Acorn Squash and Pepitas

This recipe is my interpretation of a recipe I saw in a magazine. I love squash, but the Acorn variety is one that hasn't wow'ed me yet...so I decided to give it another go. Last night was our "Friendsgiving" (thanksgiving with friends), and my contribution was this and the pumpkin pies. My recipe goes....

-2 Acorn squash
-One cup toasted, salted pepitas
-Ghee
-Smoked paprika, cayenne, salt

Preheat oven to 415.

Slice the acorn squash in half, and then slice half moons using the squashes natural lines as a guide. Lay in baking dish and season generously with smoked paprika, cayenne (just a bit), and salt (being mindful that the pepitas are salted).

Ghee: you can but it, or you can make it. Yesterday, I made it from scratch for the first time. Ghee is simply butter with the moisture and fat milk solids removed. I did one stick of butter in a skillet over medium/medium low heat (you want to cook the butter down but not burn it). It takes about 10minutes for the "crackling" sound to stop and that means that you can take it off the heat. Let it sit and cool a bit for about 10/15minutes. Then pour through a very fine strainer or cheesecloth...which leaves you with clarified butter, or ghee. It's delicious, healthier and has so much flavor!! Also, it's candida friendly! Drizzle this over the squash.

Roast at 415 for 45minutes covered with tin foil. Then uncover and put under broiler for 10minutes to brown it off. Sprinkle pepitas over top and salt to taste.

This got RAVE reviews at dinner. Also, you can eat the skin of the squash because it's so tender, but you can also scrape the squash out and leave the skin be. Diners choice.