Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Apples

Throughout my childhood, I remember tending to a massive half-acre size garden that was abundant with all the glorious flavors of fall. Now in my adulthood, I have found I tend to shy away from the typical fall squashes like acorn and butternut. Perhaps, I overdosed on freshness in my youth. So when Joan in Michigan asked me to share some of my favorite grilled butternut squash recipes, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to become reacquainted with the world of squash. Sadly, living in a second floor condo means my access to a grill is quite nonexistent, and my poor George Foreman is on its last leg. The next logical solution you ask? I turned to my trusty oven for support with this recipe. One of the most interesting findings I discovered while researching roasted butternut squash recipes were most required a long cooking time. I don't know about you, but I don't have time to wait 45-50 minutes for a SIDE DISH. Steaming in the microwave came to my rescue. Just cover the cut squash in a microwave safe bowl with plastic wrap and “steam” them while I prepared the other ingredients. This side is sweet and flavorful. I also found this dish is all about textures and color. I encourage you to consider this recipe as a foundation for customization. Don't like pecans? No problem. Just substitute them for a nut of your choice. It's the crunch that matters. Want to add tartness to balance the sweetness of the apples? Then throw in a 1/2 - 1 cup of dried cranberries or currents. It's yours to play.