Butternut squash has three outstanding virtues. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, especially vitamin A, riboflavin, and potassium. It has a long shelf life; uncut, it can keep to up to five months after harvest in a cool place. Best of all, butternut squash has a sweet buttery flavor richer and sweeter than that of most winter squashes. Try butternut squash roasted: peel it, seed it, and cut it into smaller pieces. Toss it with some minced garlic, salt and pepper, and a few tbsps of olive oil. Roast the squash in a 400 degree oven until the pieces are tender.

Butternut Squash Pizzas with Rosemary

• 1 cup of sliced onions
• 1/2 butternut squash, slightly roasted to peel, seeded and sliced very thin.
• 1 teaspoon of rosemary chopped (or sage)
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 balls pizza dough
• 1 tbsp of corn meal
• 2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven at 400 and place squash in oven for about 20 minutes. This is so you can take out the squash and peel off the skin with a little more ease, seed it and slice into thin pieces. It shouldn't be tender all the way through though since you will be putting it in the oven again. Place sliced squash, onions in a roasting pan. Add the rosemary (or sage), salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Toss well, Bake veggies for about 20 minutes until onions are browning and squash is tender.

Increase oven temperature to 450. On a flowered surface, roll each ball of dough into an 8 inch round. Place the rounds on a baking sheet sprinkled with the cornmeal ( you may need two baking sheets-depending on their size). Distribute the squash mixture over the two rounds. Bake the pizzas for ten minutes. or until crust is firm.

Sprinkle the pizzas with the cheese (omit or use cheese substitute for vegan version), and drizzle them with the remaining olive oil, or more. Cut each pizza into slices and serve.

-contributed by Sharon Wouters

-- JillW - 13 Dec 2010