This Thanksgiving, it’s time to get creative. And we mean finding more interesting ways to whip up your favorite Fall vegetables – namely, butternut squash. Why butternut squash? Well for starters, it’s almost always a traditional staple on the Thanksgiving dinner table. But while a simple baked butternut squash is still tasty, it’s not terribly interesting. So we’ve done the legwork and found some great alternatives for how to cook butternut squash this Thanksgiving. Here we go!
The Hors D’oeuvres: Butternut Squash Cheese Ball – Yeah, yeah we know. Cheese balls were your parents generation’s appetizer. But, they’re still tasty if you make them yourself at home with quality ingredients. Like butternut squash. No, really. Jessica from How Sweet It Is whipped up an incredible looking Butternut Squash Cheese Ball, and that’s all you’ll need for a Thanksgiving meal appetizer.
The Starter: Butternut Squash Salad – There’s no better way to start a Thanksgiving dinner than with chilled butternut squash tossed with feta, walnuts, and cranberries, and then topped off with some cinnamon. Sarah at How Does She shows how to make a tasty looking Butternut Squash salad, which makes a great Thanksgiving starter before your guests dig into the turkey and stuffing.
The Soup: Butternut Squash and Pear Soup – Most people forget about soup for Thanksgiving, but it actually makes a great addition. Especially if it’s a hearty Fall soup like the Latin-inspired one created by Camilla at Popsugar. It calls for butternut squash, onions, and pear slices mixed with chicken stock and a hint of cinnamon and it’s perfect for the holidays.
The Side: Twice Baked Butternut Squash – If you still want to go the traditional route and roast up two halves of a butternut squash, you can still get a little creative with it. Tommy at Epicurious takes the idea behind a twice baked potato and applies it to a Thanksgiving squash, creating a flavorful side dish that’s as delicious as it is varied.
The Dessert: Butternut Squash Tarte Tatin – Forget pumpkin pie and opt for this dessert instead. Just as sweet, but way more innovative, is the homemade butternut squash tarte tatin from Kate at FoodBabbles. The best part is that it doesn’t require a huge number of ingredients and only takes about an hour to prep and cook.
