I like this recipe for spiced-rubbed pork loin with acorn squash. Number one: It's not chicken and we eat enough of that. And, number two: As fancy as it looks, it is a very manageable recipe for a week-night, one of the easiest I make, actually. It's even easier to prep than some of the crock pot meals my family enjoys so much. The hardest part of the whole process is cutting the acorn squash into wedges (without cutting your fingers off). You will need a large knife. The more it resembles an ax, the better.

When we are done eating and everything is cool, I peel the skin off any left over squash, tear it into bite-sized pieces and save it in an air-tight container in the fridge.

I give it to Avril the next day for lunch. She loves it. It's the texture of baked sweet potato. And, I love the face that I can offer her (basically) fresh squash (any fresher and it would be like biting into a softball).