Pierce squash several times with a sharp knife.  Place on a plate or in a microwave safe bowl.  Cook on HIGH in microwave until tender.  About 5 minutes for a small squash, longer for a squash that weighs more than 1 pound. Squash is cooked when you can smell it.  Let stand an additional 5 minutes to continue cooking.

Cut open, remove seeds with a spoon.   Pull the cooked pulp from the shell with a fork or spoon.  Reheat if necessary.  Top with fresh pesto.  Serve as a side dish with any entree.

Note:  Any winter variety of squash can be cooked this way. Larger, attractive shapes make nice harvest table center pieces.

Pesto

6-8 cups fresh basil leaves

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 or more cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

In food processor:

Combine basil leaves, oil, garlic, salt and pepper and puree.  Add the pine nuts and Parmesan and pulse until the nuts are roughly chopped.

In blender:

Put oil into blender then add basil leaves, a handful at a time, until pureed.  Add garlic, salt pepper and pine nuts until nuts are chopped, then add the Parmesan.

Use as a spread on crackers, an ingredient in a cheese quiche and soups or a topping for pasta or meats. 

Small amounts can be frozen in ice cube trays or mini-muffin tins.  Then store in airtight freezer bags up to 3 months