Parmesan Butternut Squash Gratin

We love butternut squash in our house. Yes, it's hard to cut. Yes, it takes a long time to cook. Yes, it's worth every minute.  We usually make it sweet with cinnamon and brown sugar, but this time I decided to go savory instead. Pillsbury.com has fantastic recipes online, and that is where I found this one. I served it with Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder.

We liked the final results, but next time I will add more seasonings (included in this recipe!). This is a great substitution for the sweet squash!

Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin

Adapted from Pillsbury.com

1 butternut squash (2 1/2 lb) 

¼ cup butter or margarine 

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped 

¼ teas salt 

1/8 teas pepper

1/2 teas chili powder (optional)

¼ cup Progresso® panko crispy bread crumbs 

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Peel, (with a potato peeler), halve lengthwise and seed squash; cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange with slices overlapping slightly in baking dish.
In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and butter is infused with garlic flavor. Do not let butter brown.

Pour the butter/garlic mixture over the squash. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, chilli powder, and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.

Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with fork. Increase oven temperature to 425°F; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Before serving, sprinkle parsley over top.

Enjoy!