How to Use Up A Butternut Squash...

...that has been in your fridge for a week.

Dear Turkey,

I have probably written a post with this title before, since I love squash, and using stuff up is my speciality.

First, I made squash bread, which is a standby in our house. I adapted the recipe from this classic cookbook. My constituents wanted something that could soak up cream of broccoli soup, and also rolls that you can pull apart.

Pull-Apart Squash Rolls

Ingredients:

1 T yeast dissolved in 1/4 c warm water
1/3 c milk, warmed up a little
1 c cooked and mashed squash (or canned pumpkin, sweet potatoes, whatever you have)
1/3 c brown sugar
generous pinch salt
1/3 c melted butter (plus some to butter the pan) (you could probably increase this to a whole stick and just add more flour)
2 c whole wheat flour
2-3 c white flour, enough to make a dough that comes together

Directions:

Combine everything except the flours and mix. Add the whole wheat flour and knead with your hand. Then gradually add white flour until the dough forms a nice stretchy ball. Butter a round baking dish (like a Corning-ware). Make 12 or 15 balls and cram them into the bottom of the dish. Let this rise while you preheat the oven and poke around for a bit. Bake at 400 degrees until the rolls are golden brown on top. This took me about 40 mins, but it will depend on the water content of the dough and the size of your pan. If in doubt, cook them longer. Cool and remove one at a time, just before eating.

So I had some squash left over and I was really intrigued by these salted pumpkin caramel cookies that I saw in one of my mom's magazines that I like to complain about and then secretly read in the bathtub. (If you have ever tried to secretly read something in the bathtub, you will know what I mean.) I like the idea of pumpkin products with actual pumpkin (or squash, which is what canned pumpkin is) in them. However, this recipe calls for canned pumpkin, and I think the water content of my squash was too high, causing the frosting to be more like a pumpkin buttercream than a caramel. 

Salted Pumpkin Caramel Thumbprint Cookies 

For the dough, beat:

2/3 c butter, soft (this worked out for me because the rolls called for 1/3 c, so I melted 2 sticks)

1/2 c brown sugar (I am going to reduce this to 1/3 c next time)

1/2 t salt

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1.5 c flour

This recipe is supposed to make 36 cookies. Yeah right. I made 15 and I thought that was a lot. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 mins. If you want them to be beautifully round, chill the dough for an hour or so first. 

For the caramel:

Bring 1/2 c sugar, 2 T water, and 2 T light corn syrup (it's worth it) to a boil. 

Boil gently until golden brown. Try not to stir it too much. But also try not to burn it. Remember, boiling sugar is super hot! 

Remove from heat and add 1/3 c whipped cream, 2 T butter (I didn't have cream so I used a whole stick of butter), 1 t pumpkin pie spice (I used a pinch of cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger), and 1/2 c canned pumpkin (I am going to try 1/4 c next time if I don't use canned). 

Chill this for a few hours until it's spreadable. Frost/dollop cookies and sprinkle with sea salt.

Enjoy,

Tofu