Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole


Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash (about 2 lbs)
3 tart apples
1/2 - 3/4 cup brown sugar
4 heaping tablespoons butter, cold
2 tablespoon flour (add more if you want a thicker casserole)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
~20 pecan halves
1 package of deepdish pie crust (come 2 in a pack)

Got helpful tips, insights and inspiration from my beautiful wife and this website:
http://southernfood.about.com/od/wintersquashrecipes/r/blbb439.htm

Preparation:
Sprinkle some flour, cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg in the bottom of a suitable baking dish (enough to lightly cover/coat bottom of baking dish). Heat oven to 350°. Peel, seed, and cut squash into small slices. Core the apples, peel, and cut into thin slices.

Take one of the deep dish pie crusts and carefully (in my best Elmer Fudd voice...Be berry berry careful...as you don't want to tear the crust) place it in the bottom of the baking dish. Be sure to spread the sides of the crust up the walls of the dish to ensure that none of the contents get under the crust.

Place a layer of squash in the pie crust lined baking dish, followed by a layer of apples and alternate until dish is about a little over 3/4 full. Be sure that the last layer added is an apple layer. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, pecan halves and nutmeg throughout as you build your layers.

Lightly dust final layered mixture with cinnamon, nutmeg and brownsugar (ad-lib). Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes, or until squash is tender.

When squash is tender, take second deep dish pie crust and and carefully (again, be careful as you don't want to tear pie crust or burn yourself as dish will be hot) place it over the top of the casserole (as if you were putting a blanket on a bed). Lightly dust top of crust with cinnamon, nutmeg and brownsugar (ad-lib) and garnish with few leftover apple slices and pecans (not too many). Put casserole back in oven and broil on top rack for about 5-10 minutes or until top crust is a nice honey brown.



Enjoy!