Baked Banana Squash From Our Garden

In order for you to have some fresh squash in January, you have to plan for it the April before you want to eat it.

You have to plant the seeds in little tiny, seedling, starter, plastic, things you buy at the nursery, in April.

You water them and put them in the sunshine, inside your house. 

You transplant them into larger container things when they grow too big for the little starter things.

You plant the tiny seedlings, which now have roots and green stems and leaves, outside in the garden.

You water the garden.

You weed the garden.

You cover the little seedlings if it is going to freeze or you surround them with hot pot things.

You water them often.

You pick off a few of the runners when the plant starts to grow too big.

You pick off some of the blossoms if the plant has too many.

You water the plant often.

You watch the plant grow.

You wait until the plant is so big is crawls through the fence and has big squash growing on it.

You wait until the first frost comes so the skin of the squash is set.

Then:  You pick the squash and take downstairs to the basement and store it in a cool dark place.

In January you can carry the big squash upstairs and cut it in half and share it with your family.

The half that you keep you can now cook.

Before you cook it, you must stand back and take a picture of the miracle that was grown in your garden.  You must have a moment of silence.  You must give thanks for the blessing of having this special specimen and for not going hungry in January.

Now, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  And get busy, and work fast, because you are loosing your light and you won't be able to take good photos of this marvelous wonder.  Besides, your husband is getting hungry.  That always is an important thing to remember, especially in January.

Rotate the squash onto its side.

 Cut slices, about 3 inches wide.

Remove all the fibers and seeds from the slices of the squash.

Cut smaller sections of the squash.  This is very important.  The squash needs to cook fast because the sun is setting and your DH is getting very hungry.  So cut the pieces smaller, this one time, so it will bake faster.

Put the pieces of squash into a 9 x 13 glass pan.  Because that is the size that you got out of the cabinet.  If you would have gotten another size, you could use that if you want.

As bad as you want to stand and look at your pretty fall colored squash, don't.  Keep going and get this dish in the oven.

Slather (don't you just love that word?) some soft butter on each  piece.  I used about 3 tablespoons for the entire dish of cut up squash.  Do what you want.  Use olive oil if you want.  I don't care.

You aren't done yet.  Even if the sun is setting.
Sprinkle some brown sugar on each piece.  Don't get carried away and over do it.  The squash is sweet enough, it just needs a little boost, not drenched in the sugar.

Add a little salt and pepper, as well.
Then put a little water in the bottom of the dish.  Just enough water to cover the bottom.  It helps the squash and sugars from sticking and making the dish hard to wash later.  And it keeps the skin on the squash softer to eat.

Now, get this baby into the oven. 
Bake it for 30 minutes, or until fork tender.

Too bad the sun had set and your picture is blurry !

Too bad you put a little too much water in the  pan.  You knew you had when you did it.

I can assure you that this is the best squash you will ever eat.

Enjjoooyyyyyy!

Love,
Me.

PS.  It would be nice if you would take some of this to your daughter who is sick.  Just saying it would be the right thing to do.  Next time do it!