My Mom used to make this dish fairly regularly for Thanksgiving when I was growing up. Eventually, we replaced it with something else and forgot about it. But a few years ago, we revisited the dish, and I had forgotten how yummy it was. I knew it was a dish I wanted to share with all of you. It is a great Fall/Winter dish and also makes a great side dish to offer at your upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.
That’s right — Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. My mind cannot fully comprehend this. It seems like yesterday that my family was visiting me. But May was months ago and now it’s almost the end of the year. Where does time go?
The days are long but the years are short.
Gretchen Rubin
I just finished reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and that was one of the quotes that stood out to me. I have definitely complained about long, agonizing days but the years do move fast. Almost too fast. One way I record time is through celebrating holidays with loved ones, and Thanksgiving is one of my favorites.
The focus on good food and gratitude and not having to worry about buying gifts makes it a real winner in my book. And providing a yummy meal or dish to share is also how I show my love and appreciation. I no longer make it home for Thanksgiving but I can recall with ease cooking in the kitchen with Mom, trying to time everything perfectly so the meal was ready at Noon. We would fill our plates high with turkey and all the fixings and tuck into a delicious, homemade meal that not only filled my belly but also my heart.
The creamy butternut squash with a sweet, crunchy rice krispie topping make a great combination of textures and flavors. It’s also a great substitute for sweet potatoes and a dish your vegetarian guests will appreciate as well.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cooked and butternut squash*
- 1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 11x7 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, evaporated milk and vanilla. Gently stir in squash. Mixture will be thin.Pour into prepared dish. Bake for 45 minutes (uncovered) or until almost set.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until bubbly. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Do not boil butternut squash like mashed potatoes for this recipe. The butternut squash will be too runny and won't set up nicely in the casserole. I recommend roasting the squash. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and membrane. Place cut side up on a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper over squash. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until fork tender. Cool and removed cooked squash from shell and refrigerate in an airtight container.
Recipe from Taste of Home
Enjoy!
Tanya
I am a fan of butternut squash and this looks good 🙂
Thanks, Mackenzie! It is delicious. It’s a little dessert-like, so it’s a little bit like eating dessert with your meal. 🙂