Butternut squash?

[Rtfairy]

Have bought a butternut squash on a whim at Aldi but have never cooked one before! Anyone have any tasty recipes, preferably also suitable for 11 month old dd. Tia.

I made a yummy butternut squash and chickpea curry last night. DS (21 months) wasn't keen, but he's more of a meat eater so was probably sulking at the lack of chicken!

Roast the squash (slice in half length ways, bit of oil and sling in the oven for 45 mins. We then combine with other roasted veg, goats cheese and fusilli pasta. Not sure how adventurous your dd is!!

I steam it, or mix it up with other veg and roast it, and make Mediterranean vegetables.
Also have made soup with it, adding two carrots, onion and vegetable stock.

When I chop it, I top and tail it first as it's easier to cut.

Peel it, scrape out the seeds, chop into chunks (it's a bit of workout; they are tough beasts).

Then toss in oil or melted butter, sprinkle with salt, pepper and ground coriander, and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Or roast it whole in its skin, as suggested by Lookslike. You can scoop out the innards and mash with butter (perfect for babes), or liquidise with stock to make soup. Or cover with grated cheese and crème fraiche and bung it back in the oven to melt down......

(I love a bit of butternut, can't you tell....?)

It makes a really lovely soup. Onion, squash, cumin, coriander, veggie stock, salt and pepper. Cook until soft then blend.

I also make a lovely squash and red lentil curry.

You can put it in a tray bake with chicken/fish and various other veg and roast it all together.

Nigella does an amazing pasta dish with blue cheese and butternut squash.

I found it online here: dinnerdujour.org/2010/10/27/pappardelle-with-butternut-squash-blue-cheese-and-pine-nuts/

I used saint agur cheese in my mine - absolutely delicious.

Ah. Just noticed that you want to give it to your one year old too. Very easy to take a portion out before you add the cheese and nuts (which I didn't use) to the rest.

Good in veggie Indian or Thai curry, good in Moroccan tagines. Good roasted up with other veg. Basically good good good.

Treat similar to carrot, but doesn't take as long to cook (and much nicer IMO). The skin is quite tough, so I peel it off using a very sharp knife, rather than a peeler. Remove all the seeds, stringy stuff!

I usually make soup, curry or pasta sauce with it.