Searching for something to make I came across a simple butternut squash recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.
6 tablespoons Butter
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
The butternut squash was washed. Peeled and chopped. Then placed on a jelly roll pan. Any flat pan would work. Just needs to be big enough so you can spread the squash in an even layer. I use jelly roll pans because it keeps any excess liquids from spilling.
The butter was in a microwaveable dish and was heated for a few seconds to melt it. I had made the brown sugar mixture the night before. It was added into the melted butter and stirred.
The butter and brown sugar mixture was poured over the squash and tossed to coat all the sides of the squash.
I think it would have been better to coat the squash with the butter then sprinkle the sugar mixture on top. To help get a better caramelized squash.
Roast 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes. I did 50 minutes because I was short on time. I would probably have left it in for the full 55 minutes to get a darker caramelization on the squash and maybe tossed it a few more time during cooking. I think because I didn't toss it enough the butter and sugar ended up mostly on my pan than on the squash.
Kosher salt and unsalted butter
Just in the last month I started cooking with kosher salt. I have table salt, sea salt, rock salt, cure salt, and now kosher. I can understand why using kosher salt is better for some cooking. I never bothered because I didn't think it would make much of a difference. I should have known since using Hawaiian rock salt does make a difference when cooking, that I would notice the difference when using kosher salt. This is the same for butter. I have been using unsalted butter for a while now. I find it easier to moderate the salty flavor when cooking with unsalted butter. I still keep regular butter on hand, for when I want the more creamy flavor of butter.
