Chilean Butternut Squash Casserole

Meredith K.'s Note:

This delicious casserole has become a tradition at my family's Thanksgiving. And everyone agrees we should make it more often, it's so good, and not hard to make. I've changed this recipe only slightly from the Chilean Squash in the Moosewood Cookbook. You can substitute mashed pumpkin or yams (unsweetened, of course!), but the butternut is best and worth the effort. A tip for easier clean up: I just mash the squash right in the casserole and mix everything there. I wipe off the upper sides wih a clean, damp dish towel and pop it in the oven. I've been tempted to add a cup or two of cooked rice or other grain to make it even more hardy, but I haven't tried that yet... Note: cook time does not include time for baking the squash; that can be done ahead and refrigerated.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 -3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 -2 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 cup red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
2. Bake cut sides down at 425° 45- 50 min.
3. or until very soft at thick end.
4. Let squash cool and scrape out of the shell; mash as smoothly as you can.
5. Meanwhile, sauté onion, garlic and spices in olive oil until onion is translucent.
6. Add peppers and salt, stir, cover and leave on low heat 5 min.
7. Preheat oven to 350°.
8. Stir beaten eggs into mashed squash.
9. Add corn, sautéd vegies and grated cheddar; stir to mix well.
10. Bake 20 min.
11. covered; uncover and bake 20- 30 min.
12. more.

Reviews

[Teddy's Mommy]

Delicious! I used fresh corn and it was fantastic. I took the left overs turned them into patties, coated the outside with panko breadcrumbs and fried them for a side dish the next night.

[Russell G]

This is a great way to do butternut squash. I prefer things with a little more spice than what the recipe called for, so instead of adding seasonings to the veggies, I added directly to the casserole mixture. I also tripled the amount of spices, and doubled the amount of garlic. Came out perfect for me. I served with lime wedges. End result was more "chilean" than "thanksgiving," which is my preference. This one is a keeper. I highly suggest at least trying a bite with some fresh lime juice on it!

[Anton Ego]

I love butternut squash. I have a dynamite recipe for soup. BUT, I'm always on the lookout for something fantastic to bring new life to butternut. And this is it. I found that by varying the amount of spice and cheese you subtly alter the flavor. But t's always interesting. One of the best things is that you don't entirely lose the sweetness, but you then start to find the cumin, then the chili, then the garlic, then the cheese. Each comes through cleanly, and then they all sing together. A winner for my recipe box!