Give Your "Unfavorites" Another Try
By Nancy Finch, Food Columnist

January of a new year. A good time to take a look at your eating habits. 

I don�t like beets. I�m not wild about acorn squash. I�ve tried hominy, but it doesn�t occur to me to serve it.

Although I consider myself a �Mikey� type eater, there are some longtime biases and once they�re stuck in your mental menu planner, they don�t easily get unstuck.

My husband likes beets and greens (another mental bias), acorn squash and, who knows if he likes hominy, he never gets it. So, my New Year�s Resolution: Do Different(ly).

We practiced ahead of the New Year. Beets can be better, even enjoyed. Serve them as Harvard Beets. Dressed up helps � some.

Acorn squash? Again, jazz them up a bit with some other flavors for the, to me, pretty flavorless winter squash. Grapes with celery and nuts drizzled in a brown-sugar-and-butter combination add interest and taste!

Hominy? One of the childhood unfavorites that I learned to modernize a few years ago. I found a Mexican-inspired salad version is good. I don�t usually recommend brands, but Mrs. Manning�s hominy is best for this recipe.

O.K., so what don�t you like or what do you avoid? Time to broaden your horizons and add interest to your 2003 table! (I didn�t go so far as trying turnip greens, I must confess!)

Winter Squash With Grape Topping

Ingredients:

Directions: Prick squash with fork. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until squash is tender. Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Microwave chopped celery until tender, about 2 minutes on high. Melt butter in skillet or microwave container. Add brown sugar, celery, nuts, grapes. Mix well. Fill halved squash with grape mixture. (Can hold at this point to serve later.) Cover filled squash with waxed paper and microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes or dot with additional butter and bake at 350˚ for 15 minutes. Serves 4.

Harvard Beets

Ingredients:

Directions: Mix together the sugar, corn starch, lemon rind, juice and water (substitute beet liquid for water if using canned beets) in saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute. Add sliced beets and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Southwestern Hominy Salad

Ingredients:

Directions: Combine hominy, beans, chilies, onion, green pepper and salt. Mix well. Add salsa. Lightly mix in chopped cilantro. Serves 6 to 8.