Maple-Spice Butternut Squash

This is a great Thanksgiving dish (easy to make ahead a day or even two then do the final glaze-bake right before serving) and you can also make this same recipe using baked sweet potatoes. Double the recipe if needed for a holiday meal. This recipe makes your house smell awesome.

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes   Cook Time: 50-60 minutes for the squash; 25 minutes for the casserole  

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash
1/2 cup butter, melted*
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
ground cloves

*Replace butter with margarine if you prefer.

Directions

Cut squash into quarters. (Butternut squash is hard to cut! Get a big knife.) Scoop seeds out with a spoon. (Reserve seeds to roast! See note at end of recipe.) Place pieces cut-side down in a large baking pan. Pour hot water in the pan to a depth of about 1/4-inch. Bake at 350-degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Cool squash; peel.

Cut squash into 1/2-inch slices and place in a lightly greased pan. (Depending on the size of your squash, choose a pan that will allow you to place the squash slices in a single layer.) Pour melted butter and maple syrup over squash then sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Cover pan and return to 350-degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes, covered, then another 10 uncovered, until glazed and hot and delicious! (Optional: you can add 1/4 cup raisins and/or chopped pecans on top.)

Don’t forget you can roast butternut squash seeds, just like you’d roast pumpkin seeds. Tossed with a bit of oil and salt, it is a great snack!

Categories: Entertaining, Holiday, Side Dishes, Vegetables

Submitted by: suzanne-mcminn on June 6, 2010