Laura Calder roasts butternut squash simply, giving it earthy flavor with fresh thyme and bay leaves. Large kosher salt crystals add extra texture and a satisfying bite.
Butternut squash gets an exotic Asian spin with Chinese five spice, a mixture of fennel seeds, Szechuan pepper, star anise, cloves and cassia, which is the Chinese equivalent to cinnamon.
For a side dish bursting with varied flavors, mix nutty quinoa with roasted squash, peppery arugula and toasted pecans. Cinnamon, paprika and cayenne balance out the dish with their sweet and spicy notes.
Rachael adds squash to her mac and cheese to brighten the dish's color and flavors, giving the sauce more substance than a straight-up cheese-and-cream sauce.
Pumpkin and butternut squash are tucked into this recipe's cheesy pasta folds along with freshly grated nutmeg. (Ground, packaged nutmeg is far less potent than when it's freshly grated, so if you must use the packaged form, make sure you add some extra.)
