Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Glaze

I swear I’m not jumping on the autumn band wagon too soon…but I am so ready for autumn to be here.

I love fall and everything about it: Apple cider, orange-amber trees, early sunsets, candle-lit pumpkins, knee-length boots, maroon cardigans, puffy hooded sweatshirts and…gourds.

Every gourd/squash/pumpkin under the golden sun. Spaghetti, pattypan, crookneck, Cinderella, and my all-time favorite: acorn squash. 

 It’s a little early, but I made this scentillating, maple-glazed, cinnamony roast acorn squash the other day and ate the whole thing by myself. Each bite was pure joy and made me reminisce about why I love fall so much. The smells, the tastes, and the feels. Oh, those fall memory feels.

Can it be fall now?

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Glaze

• 1 medium acorn squash, halved
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (use the real stuff!)
• 2 TBS. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt 

1. Scoop out & discard seeds from squash. Place the squash, cut side down, in a 13×9″ baking dish; add water. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 
2. Drain water from pan; turn squash cut side up. Combine the syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger & salt. 
3. Pour maple mixture into squash halves. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until glaze is heated through. 

This was close to being a dessert, but would be good with a pork tenderloin or pot roast dinner. A serving size would probably be one half, but I of course devoured both halves easily. I’ve been accused of sipping the maple glaze out of the squash as well—but who will ever know if that’s true 😛 Enjoy!