I always get just a tad annoyed with Hungry Girl for not mentioning just how HARD it is to peel a butternut squash. (She does give some directions for cutting them up in one of her posts, but they are nearly useless due to the hardness of the peel.) I am convinced this is the reason most people don’t use or buy butternut squash.

Solution: just throw the whole squash into the microwave for one to two minutes, just enough to heat the outer skin thoroughly. This will fix the problem and make the squash MUCH easier to peel. (Do wait long enough for the squash to cool down before you start peeling).

Or alternatively, you can go to Whole Foods, let them do it for you, and pay $7.99 per pound! Ridiculous!