Oven Roasted Squash

Every fall, my in-laws generously share their bountiful squash harvest with us. And every year, I forget what settings I need for my oven and timer to cook it. So this time around, I remembered to make note of that information so I no longer have to guess!

Oven Roasted Squash
Yield: 1 sheet pan

Ingredients

• Pictured: 1 buttercup (round) & 1 butternut (oblong) squash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Trim stems off squash. Cut squash in half and remove seeds.
3. Line pan with foil. Place squash in single layer on pan. Pierce with fork. Lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with foil.
4. Bake about one hour, or until squash is fork tender.
5. Let cool on counter, still covered, about 20 minutes.
6. Scoop flesh into bowl. Cover and store in refrigerator (for a few days) or freezer (for a few months) until ready to use.

Oven Roasted Carrots

This simple side dish pairs perfectly with any main course and can be customized with your favorite combination of herbs & spices!

Oven Roasted Carrots
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs carrots
• cooking spray
• salt (and/or other seasonings)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Peel carrots and trim ends, then rinse under cool water. Drain carrots on paper towel to remove excess moisture.
3. Cut carrots in 1/2" thick round discs and arrange in single layer on prepared pan.
4. Spray carrots with cooking spray and season with salt, to taste.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until fork tender and edges brown slightly.
6. Serve hot from the oven!

Recipe adapted from Big Bear's Wife.

Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Cranberries & Pecans

This beautiful side dish is bursting with complementary colors, textures, and flavors!
 • Colors: orange squash, green sprouts, red cranberries
 • Textures: crispy sprouts, tender squash, chewy cranberries, crunchy pecans
 • Flavors: sweet syrup, salty sprouts, cinnamon squash, tart cranberries, nutty pecans

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Cranberries & Pecans
Yield: serving size varies

Ingredients
1 lb Brussels sprouts, sliced in half
1 small butternut squash (peeled, seeded, cubed)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecan chips
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat rimmed baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place Brussels sprouts, cut side down, on one half of pan and butternut squash cubes on other half of pan.
3. Drizzle olive oil over top of all veggies in pan.
4. Sprinkle salt over sprouts and cinnamon over squash.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until veggies are browned.
6. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then put sprouts and squash in large bowl. Add cranberries, pecans, and maple syrup. Toss to coat.
7. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Julia's Album.

Carrot & Raisin Salad

My favorite part of this refreshing side dish is the raisins. The longer you let this salad sit, the better it gets! Why? Because the raisins absorb all of the extra moisture, so they plump up and burst with juicy sweetness with every bite you take!

Carrot & Raisin Salad

Ingredients
5 cups grated carrots (about 2 lbs)
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Toss to coat evenly.
2. Refrigerate a few hours, or overnight, before serving.

Recipe adapted from "Carrot and Raisin Salad" found on page 166 of The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer.

Sesame Cucumbers

The flavors in this dish remind me of seaweed salad that can be found at most Japanese restaurants. The rich nuttiness of sesame seeds paired with the refreshing tang of rice vinegar yields a winning combination!

Sesame Cucumbers

Ingredients
1 medium cucumber*
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

*Seedless cucumber recommended. (Although, as you can see in the photo, I used a regular cucumber and it still turned out delicious!)

Directions
1. Thinly slice cucumber. (I used a mandolin for consistent thickness.)
2. Toss cucumber slices with vinegar, oil, sugar, and salt.
3. Refrigerate 10 minutes or up to 3 days.
4. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on individual servings.

Recipe adapted from February 2018 issue of Woman's Day magazine.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Most people think they don't like Brussels sprouts, or they find them intimidating and aren't sure how to prepare them. I used to fall into the latter category. I had eaten them before and enjoyed them, yet I wasn't sure how to go about cooking them myself. So one day I decided to pick up a bag at Sam's Club and give it a try! At worst, it would be a $3 failure (a price tag I could certainly handle), and at best, I would have a new side dish to add to my repertoire.

Lucky for me, my first attempt was a rousing success and now I make them a couple times a month. I find that they satisfy my french fry craving for two reasons:

  1. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, just like a french fry. (I love the combination of those textures!)

  2. I can dip them in my two favorite condiments, ranch and ketchup, just like I would do with my french fries. (Because french fries are really just a catalyst for the condiments anyway!)

Here's a look at the Brussels sprouts before putting them in the oven...

And now after they are finished cooking and ready to eat...

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
2 lbs Brussels sprouts
olive oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Arrange Brussels sprouts in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes, shaking pan every 10 minutes or so for even browning. Brussels sprouts will be dark brown on the outside when done. Serve immediately.