Butternut Bunny

Oh. My. Cuteness. Check out this bunny made from a butternut squash - seriously, this was very easy and quick...and it's too dang cute. I'm thinking I'll make a couple more and come up with an adorable dining room centerpiece for Easter!

Check back next week, I have a cool (unpainted!) butternut squash recipe to share with you.

Psst: notice the pretty colored eggs? I made those today too and will show you how tomorrow!

Supplies:

• butternut squash (I tried to find one that would stand up pretty straight, and I wanted one that was a little fatter around - some are too tall and skinny)
• craft paint and brushes
• big black sharpie (or black paint and a small brush)
• cotton ball
• white paper
• white glue

Directions:

Paint the entire squash with whatever main color you want your bunny, I did yellow. Also paint the white paper with the main color (you'll cut the ears out of the painted paper). 

Once it's dry, paint on 2 white patches for its belly and face. Add feet using a color that is a bit darker than the base color. Let it dry.

Cut 2 long pieces of paper for the ears, rounded on one end and slightly tapered on the other end. Fold little tabs along the squared end and glue the tabs to the top of the squash by the stem.

Glue the cotton ball on the back for the tail.

When the white patch is dry, draw on a face with the sharpie (or paint it on). 

I found the instructions for this here. It was originally meant for a Thanksgiving table but it's way more Easter-y to me!

Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

It's not every day that I hear "I think this is my new favorite salad" from the hubby, trust me when I say that means this is a VERY good salad! And I'm with him, it's also my new fave.

I came across "butternut spirals" at the grocery store, they are like the zucchini noodles that are suddenly everywhere (click here for a recipe) only made out of butternut squash. I made the recipe on the back of the package and didn't change a thing except I added more arugula and used cherry tomatoes - and I will be making it all the time now! Yum.

10.7 ounces butternut spirals (I think shredded, grated, or chopped in small pieces would also work)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 diced roma tomato

Heat skillet over medium-high, add oil and butternut spirals and toss for 3-4 minutes until al dente (don't cook too long or they'll get mushy). Remove from heat, toss with arugula, pine nuts and tomato. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with goat cheese and enjoy with your favorite vinaigrette (optional. note I drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled on some white wine vinegar).

we had it as a side to grilled pork tenderloin. 

Sarge just waiting for something to leap out of the bowl and onto the floor :)

Squash Ghosts

I love when a project ends up being super easy and cute! Sometimes when I attempt what seems to be an easy project it ends up harder than I think haha, but this one is a winner. You could do with any kind of gourd or squash you want that has a good ghostly shape...I used butternut squash (making sure they are flat enough on the bottom to stand up). Paint them with 2 coats of white acrylic craft paint (I used a 1" foam brush); when dry paint on eyes and mouths (just free hand it, it looks good not perfectly symmetrical I think!) with black acrylic craft paint using a small rounded brush. Done.