Looking for a better way to get Vitamin A than carrots? I honestly can't stand carrots. I hate any food than you feel like you should only chew - and never swallow. So, for me, acorn squash is a great alternative. Here's a recipe I found (sorry, don't remember where) that turns out great!
Per recipe: Preheat oven to 400°F.
Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife.
Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter.
Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.
Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.
(* I've found that I usually have to cook it 1 1/2 hours or more so it doesn't turn out stringy. You'll probably have to add some water to the baking pan towards the end, too.)
