Sweet Scented Acorn Squash

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Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium Acorn Squash
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon

People think making your own baby food is difficult and time-consuming, but its really simple. Babies love the amazingly fresh and delicious flavors!

Submitted by:
Cheryl Tallman Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, available at many fine specialty stores, BabiesRUs.com, Target.com and national chains including Whole Foods Markets.

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Make It:

At the market: Look for squash that is heavy for its size, with a dull appearance and hard rind. They should be acorn-shaped with deep furrows, green to yellow-gold rind and yellow-orange flesh.

Storage: Countertop

1. Prep
Wash, cut in half, and remove seeds with a spoon. If the squash is large, cut the halves in half, making 4 pieces.

2. Cook
Oven Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves face down in a roasting pan. Pierce the squash with a fork 2 or 3 times. Pour 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle squash with nutmeg and cinnamon. Bake for 45 minutes. The squash is done if a fork slides easily into it or it can be mashed easily. Let cool.

Microwave Method: Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish. Pierce the squash with a fork 2 or 3 times. Pour 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle squash with nutmeg and cinnamon. Cover with a lid. Cook on HIGH for 13-15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. The squash is done if a fork slides easily into it or it can be mashed easily. Let cool.

3. Puree
Scoop squash meat away from the skin into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Discard the skin. Add 1/2 cup of water and begin to puree. You may need to add 1/4 to 3/4 cup of water to get a smooth texture. At least once during the puree process, stop the appliance and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

4. Freeze
Spoon the pureed squash into ice cube trays and cover them. Put them in the freezer for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.

5. Pop and Store:
Write “ACORN SQUASH” and the date on a freezer storage bag. Remove the baby food trays from the freezer and quickly run hot water over the back of the tray. Twist the tray to pop the squash cubes out and into the freezer storage bag. Place the storage bag in the freezer.

Clean It:

Though plastic is generally very stable when frozen, using stainless steel ice cube trays for your baby food is added precaution against chemical leaching.

Green It:

Skin, rind, seeds and any part of your fruit or vegetable you decide not to use could become the beginning of your at home compost pile!

Make It Fun:

One way to encourage your baby to eat from a spoon is to arrange to feed him around other spoon-fed babies! Babies love to mimic other children and you may find that he's happier to accept a spoon if he sees others doing the same.

Image Courtesy of MeganAnne