This simple squash recipe offered a lot of flexibility. It suggested either acorn or delicata squash, but advised that any small winter squash would work. It gave maple syrup as the default sweetener, but said that honey was also a viable alternative for a "lighter" flavour. And, although it called for thyme as the main herb, it suggested that sage or rosemary would also work if thyme was not available.

I appreciated all these options and actually ended up using a mix of delicata and acorn squash. That said, I think the delicata worked much better. The acorn squash took much longer to cook and didn't seem to come out quite as nice. TF and I also weren't really sold on the thyme with the other flavours. It was alright, but not great. The kids at the table both liked it! That said, I think I'd be inclined to try sage, rosemary, or maybe even a bit of savoury with it next time.

Not a bad recipe overall. That said, I think there are better options if you find yourself with an abundance of delicata squash. Still, I'm glad I gave it a try.

Maple-Glazed Squash with Cranberries

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 3 small squash (preferably delicata)
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. dried thyme¹
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 3 Tbsp. fresh cranberries, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. pecans or hazelnuts², chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Trim the ends off the squash, cut them in half, and scoop out and reserve the seeds.
3. Cut each half in half lengthwise and brush with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine the butter, maple syrup, thyme (or other herb), and orange zest and set aside.
6. After 10 minutes, brush the squash with the butter mixture and sprinkle with the cranberries, nuts (if using), and some of the reserved squash seeds.
7. Return to oven and roast at 200°C (400°F) until squash is tender (10-15 minutes longer).

---

¹ TF and I weren't crazy about the thyme here. Maybe try rosemary, savoury, or sage next time? ^Back
2 The original recipe didn't call for any nuts, but I think they'd make a nice addition. Walnuts could also be a good option, but I think pecans or hazelnuts would be my first choice. ^Back