Butternut Squash and Cheddar Cheese Dip/Casserole

From Meg's Kitchen 

We celebrated the hubs birthday this weekend with a potluck supper and Tango dance.  Only seven managed to come but since our place is not large it was a good number.

I baked the hubs a carrot cake with butter cream frosting that was a big hit.  The recipe I used called for finely grating 3/4 lb of carrots.  And now with a well exercised arm I know why I haven't made a carrot cake in years.

I also made a Butternut Squash and Cheddar Cheese Dip that I found online at Serious Eats.  I wasn't too sure about how it would work out - cheese and squash as a dip?  But since the hubs had brought home a butternut squash from a friend's garden I decided to give it a go.  It is the most amazing butternut squash dish ever!!!!  Everyone raved about it and ate a lot of it (which is the true test for a good dish).  This recipe makes a lot and we ate the remaining portion as a vegetable side dish.  Following is the recipe with a few minor adjustments and my own instructions.

Butternut Squash and Cheddar Cheese Dip or Casserole

3 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1" chunks  (see Note below regarding peeling)
Olive, vegetable or coconut oil (I used coconut oil)
4 TBSP butter, unsalted
20 fresh sage leaves
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, smashed through a garlic press (much faster than mincing with a knife)
8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Equipment:  food processor, rimmed sheet pan lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper, 2 quart oiled baking dish, 10 to 12 inch frying pan

Note:  to make peeling the squash easier simply cut off the top and bottom of the butternut and microwave for about 3 minutes.  When the squash has cooled, use a sturdy vegetable peeler to remove the skin.

• Set oven to 400 degrees and coat squash chunks with oil and spread on lined, rimmed sheet pan.  Bake until the chunks are tender - about 30 minutes.  Toss half way through the baking time.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in the frying pan and saute the sage leaves until slightly browned.  Remove leaves from the butter and drain on paper towels.  Note:  I think that you would be safe to just add the sage to the food processor without frying it but maybe add a few leaves when sautéing the onions.
• Add the onion slices to the melted butter and saute until caramelized - about 20 minutes.  Stir frequently.  When onions are nice and golden brown add the minced garlic and saute for about a minute.
• Process the butternut squash, onions and 15 sage leaves in the food processor until mixed.  Add the cream cheese and sour cream and mix until blended.  If the mixture is too thick add a bit of milk to the mixture just enough to get everything blended.
• Stir in 1/2 of the grated cheese
• Spread mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Decorate with the remaining sage leaves.

The dish can be made ahead of time.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.  The cheese topping should be melted and slightly toasted.  If using as a dip, serve with crackers or pita chips.

As a side dish this pairs well with roasted meats or eat it as a vegetarian main dish.

Mary's Comment 
This sounds like it would have a lovely depth of flavor!  I like butternut squash in just about anything, but this is a great application. I think I would like yhis served with the pitas toasted after rubbing with raw garlic. Go for it!!

Best Ever Guacamole

It seems that the West Coast of the United States leans towards Mexican influenced foods while on the East Coast (at least when I lived there) Latino foods were heavily influenced by Puerto Rico and Cuba.  Of course things have changed somewhat with taco chains.

When I was first married I did not care for avocados.  Since it was an essential salad staple for the hubs, I gradually developed a taste for the luscious vegetable.  Now, I can't help but lick my fingers when cutting up a good ripe avocado.  Usually I make a fairly simple and quick guacamole.  But when I want a really superb guac, I pull out my Gourmet Cookbook, published in 2004 (it is the "yellow" one with recipe titles that are very hard to see because they are yellow)  So following is my version of their Tomatillo Guacamole:

Ingredients for about 3-4 cups dip

1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
3 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb firm but ripe Haas avocados (this is the avocado with the blackish, bumpy skin)
1 TBSP lime juice
Tortilla chips

Instructions

Pre-heat your broiler (I use my toaster oven on broil).  Broil the tomatillos in a shallow baking dish until the tops are charred (5 to 10 minutes).  Using tongs, turn the tomatillos over and broil the other side (about another 5 minutes).  Remove from the oven and allow to sit.  While the tomatillos are broiling use the time to prep the remaining ingredients.

In a large bowl, mix together the onion, chiles, cilantro, and salt.  Add the roasted tomatillos and mash with a fork or pestle to form a coarse paste.

Halve and pit the avocados.  Holding a half avocado in one hand, gently cut the meat of the vegetable into squares without cutting through the skin.  Squeeze the avocado out of the skin into the bowl. Continue with each avocado half.  This method gives you some squished avocado with some solid chunks.

Add lime juice and gently stir to incorporate all the ingredients.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Mary's Comment

Okay, if I had Haas avocados and tomatillos in the house I would make this recipe!  I like guacamoles with texture including onion and some spicy "bite".  My go-to version would likely have chopped tomatoes instead of tomatillos, with some chopped garlic and lemon juice instead of lime.  Regardless, a good guacamole is to appreciated (and eaten).  Salt is critical, both in the guacamole and on the chips.  It enhances the flavor quite a bit.  A word to the wise: the green-skinned avocados have much less flavor and less amenable to "mashing" than the Haas and are not best suited for guacamole.