Sixteen Candles

My baby turned 16 today. We got up bright and early to go get her driver's license, now that wasn't easy for me. I couldn't even watch her drive away this afternoon...I think it's called denial.

Butternut Squash

I love all things squash! Butternut squash is especially yummy this time of year and I picked one up last weekend. These babies are hard to cut, I mean, like HARD. I recently got a set of Cutco knives and those babies can cut. I read somewhere recently that you should cut the squash in half, through the middle, not lengthwise. That way, you have 2 pieces of squash with a flat edge that is easier to handle. Set the pieces up on that flat end to stabilize it then cut that piece in half again. Scoop out all that stringy stuff and seeds. You'll want to peel it too, the skin is very thick. It's different from summer squash, with it's thin skin that you can just leave on and eat. Use a veggie peeler and the skin comes off easily. Now your squash is ready to cube, I'd say like 1 inch cubes. I tried this recipe for Balsamic Roasted Butternut Squash. I've been hankering for a new way to prepare that lonely little squash sitting on my counter top...thanks GOOGLE :) I ran across this little gem and I love balsamic vinegar on other veggies, so I figured I'd try it. It was great! I roasted mine closer to an hour to get it to really caramelize. The sweetness of the squash really comes out the longer you let it roast and the balsamic gets really sweet too. The end result is a great balance of sweet and tangy squashy goodness. Let me know if you try it!