A family favorite winter vegetable has always been butternut squash. My mom used to mash it up with butter, salt, pepper, and of course, maple syrup. I’m going to shake up tradition and add a Granny Smith apple instead of the maple syrup.

The tartness of the Granny Smith apple gives this dish a real zing! Adding cinnamon and nutmeg complete the flavors.

You can buy squash already peeled and cut at the grocery store. Or just peel it yourself. It will be a bit more expensive if you buy it already ready-peeled.

Butternut squash always stains your hands orange when you are cutting it. I wear disposable gloves when I’m preparing this squash. (Yes, I know it does look odd!)

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cut top part of the squash from the bulb end.

Then peel it with a knife or...

...with a vegetable peeler.

Cut the bulb end in half

And remove (and discard) all the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon. (Just like when you are making a Jack-o-lantern.)

Chop the squash into one inch pieces. (You need about 3 cups in total)

With a vegetable peeler, peel two Granny Smith apples.

Then remove the core with a small knife.

Keep the apple on the cutting board when you do this step. If you are holding the apple in your hand while trying to remove the core, you could easily slip and cut the palm of you hand!

Now slice the apple

Put ½ of the squash into an 8 inch square baking dish

Layer one of the sliced apples on top

Add the rest of the squash

And now layer the second apple

Sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg.

Cover the dish with tin foil and bake it in the oven for about 45-55 minutes.

When the squash and apples are tender, remove the dish from the oven. Add 3 Tablespoons of butter, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper. With your potato masher start mashing. Keep mashing until everything is smooth and well blended.

Enjoy!

P.S.: Watch this video if you're interested in using butternut squash to make a great soup!

You can view and print this recipe here.

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