By Sam Herring

With autumn comes oranges and reds, colors of dying leaves that dry up and float to the frosty forest floor. Thankfully, autumn brings life in these colors as well, in the form of abundant vegetables, ripe for our kitchens and homes. Curcubitaceae, or curcubits, as they’re more commonly called, is a large family of plants that includes squash, pumpkins, and gourds. These veggies flourish in the cooler fall months, giving us a wonderful bounty to enjoy as summer plant production grinds to a halt. Resilient to dynamic temperatures outdoors, these vegetables are quite stable inside our homes as well, lasting up to a few months when kept at room temperature. 

So blend up a butternut for a warming bisque on a rainy night or carve out some pumpkins and toast the seeds with sugar and spices. However, these veggies are prepared, their hearty, delicious, and vitamin-rich flesh makes them worthy of a spot on our kitchen counters. Below is a simple recipe that features fresh winter squash, from one of our writer Audrey’s favorite cookbooks, Laurel’s Kitchen from chef/author Laurel Robertson.

Cranberry Squash

• 1 1/2 lbs raw winter squash, depending on the type of squash, peeled or unpeeled (Butternut squash is better peeled, but Delicata squash does not need to be peeled), cut the squash into serving-size chunks
• 1/2 cup raw, fresh cranberries (washed)
• 1 small apple, (no need to peel), chopped into 3/4″ pieces
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Juice and zest & peel of 1 small orange
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
• Dash salt

1. Arrange squash in one layer in a baking dish with a cover (or use aluminum foil). Scatter cranberries, chopped apples, and raisins over and around the squash. 
2. Mix the orange juice and zest, honey, melted butter or olive oil, and salt and pour over the squash.
3. Cover the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes, until the squash is tender. Mix well before serving. Reheats nicely.