Acorn Squash with Apple

Trying out new ideas in the kitchen or the classroom can be met with failure despite our best efforts and abundant research. Luckily, after trial and error, success was to be had with a batiking project in a class of Kindergarteners and with a recipe for acorn squash.

Batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to fabric. The technique originated on the island of Java, Indonesia. Lines are drawn on white fabric with hot wax.  The fabric is dyed once the wax cools, and the dye does not adhere to the wax drawings. The wax is removed with a hot iron. 

Naturally, I wasn’t going to use hot wax with Kindergarteners. Many elementary school art teachers have blogs that document their process of using Elmer’s gel glue in place of wax, and then painting the fabric with acrylics. The blogs include beautiful images of finished art. I was seduced by the images, and ignored my own common sense. When I experimented at home, and attempted to wash out the glue with hot water, the paint disappeared and the glue remained. Attempts at using flour and water or toothpaste mixed with hand lotion, also ideas from online sources, in place of the glue were also disappointments. Success was finally achieved with diluted fabric paint and by boiling the fabric to remove (most of) the glue. 

The squash story involved somewhat less trial and error. I had the thought that acorn squash baked with chopped apples might be a nice combination. After a bit of an online search I found that I was not the first person to have that idea.  My recollection of baking acorn squash is that it should take about one hour at 350 degrees, but the online recipes differed greatly. It was not until my third effort that I cooked the squash so that it was tender and not dried out. This time I started the squash in the microwave and I believe that allowed the squash to remain moist. The apples are cooked, but retain a bit of crunch. Most recipes called for cinnamon, but allspice was a good alternative. 

My point here is to trust your own instincts, don’t believe everything you read, and be a little flexible as to when you will sit down to eat your squash.

Ingredients

1 acorn squash

1 medium apple, I used Honey Crisp

1 t. allspice

1-2 t. maple syrup

1/4 cup pecan halves

dash salt

canola oil

Two servings

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash the squash.  Cut in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and pulp. In a small bowl mix chopped apple and pecans with allspice, salt, and maple syrup. Place a tablespoon or so of water in the cavity of each half and microwave for 3 minutes on high. Place squash in a baking dish and brush the squash with canola oil. Fill the cavity of each half with apples and allow the excess mixture to spill over into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. My squash was on the small side, so you may need a longer baking time.

Squash and batik.