Make Our Healthy Butternut Squash, Apple, Cranberry Bake

Inside: Colorful and tasty, our healthy butternut squash, apple, cranberry bake is the perfect side for winter suppers. You might even take a second helping and call it dessert. 

Beautiful, isn’t it? If you can call a casserole a thing of beauty. It tastes absolutely wonderful! And the smells? A treat when you come in from the cold!

I had meant to post this recipe right before Thanksgiving, but it didn’t happen that way. The ingredients, colors, aromas all fit nicely under that fall-harvest category. But the truth is that I make this several times over the course of fall and winter, usually paired with my mother-in-law’s simple recipe for pork loin roast. (One of these days I’ll have to include it.)

This butternut squash, apple, cranberry bake would also make for an easy side to bring along for the family gatherings, too. Easy, I say, though I do know working with butternut squash can be challenging. But there are ways around cutting into the hard uncooked flesh of the butternut. Some cooks briefly microwave the squash in increments of several minutes until the rind is soft enough to cut. (Make sure and pierce the rind before you try that!) I usually pre-bake mine just enough to be able to slice through it. That would cut down on the overall baking time of this recipe, as the instructions reflect using uncooked squash. Easiest of all is if you are fortunate enough to find cubed butternut squash in the refrigerated areas of your produce section.

A word about the other ingredients. . . Tart apples work best in this recipe, and when it comes to tartness, I reach for a Granny Smith. They hold up well in baked dishes and what a pretty color to greet you on your kitchen counter as you’re waiting to use them! As for the cranberries, I routinely keep a stash of them in my freezer because they keep so well and for so long there. (Shhh. . . I’ve actually kept them around for a year or longer without any problems.) The other star in this recipe, which didn’t get a top billing in the recipe name, is the richly-flavored pecan. Or rather pecans, as you’ll want to be generous with adding them in this bake. You can make the recipe without them, and it will still be great–just not to the level this dish is with the inclusion of my favorite nut.

Have I talked you into making this recipe yet? Okay, then, let’s get to it!

A few notes about this recipe. As previously stated, if using a different sweetener of choice or even brown sugar, you’ll want to use a half cup. If that sweetener is a brown sugar substitute or even brown sugar, leave out the molasses. (The molasses is used to mimic brown sugar for those who find the sweetener version a little pricey.) You can leave out the flour if you or your loved ones have a problem with gluten. If you happen to have partially baked your squash to make it easier to cut, you’ll probably want to start checking your casserole at about the 30 minute mark. When my squash is partially cooked, the bake typically takes about 40 minutes. But, remember, all ovens are different! If the top is golden brown and you can insert a knife into the a piece of fruit easily, then it’s done.

Enjoy the recipe and celebrate the cold weather months ahead!

Do you have a go-to favorite casserole for the fall and winter months? Tell us about it in the comments.

Related posts:

Crunchy Green Bean Snack

How to Make Chicken Bone Broth

Simple Suppers: Classic Broccoli  Cheese Soup

My Top Ten Must-do Fall Activities

 

Posts on the blog a year ago:

Taking End of Season Garden Notes

The Story of the Hillbilly Christmas Wreath