Butternut Squash (and Christmas!)

Why did I wait 27 years to eat a butternut squash?

I bought one for the first time yesterday at the Farmers' Market, and cooked it up. It was ridiculously easy to cook, once I got past the infuriating part of peeling it and chopping it up into small pieces. (I think my "chopping knife" is too cheap and/or dull. At one point the squash slipped and the knife landed on my finger and it didn't even break the skin.)

So. Throw squash cubes in water, boil for about 15 minutes, mash with cinnamon/cardamom/ginger (previously tempered in olive oil), garnish with raisins.

Why did I wait 27 years to eat this????

I've been thinking, off-and-on, about what I can cook for my family when they come to my dream apartment for Christmas. I know that they won't want to eat in my little apartment for every meal, but this is what I'm thinking: they'll arrive Christmas Eve afternoon and we'll all have dinner together somewhere, maybe at one of those places that does the traditional "Christmas" package.

But they'll all end up at my apartment on Christmas morning, and that means I get to cook up a Christmas lunch.

So, to my family (who all read this blog): here's what I'm thinking re: menu.

Butternut Squash
Locally-Farmed Cheese
Pink Lady Apples
A Green (TBD)
Homemade Bread
Some Kind of Christmas Cookie, Also Homemade

Mom, I'll make sure to leave the raisins on the side so you don't have to have them in your squash. ^__^