AIBU? Butternut squash, sweetcorn.. whats next?! Educate us!

[CocacolaMum]

I am 31 and mum to 2 school aged children. I have got to this point in my life without killing anyone off with my cooking but in the last week I have learnt 2 things..

1. You can bake a butternut squash whole. No peeling, deseeding or anything

2. You can microwave a corn on the cob in its husk (is that what that's called? the leaves?) and then just chop off the ends and it slides out ready to munch

So AIBU to wonder what else I never knew I never knew?

I've never peeled potatoes for mash, ever!

What do you do with the squash once you've cooked it? What happens to the seeds?

How long do you microwave the corn for then? I love corn on the cob but don't like holding and biting and its a faff cutting the kernels off. This could change my life!

Corn in a open tupperware pot with a few mm of water in. microwave 2 min. Turn over. 2 more min. You can buy metal corn spears so you don't have to hold it

Corn in a open tupperware pot with a few mm of water in. microwave 2 min. Turn over. 2 more min. You can buy metal corn spears so you don't have to hold it

MrsHelsBels - Once the squash is cooled after baking, you simply cut it open and scoop out the seeds. The skin just seems to fall away and can be eaten but I tend to just use the flesh for soups or mixed with spinach in this pasta dish.

Butternut squash is about the only squash I bother peeling at all. Acorn, celebration, pattypan, Turk's Turban, Crown Prince don't need it: just dice, throw in a roasting pan with a bit of oil and some fresh herbs, and stick in oven for 25 minutes. Even better with carrot and parsnip too.

I'm now thinking that I have more inclination to make aloo gobi tonight, if I can get away without peeling the potatoes...

You don't need to peel garlic cloves if u have a garlic crusher.

Unpeeled potato mash is the best!!

A few months ago I made a lovely cake using only Nutella and flour. Sadly I can't remember the ratio though

fuzzpig that isn't educating us, it's just taunting us!

I have nothing add right now but I'll think on it I have nothing

I make mash using unpeeled new potatoes. I call them crushed potatoes. People think I'm dead posh

Butternut squash skin is fine in a soup - you definitely don't notice once it's blended.

If you hate peeling garlic then get two metal bowls with a rim, smash the head so it's in bits and then put it in one bowl and put the other bowl on top. Shake for a bit holding the contraption closed by the rims and then marvel at the wonderfully peeled garlic.

Shallots are rendered much less annoying to peel by soaking them in hot water first.

Same with a sweet potato - bake or microwave in its skin, slice in half and scoop out the innards like a boiled egg.

Rice in the microwave? Put the required amount in a deep bowl, cover with cold water, put on a plate or cling film and microwave for 12-14mins?

I make Bashed Potatoes which is when I CBA to mash them properly. Add some cheese in and nobody's going to complain.

Cake recipe tip -

Instead of weighing out 175g butter, 175g sugar & 175g flour for your sponge cake/ fairy cakes, weigh your eggs.

If the total weight of your eggs (2 or 3 still in their shells), is 180g for example, then have 180g of all the other ingredients.

Never had a failure this way

I thought whole squash could explode in the oven, do you score it or something? Perhaps I've got muddled

Fuzz pig is it like this one:

1 cup Nutella
10 tbsp flour
2 eggs

Combine and bake as brownies.

My fave kitchen top is one I'm always banging on about, and am now quite a zealot-cut both ends off carrots and store in airtight container in fridge. Last forever, no more bendy carrots.

Actually sibling that is probably it yes. I had forgotten the eggs I think when we tried it (saw it on Facebook) we halved it so only used one

I made mash with skins on for the first time last night - kids didn't notice.

I also have just discovered you can put unpeeled garlic cloves in the garlic crusher. Garlic comes out, skin stays in and it's much easier to clean.

Not sure why you would steam veg for soup - vitamins will only go into the water you cook it in, surely? and never peel carrots etc for soup.

I have visions of everyone's DC coming down for breakfast tomorrow to empty Nutella jars...

I've baked a few whole squashes - never had one explode. Aubergines, on the other hand, are definitely prone to exploding!

Frozen frubes yogurts for lollies. Predictable but nice

you can make an apple crumble without peeling the apples - something about the skins makes it taste better, too.