Okosimaan Recipe

by Wendy Makoons Geniusz

I created this recipe one fall when I had a lot of Okosimaanag and a lot of apples.  One can use any squash in this recipe, except for butternut, which does not have a large enough portion to hollow out.  For readers who are not sure with which squash they should start, I suggest spaghetti squash because it has such a nice texture when mixed with apples and cranberries.

Ingredients:

·       1 squash (You can use any squash except butter nut because you need a larger enough portion to hollow out.)

·       2-6 apples (amount depends on the size of the squash)

·       ½ - 1 cup dried cranberries (around depends on size of squash)

·       1 tablespoon maple sugar OR brown sugar

Directions:

·       Cut a hole, large enough for just your hand, in the top of the squash. If the squash is sitting stem up, cut the hole around the stem, like one does a jack o lantern.  If the squash is on its side (and the spaghetti squash works best this way) then you cut a whole in the top facing up. 

·       Keep the top but cut off any stringy stuff and seeds.

·       Hollow out the squash, taking out all the stringy stuff and seeds, but keeping the hard part of the squash.

·       You will be filling the squash with the apples, start with 2 and then add more apples till the squash is filled to the top, with enough room for the lid to sit tightly on top. 

·       Peel, core, and dice the apples (again start with 2) and stuff them into the squash.  Layer them with the dried cranberries between the layers.  Start with ½ cup dried cranberries between 2 apple layers. If the squash is big enough for a 3rd apple layer, then add the other ½ cup of cranberries.

·       When squash is filled with apples and dried cranberries (apples should be the very top layer) sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of maple or brown sugar over the top apples, put the lid of the squash back on.

·       Put squash in a baking pan (I use a square brownie pan)

·       Cook in preheated oven at 350 for 2 hours.  If it’s a small squash that only took 2 apples, it might be done in 1 ½ hour.

·       When you can take off squash top and easily put fork into the wall of the squash from the inside, then you know that the squash is soft and ready to eat.

·       Take off the top and eat it by scooping out the apples, cranberries, and sides of squash all in one big spoon.  You want parts of the whole thing on your plate.