My biggest joy of reading food blogs is seeing the writer take on complicated main courses and extravagant desserts.  Through the words and pictures, I feel the writer’s sense of accomplishment as if I made the dishes myself.  One of the reasons I started this blog is so that I can share my sense of accomplishment in the kitchen with others. But that’s precisely why I am beyond embarrassed to share this recipe here.

This dish is so easy to put together I can’t even bring myself to call it a recipe. Seriously, the most difficult part is cutting up the butternut squash.

I used to avoid butternut squash at all cost because I didn’t think it’s possible cut off its skin without losing a finger.  I’ve picked up a few pointers throughout the years.  Some people microwave the squash for about a minute, so the skin softens for easier cutting. Others use a vegetable peeler as you would on a potato.  I like to cut the squash into smaller sections and then cut off the skin.  If the thought still frightens you, I’ve seen peeled and cubed butternut squash in the produce section of the grocery store.

I was used to pairing butternut squash with ingredients like maple syrup or brown sugar that bring out the squash’s subtle sweetness (try to say that three times!).  But the garlic and parsley combination was a pleasant surprise.  The garlic adds a bit of a kick, while the parsley gives some freshness.  I never realized how flavorful and creamy butternut squash can be.  This will work perfectly on the side in place of potatoes or rice.

Sure, this isn’t as impressive as baking a birthday cake from scratch or smoking my own salmon.  But this dish illustrates my belief that simple ingredients bring out the best of flavors.  Plus it takes no effort to put together, which is perfect for those who are knee-deep in their holiday decorating and shopping.