Baked Acorn Squash With Walnut Oil and Maple Syrup

I was hoping this would provide a way for me to fall in love with squash. They are so appealing, the fall and winter squashes, round and fat in their wooden bins in Wegmans. I first found this recipe last year but didn't make it, and this year I have decided to cook what would be Thanksgiving recipes all fall long if and when I have time. Unfortunately, the acorn squashes themselves that I purchased lacked flavor and so while the toasted walnuts were delicious, the squash itself remains lacking. The Robber, however, is adding melted butter and some maple syrup to his quarter squashes and in so doing is happily making his way through the lot. His stomach is amazing. Now what to do with all the leftover walnut oil?

From Recipes For Health:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/health/nutrition/13recipehealth.html

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons walnut oil

Freshly ground nutmeg

Ground walnuts (I used finely chopped)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the squash on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until soft enough to easily cut in half. Cut in half, and scoop out the seeds and membranes.

2. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Stir the maple syrup and walnut oil together in a bowl, then brush over the cut surfaces of the squash. Sprinkle with a very small amount of ground nutmeg. Place in the oven and bake one hour, brushing every 10 minutes with more oil and maple syrup. When the squash is tender, brush once more, then spoon a tablespoonful of finely chopped walnuts into each cavity and return to the oven for five to 10 minutes, until the walnuts are toasty. Remove from the heat. Serve hot or warm.

Yield: Makes four large servings or eight medium servings.