March 29, 2024

Creamy Butternut Casserole

Yes, yes…that does say ‘butternut squash.’ I know, I know…a fall vegetable. But please indulge me! You know my love for butternut…and they had some beauties at the grocery store…and so I just HAD to buy just one more! And then I remembered that I had found a casserole recipe in an older (1994) little recipe book that I came across awhile back. The following has been adapted from the original.

This makes for a great meatless meal! Or perhaps you could cook up some chops or chicken breast to serve alongside for the meat-eaters. This casserole fits in so well with our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV, too! And, while butternut squash is a bit more carb-heavy than some other veggies, balanced out with the fiber and protein contained in it, makes for a great option for those of us keeping our carbs in check. Here is some nutritional info.  Oh!  And this would be an excellent use for Dana’s recipe for Homemade Ricotta!

I would strongly suggest using a food processor to shred this much butternut…or you could work on your upper arm muscles!  I did shred a bit using the largest holes on my handheld grater; so it does work!

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This is a dish with a lot of texture…this is NOT your gramma’s pureed butternut squash casserole traditionally served at Thanksgiving dinner! Try it, I do think that you will thoroughly enjoy it!

And, buh-bye, butternut squash…see you in the Fall!

Creamy Butternut Casserole

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(makes approximately 10 side dish servings)

ingredients:
5 cups peeled and shredded butternut squash
juice of 2 lemons, approximately 1/4 cup *see tip
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup craisins
1 large mango, cut into small cubes
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 medium eggs
1 (5 ounce) container plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon2014-05-18 19.43.55
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh is best!)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
LOTS of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (I used lemon pepper)
1/2 cup shredded flavorful cheese (I used provolone)

directions:

  • preheat oven to 375
  • lightly grease an 11 inch x 7 inch (2 quart size) baking dish
  • in a large bowl, toss shredded squash with lemon juice. put half in the bottom of the baking dish
  • sprinkle the fruits over the top of the shredded butternut
  • in a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and then combine with the ricotta, yogurt, spices and a generous amount of salt and pepper (this is a dish that requires seasoning!)
  • spread the ricotta mixture over the top of the shredded squash in the baking dish
  • add the remaining squash, spreading evenly over the dish
  • cover TIGHTLY with foil (this will steam the butternut)
  • bake at 375° for 30 minutes
  • remove from oven, stir thoroughly, recover and return to oven for 15 minutes
  • remove foil and sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese (if you are using); bake for an additional 10 minutes
  • allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving

*tip: to get the most juice out of a lemon, heat in microwave for 15 seconds on 50% power. Then place on your countertop and roll back and forth ‘til it gets a little ‘squishy’. Cut in half (keep all the juice!) and squeeze into a measuring cup.

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

The Five B’s: Butternut, Brussels Sprouts, Baby Bellas, Bacon, and Balsamic

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Raise your hand, please, if you—like me—are planning out and testing recipes to serve at your Thanksgiving Day meal!  Over the next few weeks, both here on the blog and also over in our FaceBook GCH-Fellowship page, we will be chatting about recipes for the big feast.  Last Friday, Dana shared that “…it is always good to have a couple of side dish recipes in mind.”  She gave us her recipe for a delicious-looking side dish salad here on the At Home with GCH blog.

So today I am giving you a recipe entitled The Five B’s: bacon (yum!), butternut (oh, yum!), brussels sprouts (yumm-o!), baby bellas (yum-yum!) and balsamic (yummy!)….silly, I know.  But seriously, consider trying this as a side dish for your Thanksgiving feast!  Easy to prepare (the veggies can be prepped the day before).  And the prepared dish can be popped into the oven the moment you take the bird out!  It will be done and piping hot when your bird has finished resting and been carved.  This dish definitely fits into our healthy but oh-so-yummy point of view!  Enjoy!

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Five B’s: Butternut, Brussels Sprouts, Baby Bellas, Bacon and Balsamic

Ingredients:

3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2# thickly sliced bacon, chopped
1+1/2# Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 medium-large butternut squash, cleaned and cubed
8 ounce container Baby Bellas, cleaned and quartered
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup (the REAL stuff, please!)
1+1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
pinch fresh grated nutmeg

Preparation:

  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • In a medium-sized saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook 8-10 minutes ‘til crispy. Lay out on a paper towel to drain; set aside.
  • Lightly oil a large sheet pan (or two!) with olive oil.
  • In a very large bowl, or stockpot, pour in the prepared veggies…Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, Baby Bella mushrooms…along with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil; stir well to evenly disperse the oil and season well with salt & pepper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, additional 1 tablespoon olive oil, and maple syrup. Drizzle this mixture over the vegetables and toss so that they are evenly coated.
  • Spread out vegetables in a single layer (very important!) in the pan(s); sprinkle with salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg.
  • Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes; carefully remove pan(s) stir and flip over the veggies so that the other side can caramelize. Place back in over and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or ‘til the veggies are slightly brown and caramelized.
  • Remove from oven and, just before serving, top with crumbled bacon

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen