Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole
1 T olive oil
1 butternut squash (1½ lb.), halved and seeded
1 medium sweet onion, diced (1 cup)
1 4.5 ounce can diced green chiles
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp. )
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
Enchilada sauce (homemade or canned)
8-12 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place squash cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast 45 minutes, or until soft. Allow to cool, scoop into a bowl and mash.
2. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté until soft. Add chiles and garlic. Cook 1 minute.
3. Stir in mashed squash, cream cheese, cumin, and nutmeg. Turn the heat off and mix well.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce over bottom of 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Layer tortillas followed by the squash mixture, then cheddar cheese. Repeat, ending with cheddar cheese as your final layer on top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the sides start bubbling and the cheese is melted and gooey.
5. Serve with your usual Tex-Mex sides and condiments. Extra cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, green onions, jalepeno peppers, salsa, chips, beans, rice. Or a side salad works too but not as satisfying.
I sometimes forget this blog is about recipes. I get off on a tangent like mislabeled seafood or nasty who knows what’s in them chicken nuggets from China. FOCUS! It’s about the food, the recipes, and the memories. A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I used to make a squash enchilada casserole when fall rolled around and the hard squashes started appearing in the market. I was always amazed at how tasty this dish was without any meat in it. Like all great family recipes this one exhibits the following classic characteristics.
The kids didn’t like it when they were little and I never wrote the recipe down. I’m sure if I wanted to waste an hour or two I could find the original recipe yellowed and faded, taped to a 3 x 5 card somewhere. I also know that when I find the original recipe it won’t be how I make it now. Why bother looking? I do recall the original recipe called for some cooked potato added to the squash mixture. I also recall the original did not have green chilies in it. So here you go. This recipe is from memory. I hope it tastes good.
I can’t believe this is my 100th post.
TIPS
If you like (or need) an extra kick, sub a heartier pepper for the green chilies. Need protein? Add a can of black beans, rinsed and drained, to the middle layer of the casserole. Monterrey Jack would be a nice sub for the cheddar. Or Smokey Chipotle Cheddar might work too. (I have a chunk of this in the fridge and it’s looking for a recipe). But most of all, have some fun with this recipe.
Update 11.17.14
I know, two days after posting and I’m making changes already. Step 4 – for the middle layers, tortillas, squash mixture, cheddar cheese, repeat. No enchilada sauce. The red sauce goes only on the bottom of the pan and on the top layer of tortillas. The final layer is tortillas, enchilada sauce, and shredded Monterrey jack cheese. Yellow corn tortillas are fine but I used white corn tortillas. I only needed ten tortillas. You’ll get eight generous servings from this casserole. I made some quick enchilada sauce with a 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes and some chicken stock. You can leave out the chicken stock if you’re a picky vegetarian. You can leave the cheese off too but I won’t take any responsibility for how your casserole turns out.
garyskitchen.net 