The first stage in preparing butternut squash for Thanksgiving is to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and place it in a pan with a half inch of water. At that point it bakes in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes. Next you remove it from the oven and mash the squash with butter, salt and pepper and a little maple syrup. Maybe not a happy ending for the squash, but a delicious addition to the holiday feast.
