High Five Fridays: Weekly Meal Plan, Squash Itfeatured

Today’s High Five Friday is dedicated to one of my favorite ingredients: squash. Wintertime means an abundance of winter squashes – butternut, acorn, kabocha, and delicata. I love that all you have to do is toss it in some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and throw it in the oven. Roasted squash can be the base to so many satisfying dishes. Here are five that I can’t wait to make:

1. Butternut Squash Polenta Two Ways. Option 1 is rich, sweet butternut squash polenta paired with tangy, saucy pulled pork. Option 2 sees that polenta in cake form, this time topped with a roasted veggie spread. Decisions, decisions!
2. Chili-Lime Roasted Butternut Salad. A little sweet, a little spicy, a little tart…love the hit of chili and lime in this, and toasted pepitas and cotija make this salad cravable.
3. Roasted Acorn Squash with Hazelnuts and Balsamic Reduction. Simple and satisfying. The balsamic reduction and toasted hazelnuts make this easy dish feel fancy. This would be great with sweet kabocha squash or delicata squash too.
4. Wild Rice and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad. Hearty, wild rice, cannellini beans, roasted squash, herbs, and a simple EVOO and balsamic dressing make this a beautiful harvest bounty kind of salad. Hello, delicious packed lunch.
5. No-Bake Pumpkin Creme Brulee. OK, so technically this isn’t a squash recipe, it’s a pumpkin recipe…same same 🙂 Regardless, this is one to remember. Easy, make ahead, and no-bake…although it does require a blow torch if you’re not using the oven to broil the sugar topping. It’s a fun take on a classic and a great idea for holiday entertaining!