101 Cookbooks posted a recipe she got from a vegetarian cookbook. Most of the time I read a recipe I have this power to envision the product, its ingredients and already taste the dish. Not that I have umami taste buds, or for that matter the five other receptors on my tongue. In fact, with the allergy season on its way and the fact that my nose is always stuffed up, I doubt I could judge an Iron Chef match or sit on the panel of Chopped.

I own stock in Breathe Right, or I should own stock.

Not only that, but I have stayed away from squash for a long time believing that its high glycemic content, like potatoes, is a food I need to stay away from if I was going to lose the ten pounds I want. Thanks Suzanne Somers for those great diet tips: NOT. I always hated Squash. My mother never made Squash. I have never seen Squash served at any dinner table I sat at. I know Squash as the square frozen box in the freezer isle at the grocery store – yech! Pumpkin’s only use in my house was to carve for Halloween and roast its seeds. Don’t get me started on Spaghetti Squash – just like eating spaghetti. COME ON…Nonna Lydia, is that really true?

Spaghetti Squash non è assolutamente voglia di mangiare pasta Spaghetti

Which then begged the question: If I am going to go out of my comfort zone to write a food blog about Asian food then certainly I could make a Squash.

Maybe not true for Lobster – Lobster is a fear, a true fear, to cook. For many reasons, the first being cost and the second being a screwed up expensive Lobster. I do believe there are some foods that need to be eaten only in a restaurant. One needs to be able to look forward to going out to eat and not be able to say “I could cook this at home.”

Therefore, for my 53rd birthday (I acutally look 52) I cooked An Acorn Squash and I loved it.  I loved every bit of it. I ate it cold, I ate it hot, I ate it microwaved warm. Then I made six all over

again. Help!! I am becoming an Acorn Squash lover.

“Heidi Swanson (Swanson frozen food: word association – I’m sure I’m not the only one…) you will forever be a part of me for having induced me to baking my first Acorn Squash.”

Roasted Corn Pudding in Acorn Squash

1 small (2lb) acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

1 tablespoon clarified butter or olive oil.

1 cup milk

1 egg plus 2 egg whites

½ cup fresh corn kernels (or more if you like)

¼ teaspoon anise seed, chopped

½ cup chopped scallions

A tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/3 cup grated white cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F with rack in the middle

Rub the orange flesh of the squash with butter/oil. Place cut side up on a baking sheet. You will want it to sit flat and not tip, if you are having trouble then slice and level off the bottom of the acorn squash using a knife. Cover the squash with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until flesh is slightly tender.

In a bowl, combine the milk, eggs, corn, anise seed, half the scallions, nutmeg and salt. Fill each squash with mixture ¾ full. Carefully transfer the squash back to the oven with spilling (tricky!). Continue baking uncovered for 30-50 minutes more or until the squash if fully cooked through and the pudding has set. The amount of time can vary wildly according to your oven temperature and the size of squash. At the last minute sprinkle with the remaining scallions and eat hot.

Serves 4-6

**When a recipe calls for sea salt or for freshly grated nutmeg, do not be afraid to use kosher salt or the bottle of nutmeg spice sitting in your cabinets. It would be more heresy NOT to make this recipe because you have not the recommended ingredients. One must always read a recipe and improvise according to one’s tastes and ingredients on hand or readily available in your part of the world.

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Tags: 101 Cookbooks, Acorn Squash, Cheddar Cheese, Heidi Swanson, Lydia Bastianich, Spaghetti Squash, Suzanne Somers