Apple Stuffed Squash

*you can also make this recipe with kabocha or tetsuboku squash

Blue Hubbard squash is a variety winter squash with a long history in the Americas, originating in South America over 4,000 years ago. According to Wikipedia, “By the American Revolution, the species was in cultivation by Native American tribes throughout the present day United States.”

If you aren’t ready for baking quite yet, take note that winter squash in general will store for several months on a cool counter in your kitchen, especially early in the season (like now) when it was just recently harvested.

If you ARE ready to cook with the squash, note that there are many recipes for winter squash on the Full Belly recipe page, and the Blue Hubbard will be suitable for most of them. If you feel that this squash is too large to cook in one piece, carefully cut (watch your fingers!) it in half lengthwise and bake it for about 15 minutes at 350° to pre- soften it a bit. Let it cool when you take it out of the oven, after which you will be able to peel it and cut it into cubes.

Here is yet another idea for cooking with winter squash – stuffing the squash with apples!

1 Baby Blue Hubbard Squash, cut in half
4 - 5 medium apples, cored & diced
1 cup chopped almonds or walnuts (preferably from Full Belly)
3/4 cup maple syrup (or Full Belly Apple Syrup if you have some)
1/2 cup melted butter

Clean out insides of squash and place in baking dish filled with 1/2 inch water. Combine apples, nuts, maple syrup and all but 2 Tablespoons of butter. Fill the center cavity of squash with this mixture. Use remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to brush surfaces of squash. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 400° for 45 minutes.