Roasted Acorn Squash and Goat Cheese Dip

Thought my first post should be about my favorite time of day. It’s when I get home from work, take off my bra, and pour myself a BIG ASS glass of wine. As I drink my wine, I begin prepping the ingredients for dinner and obviously I get hungry. So, with my wine, I have a pre-dinner nibble. I’ll eat some cheese, crackers, pita, olives, hummus, chips, or smoked salmon (when I want to get real fancy on a Wednesday). I take my snacking seriously, so I’m always on the lookout for a good new snack. This is how I discovered pureed squash and goat cheese goes down a treat with some carrot sticks and pita chips. I made a batch this weekend, which I’m gonna enjoy all week with my wine.

I tend to eat this as a dip but, like hummus, it can also be used as a spread. Usually, I use 1 good sized squash, but last week my CSA gave me two adorably tiny acorn squash so I used 2 small ones instead. 

Stuff  

1 medium (or 2 little) acorn squash

dash of apple cider vinegar

pinch of chili flakes

few sprigs of thyme

¼ log of goat cheese

½ lemon

dash of maple syrup

olive oil 

salt and pepper

Steps

Preheat the oven to 425F. Half the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place on a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, sprinkle with chili flakes, thyme, and salt & pepper. Roast for 40 mins. 

Remove from the oven and let cool. Scoop squash flesh into a food processor. Add goat cheese, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt & pepper. Blitz together. Drizzle in some extra olive oil if you want. Try it. Add extra lemon or salt to taste.