Celebrating the Bounty of the Lord
Along with potatoes, turkey and other Thanksgiving fare, squash was native to the New World. But I was surprised to learn that the butternut squash did not arrive until the 1940s when Charles Leggett, of Stow, Mass., experimented with crossbreeds of pumpkin and gooseneck squash. Butternut squash got its name from its nutty taste and smooth, buttery texture and, up to this day, has lent itself to countless recipes and many Thanksgiving dinners!
It is almost symbolic how the various elements of the Thanksgiving feast declare the unexpected nature of God’s bounty. His gifts often arrive when we least expect them and in new, unfamiliar forms. When the very first pilgrims arrived in the new world to seek religious freedom and a better life, the onset of winter threatened their very lives. Their situation was dire. But their deliverance arrived through the generosity of people they did not know, who used a language they could not speak, and who arrived with foods they had never seen. So often it is with God. We expect our prayers to be answered in ways that we want or expect them to be. We expect familiar solutions. But God’s graces come to us in unexpected ways, and we find ourselves giving thanks to him for blessings we could not have foreseen.
In the moments of our own lives when things may seem dark or hopeless, and we ask ourselves how we are going to make it through, Thanksgiving can be a reminder of God’s endless bounty and goodness. We cannot predict what the Lord has in store. But we do know that he will provide for us, and his bounty is worth celebrating.
MAPLE ROASTED
BUTTERNUT SQUASH
(serves 4-5)
1 large butternut squash
(cut into 1-inch cubes)
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
rosemary plus more for topping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Coat one large or two smaller
baking sheets with nonstick
cooking spray (or line with
parchment paper).
Place the cubed squash in a
large mixing bowl. Add the olive
oil, maple syrup, brown sugar,
cinnamon, salt, pepper and
chopped rosemary. Toss until well
coated. Spread the cubed squash
evenly among the one or two
baking sheets in a single layer.
Place the pan/pans in the
oven and roast for 30-35
minutes or until the squash is
tender. Remove from the oven
and transfer to a serving dish
Top with additional chopped
rosemary and enjoy!
