rani recommends: butternut squash side dish

when i get a butternut squash, it takes me forever to cut it up. its always worth it, and i know they sell them precut and frozen these days, but the same old-fashioned part of me that still buys bags of carrots to peel myself, wants to buy the actual squash. its a pretty vegetable and makes me feel grown up in the grocery store...let me just go grab a squash because yes, i eat this vegetable, and yes, i am an adult now and was too immature to even think about eating a veggie that resembles a pumpkin when i was younger. once you dice it up, its normally enough for 4 servings in my household of 2, so I split it into two different dishes. normally one i use as part of a recipe for the entree - stew or soup with squash, etc. the other, i've been using as a side dish to a rotisserie chicken (our latest go-to-meal) lately and its just so fantastic. i found it on another blog, Crapes of Wrath, and my only revision is that i use butternut squash, not yams. same quantities of everything else.

so its vegetarian, vegan, delicious, and totally worth the effort of peeling and dicing a squash! and btw, yes, you can cube it a day or two in advance, keep it in a ziploc (!love!) and it'll keep fine until you are ready to make this:

1/2 butternut squash, peeled, cubed (about 1 in thick)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or oil of your choice to make it vegan)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
juice of half a lemon
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries

preheat oven to 375 degrees. peel and cube squash. toss with 2 tbsp of melted butter or oil (original recipe calls for 'neutral flavored oil of your choice'). put on a greased baking sheet (i use pam) and bake for 15 minutes until tender.

while squash is in oven, whisk maple syrup, honey, vinegar and lemon juice in bowl.

take squash out after 15 minutes. turn oven up to 415 degrees, place oven rack directly under the broiler. pour syrup mixture over squash, toss around to coat. bake 8-10 minutes or longer if needed until squash has browned a little and syrup mixture is caramelized.

while squash is finishing up, put chopped pecans in frying pan and toast over medium heat for 5 minutes or until toasted.

take yams out when done, toss with pecans and cranberries, serve immediately. enjoy!