Butternut Squash

Butternut squash, also known in Australia as Butternut Pumpkin is a winter squash available in early fall through winter. It originates in Mexico when it is believed that the natives there where eating butternut squash as early as 5500 BC.
Butternut squash has a vase like shape with a hard, thick yellow to a light tan skin and is filled with seeds. It grows on a vine; the flesh is orange, to deep orange when ripe, with a sweet flavor and a nutty flavor similar to sweet potato or pumpkin.

- How to store it: With their thick skin, butternut squash can be kept longer than summer squashes. Store in a cool dry place (between 53F- 64F/ 12C- 18C) for up to two months. If the squash has been cut, wrap it with a plastic wrap and put it in the crisper for up to three days. Butternut squash freezes very well: peel it, cut it in pieces and freeze it.
- How to cook it: Once peeled, discard the seeds and cut it in pieces. Then it’s up to you, butternut squash can be boiled, roasted, baked, steamed and stir-fried. It can be used in soups, gratins, lasagna, raviolis, and pasta in general, as a ratatouille, or even in sweet tarts, flans and jams.
- Nutritional values: Butternut squash is known to be a good antioxidant low in calories, before you add the generous dollop of butter to it, and diuretic and laxative.
- Good with spices: Cinnamon, anise seeds, cardamom, ginger, mace, clove, nutmeg, paprika, turmeric, cumin, ras-el-hanout, and allspice.
- Good with herbs: sage, savory, tarragon and thyme.

Some Updates:
Now that I am done with my Friday Basics, I would like to pass on some awards.
I am not teaching you anything by saying this, but let me just say it: blogging is so much more than writing posts, taking pictures and having feedbacks. It’s way more than that. It is the experience you share with your readers, who then become your friends. As I started this blog about seven months ago, I never thought I would be so addicted to it and how many people from all over the world would cross my path. We share this same passion for cooking with its good and even failed adventures and we open up about our personal backgrounds without feeling ashamed of what we do, of what we say or how we might be judged. It just feels like home.
So from the bottom of my heart, to all of you who have always been a regular, to those who have left some sweet notes and to those who have only took a glimpse at what I do, I say Thank You.
Now lets go back to the awards. The lovely Nora of Life's Smorgasbord, who is just a sweet and brilliant person, awarded me with the Thoughtful Blogger Award.

"The Thoughtful Blogger Award is for those who answer blog comments, emails, and make their visitors feel at home on their blogs. For the people who take others’ feelings into consideration before speaking out and who are kind and courteous. Also for those bloggers who spend so much of their time helping other bloggers design, improve, and fix their sites. This award is for those generous bloggers who think of others.”

And I would like to pass this award to:
- Haalo is just one of my favorites. Sweet, kind and shares all what she knows to help others.
- Marion. This woman is talented, generous, caring and very smart.
- Anh is a genuinely sweet woman. She always has the kind word that makes you smile.
- Shayne, my friend, takes kindness to a whole new level. This woman won’t hesitate to call you to tell you how much she loved your post.
- Ivonne, what can I say about her. She is Ivonne, the Godmother of thoughtfulness, generosity and passion.

I wish I could give more awards to all of you but they ask just for five.
Another thing before I go, you will notice for th next week or so that I won’t be blogging as much as usual. We are in the process of moving to another house, which we are very excited about and my days are filled with boxes, boxes and more boxes. I will post about the Daring Bakers Challenge and will be back in a few days hopefully, after I get my things more organized.
Until then, have a wonderful weekend my friends, eat well and be happy.