ya wanna be on top?
one runway season ended tonight, and another opened: first, the ANTM final--yay nicole! second, another round of Project Runway is under way. trashy tv is the best distraction, because�eee�when i think of all of the stuff that needs to be done in the next nine days (before i leave for the holidays) my head hurts. deadlines loom over me, there are documents to type, gifts to buy, cards to write, mail to send, people to see, and so on & so forth... OH! with all this evening's modeling & tyra banks stuff, how can i forget? i also need to get out to the mall to claim my free body by victoria underwear from victoria's secret. a coupon came in the mail advertising a free panty, so why not, right? i got one like it a few years ago & love it b/c it's made of that seamless, soft microfiber! sexy. no? anyway, if all these "to do's" aren't enough to make a person feel unsettled, there�s something else...but i�m not up for talking right now. instead, let�s switch gears. how about the two recipes i promised yesterday?
BAKED CANDIED WINTER SQUASH:
Use either a medium butternut or acorn squash. If using acorn squash, cut into four rings and remove seeds. If using butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds, then cut each half into thirds. Arrange squash pieces in a baking dish filled with about �-inch of water. Sprinkle w/ salt & pepper if desired. Cover with foil and bake in a 350� oven for 40-60 minutes or until done. The squash is done if it is tender when you poke it with a fork. Remove. Then, in a small saucepan, combine 1 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp of lemon juice or water, and 1/8 tsp of ground cinnamon & nutmeg. Sprinkle a few cloves in if desired. Cook & stir until bubbly. Spoon the mixture over squash pieces and bake the squash uncovered for another 10-15 minutes.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SEEDS:
*(I sort of estimated amounts here, since roasting/eating butternut seeds was an experiment and I improvised).
Remove seeds from cut butternut squash. Put the seeds into a strainer or collander. Rinse under running water to get rid of pulp chunks. Spread seeds out onto a paper towel to dry. Pat them dry. Then either melt a dab of butter (1 teaspoon?), or use a dash of oil (canola or olive will work). Drizzle it over the seeds and mix them so the seeds are well coated. Sprinkle a desired amount of salt over seeds. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet or toaster oven sheet. Set to 300� and bake. Check in 15-20 minutes and remove when seeds look roasted and brown and taste done.
