Out son has five days at home in between finals, a trip to Colorado with friends, and a summer job in Missouri. He lived in an apartment with three friends this year. Their schedules were so different, that they bought their own food and did not try to cook together. He mostly ate meat, eggs and fruit at the apartment. He ate one meal a day in the dining hall to get vegetables. He said there wasn't much variety - that green beans and corn were about the only cooked veggies. He ate a lot from the unlimited salad bar.

After hearing that I decided no salad, no corn, and no green beans this week. One of his favorite vegetables is acorn squash. I cook it whole in the oven. When it is soft, I cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and put a little butter or ghee and a little maple syrup in the hole.

When I went to the store the only acorn squash was enormous. It could have won a prize at a county fair. Alongside the acorn squash was a similar shaped squash called gold nugget. It was a more reasonable size, so I decided to try it.

It has a stronger flavor than either acorn squash or butternut squash. My son thought it was a little bitter. I thought it tasted rather rich. It was good, but we agreed that we prefer our old favorite.

Amaong the other side dishes I've fixed this week were : steamed broccoli, Italian zucchini & tomato, spinach & raisins, black eyed peas, wild rice, and adzuki beans.

We laughed tonight that he probably won't get anything except green beans and corn until he returns home in July. He is going to be a coach and camp counselor. I can't imagine that the dining hall at camp will serve anything but the most basic vegetables.