I was in the grocery store, holding a butternut squash, when a stranger told me that I should try making it into Ina Garten’s squash salad. “It’s wonderful,” he said. “Just look it up on the Food Network Web site.” And so I did. Ina, who calls herself the Barefoot Contessa, serves this salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette.
1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.
While the squash is roasting, prepare the Warm Cider Vinaigrette. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Annulla Cooks 
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