Problem: Article: You should use the acorn squash as soon as you've cut it since it will begin to lose flavor and health benefits. But if you can't use the acorn squash the same day you cut it, wrap the squash in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to four days. You can also freeze the cut squash for several months. To do so, wrap the acorn squash in plastic and place it in an air-tight freezer bag. Label the bag and use the squash before you see ice crystals form. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (218 C). Rub a few tablespoons of olive oil over several halves of acorn squash with the seeds removed. Sprinkle the flesh with salt and pepper. Place these on baking sheet flesh-side down. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes or until they're soft. If you'd like to try a unique flavor, consider seasoning your acorn squash with one of these combinations: Sesame seeds and cumin Cinnamon and butter Balsamic vinegar and shallots For a quick puree, roast the acorn squash in halves. Once the roasted squash is cool enough to handle, just scoop out the flesh and mash it in a serving bowl along with butter, salt and pepper. For an even smoother consistency, you can beat it with a hand mixer. You can also steam the acorn squash before pureeing it. To steam the squash, heat about an inch of water in a saute pan. Add cubed acorn squash and let it cook over medium-high heat until it's tender (about 10 minutes). Take 1/2 inch rings or slices of acorn squash and combine them with a few teaspoons of melted butter or olive oil. Place the squash in a saute pan that you can also place in the oven. Cover the pan and cook the squash over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake them at 400 degrees F (204 C) for 15 more minutes. If you'd like a slightly sweet caramelized flavor, add a few tablespoons of brown sugar to the squash before you bake them.
Summary: Refrigerate the squash. Roast acorn squash halves. Make an acorn squash puree. Cook rings of acorn squash.

Problem: Article: So you've got this incredible challenge before you: now you need to really face it. How do you deal, how do you cope, when this very upsetting thing is happening to you? It's very important to remember that time passes and things change. Always. The only constant is that the sun will rise each morning. Whatever you're dealing with, however terrible and permanent it feels, it's important to remember that you will not always feel this way. Your challenge will not be there forever. A new reality will form and you will find a way to keep living. Just keep telling yourself: This too shall pass. For example, your boyfriend that you've been with since you were young might have just left you. It will feel horrible, like you'll never be happy again and you'll never find someone else that you love that much. It might feel like you'll never find anyone. But time will pass, you'll be out at a party, and then suddenly...your prince charming will walk into the room. He'll be funny and charming and he'll think you're just the most incredible thing to grace this Earth. It'll happen. You just need to be patient and give it time. When bad things happen to us or when we're stressed, we tend to forget about all of the wonderful things that exist in our lives. No matter how bad things seem, the world really is a wonderful place. Take account of the good things in your life. Spend time enjoying them and tell the people that love you how much you love them in return. Not only will this keep you sane during this challenging time, it might also help you find a way to take on your challenge. People sometimes have a hard time seeing the good things in their life. Don't let this happen to you. You don't have a significant other? You do still have friends and family. Not much in the way of friends and family? You're alive and you have the wonderful opportunity to go out into the world and make friends and have experiences. There's always some incredible experience that's just waiting for you to get up and take it. No matter what challenge you're facing, being flexible will make a huge difference in helping you face it. See yourself as a tree that's fallen in a river. You can try to go against the flow, but you'll end up struggling and you'll bang against every rock on the way. If instead you go with the flow, change with each direction that the river wants to take you, you'll glide smoothly until it carries you to a resting place. When you have a goal or find some kind of greater meaning in your life, you'll find that facing any challenge is easier. This is because it gives you something to work towards, hope for, or will simply inspire you and make you happy. There are lots of ways to go about this. You can set a goal, like that you want to buy a house in five years. Some people become more religious and find comfort in their religious community. Some people volunteer and find strength in helping others. Find something that works for you. Finding meaning if you don't have meaning can be tricky. The best way to go about it, as with most things in life, is to give it a try. When you find the right thing for you, you'll know it. Just keep yourself open to as many possibilities as possible and don't keep yourself from getting out there and trying things. Handling stress takes practice. You'll find that you have an easier time facing challenges if you face more of them. When you keep yourself sheltered and always take the easy route in life to avoid the challenges, you'll never show yourself that you can in fact face a challenge. Let challenges happen. Take risks that have promising rewards. You'll find that you can do more than you give yourself credit for. It's a bit like learning to ride a bike: you have to get up on the bike and you might get a few scrapes and bruises while you learn to keep your balance, but each wobble will teach you something about staying upright. If every time you wobble you get off the bike and stay off for a few years, you're never going to learn. When you do face challenges in your life, be grateful for them. Each challenge you face will teach you more about yourself. It will become a part of who you are...and that person is an incredible person. You are unique and wonderful and it is your challenges that have made you that way. You might be struggling right now but remember, even while you're worrying and upset, that this challenge is going to make you a better person. The most important thing you can do for facing any challenge is to believe in yourself. When you doubt yourself, you'll falter. You'll make poor decisions. You want to make good decisions! Not believing in yourself can also powerfully transform what you take away from this experience. Either you believe in yourself and what you take away is ultimately good and you learn from it...or you don't believe in yourself and this experience is negative because you see it as a failure on your part. Which experience would you rather have? Sometimes, life has been so unkind that we really don't want to believe in ourselves. Please, don't let your experiences diminish your wonderful spirit. You are so strong. Look at all the stuff that you've made it through so far! We know that you can face this challenge and do so with grace. We believe in you and we are so proud of the person that you are. Just keep trying and don't forget to be awesome.
Summary:
Recognize that this too shall pass. Remind yourself of the good things in your life. Be flexible, always. Find meaning in your life. Let yourself be challenged. Be grateful for the challenges you have. Believe in yourself.