweet version of regular mashed potatoes. It also pairs well with just about any kind of meat. We had grilled chicken but it would be great with pork or an interesting accompaniment to steak instead of the usual baked potato. I will give the original recipe and then my shortcuts. I really am lazy and always look for an easier way to do something with the same results.

Mashed Butternut Squash

INGREDIENTS:

*1 to 2 large butternut squash

*2 small garlic cloves

*1 Tbsp. olive oil

*2 Tbsp. butter

*1/2 cup half and half

*1 Tbsp. fresh sage, minced

*1 tsp. salt

*1 tsp. pepper

DIRECTIONS:  Heat oven to 350. Prick squash all over with a knife. Place in microwave and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully slice squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Lightly grease a large baking dish and place squash in dish, cut side down. Wrap garlic in foil, drizzle with olive oil and seal packet. Place packet in dish with squash. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool. Scoop out squash leaving skin and place in a large bowl. Squeeze garlic from bulb and mash with a fork. Add to squash. Melt butter and add half and half and remaining ingredients. Pour over squash and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Serve hot. May be made ahead and reheated.

Shortcuts: After cutting squash in half, place in a greased baking dish and continue to microwave, skipping the oven roasting. Instead of roasting the garlic, place two teaspoons of jarred minced garlic in the melted butter and sauté a few minutes. One squash was enough for 4 servings for my family; just cut back on the other ingredients.