(No, this isn’t that post either. One day soon, just not today. This one’s 49, for anyone who’s counting. Obviously, I am counting….)

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It was a completely gorgeous day here on Saturday — cool, clear, and breezy. A picture-perfect fall day. And at the farmers market were all the goods to prove that, once again, It’s Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers. (Related, from The Atlantic: “A History of ‘It’s Decorative Gourd Season’ and Why It Will Never Die.”)

Also at the market? Lettuce. And eggplant. And greens. And potatoes. And a few tomatoes, still. Also, apples. But the lettuce was what I was looking for, because fresh lettuce is delicious. And I found some at a table not far from my most frequent haunt (Tubby Creek), but I didn’t want the farmer to have to make change for a $20, so I started adding things to the bag, to go with the lettuce. I wasn’t terribly inspired until I saw, on the back table, behind everything else, the beautiful butternut squash.

And I said, without really thinking, “Ooh! Easy! I’ll take some butternut squash, please.”

And the farmer said, “No one ever uses the word ‘easy’ with butternut squash. Like, never. It’s why they’re on the back table.”

And I said, “But they are easy. They’re super easy. You just peel them with a vegetable peeler, cut them into pieces, and cook them. It’s easy.”

And he said, “Yeah, I know. But most people don’t know that.”

So, today (which also happened to be another college essay editing day with my best girl), I’m offering something easy, with a ridiculous video from my messy, non-Instagram-able kitchen to show you that you can, in fact, prepare a butternut squash in less than 3 minutes, without much fuss at all.

Less than 3 minutes. And it will be much easier for you because you won’t be thinking, while you’re peeling that squash: “Please, dog, don’t bark. Please, dog; really.”

What are you going to do with that squash, now that it’s peeled, cut in half and seeded? Well, here are some ideas, and I’ll start with the best, from my pals Michelle and Steve at Gourmandistan:

Provençal Squash Gratin (Gourmandistan)

Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Pancetta (Food & Wine)

Butternut Squash Risotto (Cookie & Kate)

One-Skillet Roasted Butternut Squash with Spiced Chickpeas (bon appétit)

Butternut Squash Baked Pasta (bon appétit)

And since we’re on the “easy” theme, and since it’s fall and time to get comfy: Here’s your reminder that there is almost nothing better in the entire world than Deb Perelman’s salted brown butter crispy rice treats. And they’re ultra-easy to make. Like, I made a batch tonight, after cooking dinner and helping with college essays, but before sitting down to write this. And I’m about to hit “Post” and it isn’t even is just past 11:00, (because the dog, who didn’t bark (good dog!) had to go out). Easy peasy.

Also, delicious.

See you tomorrow.

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This post is 49/56 in a self-directed challenge to write (or at least post) something (SOMETHING) every day – a birthday gift to me from me, because writing gives me a place to put the clutter that lives in my head.