1-2 acorn squash
brown sugar
cinnamon
butter
vanilla
salt & pepper
maple syrup (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut squash in half and remove seeds, put 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla in each half and then rub it all around inside. Place a pat of butter in each half and rub around the inside. Use a paring knife to lightly slice down and across inside of squash (not too deep). Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper across each half then put 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in each. Sprinkle a little cinnamon across each of the halves.

Place squash in a casserole dish or cake pan skin side down (slicing a little of the skin off the curved part of the skin will let your squash sit flatter). Pour 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pan (not in the squash) to keep your squash from burning or drying out.

Bake at 400°F for for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on size of the squash. Remove squash and let rest about 15 minutes before serving.

You can drizzle a little maple syrup over squash if you like. You can also use maple syrup instead of brown sugar when baking.

Submitted by: Elaine Carmadelle