This makes us want to eat healthy -- Butternut Squash with Leeks

    One summer I did a culinary internship and one of the places I interned was at The Windmill Inn in rural Dickinson County. It was fun working with Deb and Tim Sanders and I learned lots. Following that 2-week stint, they gave me a gift certificate for a dinner and overnight stay at their place. I readily agreed but only under the condition that we help with the cooking. Deb introduced us to this recipe and we’ve been making it ever since.

     Butternut squash is packed with vitamin A and this dish certainly makes us want to eat healthy!

Butternut Squash with Leeks

1 butternut squash (about 1 lb.), peeled & cut into 1/4” cubes (see notes below)

2 to 3 leeks, chopped into 1/2” pieces, or smaller (see notes below)

¼ to ½  teaspoon garlic, finely chopped (we often omit this)

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1 piece baking parchment paper

1.  Preheat oven to 425°. 

2.  Toss the squash, leeks, garlic and olive oil together, and season with salt and pepper. 

3.  Spread out on a baking pan lined with parchment paper; cover with another sheet of parchment paper. 

Parchment paper on the bottom of the pan means easy clean up later.
Be sure to spread out the veggies for even cooking. 

Another piece of parchment laid over the top of the veggies also insure even heating . . . but it is not essential.

4.  Bake for 25 minutes or until tender.

The veggies shrink as they bake.

Butternut squash with leeks makes a colorful and nutritious addition to any meal.

 HOW TOS . . .

Preparing Butternut Squash – If only they weren’t so hard to peel, they’d be the ideal veggie! Here’s a few suggestions . . .

Use a peeler to peel the skin from the squash (this ceramic peeler works better than any other we've tried).
Use a sharp chef's  knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise.
A grapefruit spoon works well to scrap out the seeds from the interior cavity.
Again, use a sharp chef's knife to dice the squash.

Prepping Leeks – Leeks are delicious, versatile and healthy, but getting rid of the dirt trapped within  is essential! Note – Leeks are  member of the lily family. They look like large, overgrown scallions with a fat white tip and wide green leaves. Their flavor is sweeter and stronger than scallions, but milder than common bulb onions.

To prepare leeks, cut the root end off the bottom of the leek (I've done this in the  above photo). Also cut off  the
dark green parts that are tough (those have not yet been removed in this photo.)

Use a chef's knife to  cut the leek in half (the long way) -- this exposes the dirt and sand hidden inside.
At this point, either run the cut leek under water or allow it to soak briefly in the water. 

After drying the leeks, cut into rounds. I usually immerse them in water again at this point to make sure they are dirt and sand free.

Recipe without photos . . .

Butternut Squash with Leeks

1 butternut squash (about 1 lb.), peeled & cut into 1/4” cubes (see notes below)

2 to 3 leeks, chopped into 1/2” pieces, or smaller (see notes below)

¼ to ½  teaspoon garlic, finely chopped (we often omit this)

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1 piece baking parchment paper

1.  Preheat oven to 425°. 

2.  Toss the squash, leeks, garlic and olive oil together, and season with salt and pepper.  

3.  Spread out on a baking pan lined with parchment paper; cover with another sheet of parchment paper. 

4.  Bake for 25 minutes or until tender.