Classic Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• Dash of salt

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. With a sturdy chef’s knife, and a rubber mallet if you need a little backup, split the acorn squash lengthwise from the stem to the opposite end. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous center from both halves with a spoon. Use a sharp knife to make several shallow cuts in the flesh of each half. Set the squash in a baking pan with the cut side up. Pour roughly 1/4-inch of water into the pan so the skins do not scorch and the squash stays moist.
2. Rub the flesh of each half with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. If your butter is unsalted, sprinkle in a dash of salt. Put a Tbsp of brown sugar into the hollow of each squash half, then drizzle a teaspoon of maple syrup over each one.
3. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until the squash is deeply tender and the tops have browned. Do not pull it early. Once it is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce left in the centers over the cut surfaces.