A Southern Grace: the magic words

November 21, 2008

the magic words

Yum

No, not abra-cadabra. Not pretty please with a cherry on top.

Three little (well, more like medium-sized) words with the power to turn something ordinary into something extraordinary...


Cinnamon. Streusel. Topping.

More specifically, cinnamon streusel topping resting upon a tub o' pulverized butternut squash. (I told you it'd be back.)


Even if you don't particularly like butternut squash, I think chances are good that you'll enjoy this casserole. The puree itself becomes slightly fruity and quite sweet, and the topping just takes it above and beyond. Obviously.


I debated attempting this casserole for awhile. The idea stemmed from my undying love of sweet potato casserole, so the recipes are similar. Although replacing the sweet potaters with butternut squash made for an impressively tasty dish and I'm very proud of my creation, I'd still pick the original in a nanosecond.

Streuseled Squash Casserole
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, cooked, deseeded, destringed, and mashed
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons orange juice

Topping:
1 cup quick oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all the casserole ingredients, mixing well. Pour into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish.
Combine the dry topping ingredients. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry cutter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the squash and bake for 1 hour or until set.

64 comments:

Culinary Wannabe said...

Yay for Streusel!! Always on the lookout for dishes that taste like dessert but that you can pass off as a dinner item.

Anonymous said...

I love butternut squash so much that it only needs salt & pepper for me to enjoy it. Your streusel dish looks so good as a dessert, I would eat it that way! Keep the squash coming.

OhioMom said...

I love butternut squash, turning it into a dessert is a great idea, who can resist streusel topping ?

Robin said...

Sakes alive I love that topping! Can't beat oatmeal and cinnamon!! Great recipe and in time for Thanksgiving. Have a great weekend Grace!

Albany Jane said...

omg - this sounds like dessert!! Yum~!

Carla said...

Oh, my! I think I just fell in love with you(even though I'm a married woman, so don't get the wrong idea! ha). I can not WAIT to try this!

RecipeGirl said...

Well, since I gotta find a good butternut squash type casserole for the big day, this is lookin' good.

Johanna B said...

I just bought a butternut squash and was looking for an interesting way to prepare it. Now I know what to do. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I can always count on you for cinnamon goodness!

kat said...

Oh I love butternut squash & I never thought to put strudel on top!

The Blonde Duck said...

That's such a brilliant idea! STRUDEL is wonderful. Let's all say it now: Strudel!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Love..love...love squash...I am not a "hater".

Pam said...

I love squash but add the streusel and this is over the top. Excellent recipe Grace.

Paula said...

Oh man, just hand me a spoon ... a big ol' one to shovel this into me. YUM! I love your comparison photos! Again ... I need a spoon!

Thistlemoon said...

Now that is some intense eats! I was shocked to see what was below the cut...I never would have guessed!

Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer said...

My Thanksgiving is going to be so yummy because of you!!!

Abby said...

Yay for ANYTHING sweet. I can tell the holidays are coming because I totally have SUGAR on the brain. This looks great!

Anonymous said...

Can we totally become BFF so I can come to your house and eat all of this ridiculously yummy stuff?! I just discovered a love for butternut squash and this just looks fantastic.

Lori said...

I think between the two of us we should write an ode to butternut squash. I'd happily sing its praises. And like you the only thing above it, in that category anyway, would be sweet potatoes.

Marjie said...

I never thought of cinnamon streusel topping, so I just put my brown sugar and cinnamon right in my butternut squash and reveled in the heavenly divine joy of having a vegetable that tasted like pumpkin pie with plenty of cinnamon! Cinnamon rules!

vanillasugarblog said...

Big difference! Much better that way....good thinking chicklet!

Heather said...

mmmmmm. cinnamon struesel topping makes SO many things better!!! this post is making me excited for thanksgiving :) yum!!

Leslie said...

ANYTHING is awesome with a crumb topping!!!! Love it girl!

Anonymous said...

That is completely fantastic. Squash and streusel? A match made in heaven.

Bunny said...

I've never had butternut squash but I'd eat it with the streusel on it!

Pamela said...

I am just beginning to really enjoy butternut squash at this point in my life. I must say, the streusel would certainly make it even that much more enjoyable. Fabulous.

Lucy..♥ said...

Over the TOP DE-LISH!!!

Maria said...

What a genius idea to add a streusel topping!! I love it on anything and everything!

Anonymous said...

OMG...that.is.yummy.looking.

Lisa said...

You do have a way with cinnamon! That looks like an excellent side dish casserole. It sounds sort of like a crustless butternut pie. Yum!

Sara said...

I agree, streusel makes everything better!

Anonymous said...

This is an awesome twist, I love it and i can't even imagine the taste here. You are my cinnamon go to girl. Hey i was wondering, do you notice the difference between ceylon cinnamon and saigon cinnamon? Just wondering.

Sharon said...

I'm also a fan of sweet potato casserole so I may be partial to that, but I'd dig my spoon into this...if you'd let me! :)

Anonymous said...

i'd pick sweet potato casserole over my own mother. haha no, that's not true, but i do love the stuff!!! butternut squash sounds like a cool take on it. i love the streusel topping. i just took one look at the picture and started drooling.

is this what you're making for thanksgiving or are you keepin it traditional?

Anonymous said...

by the way, everytime i look at your profile picture, my heart melts. squirrels are my favorite animal and there's nothin better than a banjo playin' squirrel... well, maybe a singing squirrel haha

Anonymous said...

Ingenious! The addition of streusel topping (which I love) on a sweet pudding!

Jacque said...

Streusel IS the wonder food. I only started liking sweet potatoes after I tasted my sister-in-law's streusel topped version.

Mmmmm, yours looks delish!

Kaitlin said...

I just discoverd last Christmas that I LOVE squash, and this looks soo good!!

Tabitha Blue said...

You had me at "cinnamon"!! Sounds (and looks) perfect. Yum!

Emily said...

Oh, that sounds very yummy!

Anna said...

ashsdfsdjn streusel, yum yum yum.

The Blonde Duck said...

You have a sussy on my Sunday post!

giz said...

yet another very interesting looking squash dish, sweet? savory? totally versatile.

Half Baked said...

Love streusel topping!!! we put it on our sweet potato souffle for Thanksgiving. Hands down everyones fav dish. I've got to try it on butternut squash. great idea!!!

Jaime said...

i am so with you!! i love cinnamon streusel ANYTHING!!!

Anonymous said...

I could eat streusel on a steak. Are you kidding? And even though there was not a single squash or sweet potato anything on my mother's table ever (can you even imagine?), I have started to cook with both in the last few years. This sounds almost dessert like.

Anonymous said...

hahahaha you and your squash! love the streusel topping!

MaryBeth said...

OMG...This looks awesome, the topping just takes it over the top.

Nic said...

It looks like dessert but I know that you guys across the pond like your odd sweet casseroles with your mains. I can never get my head around the marshmellow/potato thing.
Can I have this for my pud or would you laugh at me?

Deborah said...

I should have known cinnamon was one of the words! Looks delicious!

Maris said...

This looks absolutely SINFUL...I want some now! I don't even want to wait until Thursday :)

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

That really looks heavenly. I can imagine it nice and hot too! Yum Yum!

Tina said...

Looks so delicious!!!!!

Sandy said...

Yummy, that is almost identicle to my sweet potato recipe! Cept' I add cinnamon. SO good ... we're having it this yr, too!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

You're right - everything is better with a streusel topping. This looks like the best way in the world to get kids to eat squash.

Mary said...

I think you have just taken squash up a notch. It looks delicious!

Jeanne said...

Do you know, I think my father would actually marry you for this dish?? He loves his butternut squash as pulverised and sweet as possible, and he adds sugar to things like tomatoes "because he likes the crunch" - this has his name all over it! Inspired.

Sandy Smith said...

Ooh la la! Do you deliver?

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I concur! The streusel topping does make the dish over the top yummy!
~ingrid

Lore said...

I think I've just met the topping that would convince eat more butternut squash

Sophie said...

Here's a winner! I have half a butternut in my fridge that I wasn't sure what to do with...but I hate wasting, this recipe will come in handy for a tasty Thanksgiving side tomorrow! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Grace :)!

test it comm said...

I tried a pumpkin casserole with a streusel topping a while ago and it was really good. I did a pecan Streusel though. I like the sound of a cinnamon one.

Jeff said...

Yeah for the return of the butternut squash. Looks awesome!

KelliSue said...

I was googling for a squash casserole recipe with streusel topping and I landed here. You're about to make the widows and widowers and other attendees at our church Harvest dinner very happy. And I gladly will donate 6 butternut squash that we grew in the garden. To be sure, I am using splenda and a little molasses in lieu of what would usually be brown sugar. But I'm sure it will be awesome. Thanks.