By I closed on a beautiful home in Seminole Heights this week. The buyers — a young couple, first-timers — looked at the keys the way I looked at my real estate license in 2012: like they were holding the future in their hands.
Alexander called from USF this week. He is settling in and building a life with the quiet competence of a young man who watched his mother rebuild from nothing and decided that building is what Papadopouloses do. He still does not call Yia-yia enough. He never will.
Some weeks are ordinary. This was an ordinary week. I sold houses. I cooked dinner. I called Mama. I drove to Tarpon Springs on Sunday. The extraordinary thing about ordinary weeks is that they are the ones you miss most when they are gone.
I made kolokithopita — savory Greek pumpkin pie with feta and dill in phyllo. What pumpkin should be when it grows up. I served it with bread and olive oil — always too much olive oil, because in this family there is no such thing as too much. We ate and the conversation was easy and the evening was warm.
Sophia told me this week that she is proud of me. I was not expecting it. We were in the car, driving to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner, and she said Mom, I am proud of you. I said for what. She said for everything. For the bakery. For the houses. For making dinner every night even when you are tired. I gripped the steering wheel and blinked and said thank you, koritsi mou. She said do not cry. I did not cry. Much.
Kolokithopita was already on the table that Sunday, but this week the squash stayed with me — the way it softens into something almost sweet, almost savory, almost unrecognizable from what it started as. Sophia’s words in the car did something similar to me. So when Monday came and I had half a butternut squash left on the counter and a house that finally felt quiet in the good way, I made this: butternut squash butter, slow-cooked down to a rich, glossy spread you can put on bread with too much olive oil and feel like everything is exactly as it should be.
Butternut Squash Butter
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water or apple cider, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Roast the squash. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
- Blend until smooth. Transfer the roasted squash to a blender or food processor. Add water (or apple cider) and blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add a splash more liquid if the mixture is too thick to move.
- Cook down on the stovetop. Pour the squash puree into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
- Simmer and stir. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 15–20 minutes until the mixture thickens and deepens in color. It should hold a soft mound on a spoon.
- Finish and cool. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and taste for seasoning — add a pinch more salt or sugar as needed. Let cool to room temperature before transferring to a jar. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 72 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 85mg