POINTS® Value |  4
Servings | 6
Preparation Time | 15 min
Cooking Time | 80 min
Level of Difficulty | Moderate

side dishes | Holiday side dishes don’t get more exciting than this! Apples, butternut squash and cranberries are wonderfully paired, seasoned and then baked under a buttery-bread crumb crust.


1 medium butternut squash
1 serving butter-flavor cooking spray
1 large apple(s), sweet-variety, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cups cranberries, fresh
3 Tbsp maple syrup, divided
2 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp butter
1 cup dried bread crumbs, coarse-style, whole-wheat variety

Instructions


1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and then cut each piece crosswise in half again; remove seeds. Place squash, skin-side down, in a shallow roasting pan; coat with cooking spray. Roast until fork-tender, about 50 to 60 minutes; remove and set aside until squash is cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. (Note: To boil squash instead of roasting it, place squash in a large pot and pour in enough water to cover it. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 30 minutes; drain well and set aside until squash is cool enough to handle.)
3. While squash is cooking, combine apple, cranberries and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup in a medium-size heavy-bottomed pot; cover and cook over medium heat until cranberries are a pulp and apples are almost tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Note: Check apples halfway through cooking. If mixture is dry, add 1 tablespoon of apple juice.)
4. Once squash has cooled, peel squash and place in a blender with remaining tablespoon of maple syrup, milk, salt, pepper and curry powder; puree. Spoon squash mixture into a shallow 9-inch glass pie plate or casserole dish; gently spread apple mixture over squash.
5. Melt butter in small skillet over medium-high heat. Off heat, add bread crumbs to skillet and coat with cooking spray. Sauté crumbs for 2 minutes to coat; sprinkle over apples. Bake until bread crumbs are browned and squash is hot, about 20 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.