Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends themed collaborations. Each month a group of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about his partnership is that it's not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may a recipe, sewing tutorial, crocheting, crafts project, book review, and/or technology post all related to the theme of the month.
This month's theme is New Year.
There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here's a peek at what we all came up with:
I made Butternut, Carrot and Gingersnap Casserole.
Butternut, Carrot and Gingersnap Casserole
I know, I know, I'm supposed to make changes to myself in the new year. Well, commit to doing it anyway, we all know that by mid February most of those resolutions are heaped onto the junk pile with all of the well intentioned commitments of years gone by. Not for me though, I've never really been one for New Year's resolutions. If you don't make them you don't break them, after all.
But I'm not going into 2020 without an eye towards thoughtfulness and growth however. I guess I'm just viewing life through the lens of compromise. Think less drastic change and more intentional balance.
Along those lines, for today's New Year themed recipe, I've decided to update a longstanding holiday favorite. You know the one, a sweet potato casserole with big melty marshmallows on top. College Boy loves it, I like it, PurDude will only eat the marshmallows off of the top and Hubs won't touch it. But there it is on the table every year.
I actually changed it up a lot, deciding to make it a little healthier, less sweet, and more reminiscent of those favorite winter spice flavors.
Of course, I started by making crumbs from cookies. Don't roll your eyes, they actually aren't sweet and add so much of the flavor profile I was going for. I used ginger snaps, but Biscoff would be delicious too.
This comes together in the microwave and food processor. The vegetables (I changed it up here too and used carrots and a butternut squash) cook in the microwave. They are then blended with the spices, some of the cookie crumbs and some cream cheese to add a creamy element.
I bake it covered until hot, uncover and sprinkle with the rest of the cookie crumbs and bake just 10 more minutes.
But I'm not going into 2020 without an eye towards thoughtfulness and growth however. I guess I'm just viewing life through the lens of compromise. Think less drastic change and more intentional balance.
Along those lines, for today's New Year themed recipe, I've decided to update a longstanding holiday favorite. You know the one, a sweet potato casserole with big melty marshmallows on top. College Boy loves it, I like it, PurDude will only eat the marshmallows off of the top and Hubs won't touch it. But there it is on the table every year.
I actually changed it up a lot, deciding to make it a little healthier, less sweet, and more reminiscent of those favorite winter spice flavors.
Of course, I started by making crumbs from cookies. Don't roll your eyes, they actually aren't sweet and add so much of the flavor profile I was going for. I used ginger snaps, but Biscoff would be delicious too.
This comes together in the microwave and food processor. The vegetables (I changed it up here too and used carrots and a butternut squash) cook in the microwave. They are then blended with the spices, some of the cookie crumbs and some cream cheese to add a creamy element.
I bake it covered until hot, uncover and sprinkle with the rest of the cookie crumbs and bake just 10 more minutes.
This casserole just smells like holiday while it's cooking. And the results, College Boy and I both really liked it. PurDude, who loves those holiday spice flavors did too, and Hubs asked for more.
Ah, gotta love compromise.
As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!
Ah, gotta love compromise.
As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!
Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects:
Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares the recipe for her Damaged vs Broken, How to See the New Year in a Fruit Cup.
Tamara of Part-time Working Hockey Mom shares How to Create a Vision Board.
Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares how to Reset Your Classroom for the New Year (or Semester).
Melissa of Heartfelt Sentiments shares Value Relationships in 2020.
Jules of The Bergham Chronicles shares 2020.
Butternut, Carrot and Gingersnap Casserole
©www.BakingInATornado.com
Ingredients:
about 6 oz Gingersnap cookies (can substitute Biscoff cookies or, for a less ginger flavor, Vanilla Wafers)
1 large butternut squash
4 large carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 X 8 baking pan.
*Meanwhile, place the cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs. You will need one cup. Due to the size of your cookies, you may need to add more. If you have more than a cup, seal any extra in a plastic bag and freeze for another time.
*Remove from the processor (you don't need to clean it before using again in a later step) and set aside 1/4 cup of the crumbs for later use.
*Cut the ends off of the squash, peel, discard seeds, chop and place in a large microwavable bowl. Cut the ends off of the carrots, peel, cut into chunks and place in the bowl with the squash. Microwave for 4 minutes. Pierce with a fork. If the vegetables aren't soft, continue at 1 minute intervals until they are. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
*Move the squash and carrots to the food processor with 3/4 cup of the cookie crumbs, the salt, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and brown sugar. Pulse until it starts to smooth. Chop the cream cheese, add to the processor and pulse until smooth. Spread into the prepared pan.
*Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cookie crumbs and bake for another 10 minutes.
You had me at gingersnaps...I think I can actually smell your casserole in the oven. Such a warm and fuzzy atmosphere on a cold winter's night!
ReplyDeleteYes, it sounds like you can.
DeleteI seriously just busted out laughing. Why? Because D and I were discussing last night at dinner this very thing!! No lie! Using butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes because they are on my no no list and I adore sweet potato casserole. Great minds obviously think alike, yes you did yours already, but...it's like I "knew" it was coming. WOW so ready to give this a go! Minus the cookies. Can't do ginger.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm happy to have obliged. It makes me sad that you can't do the ginger snaps, though, they add so much to the flavor of the dish.
DeleteDamn this sounds good
ReplyDeleteI hope you try it.
DeleteThis sounds seriously delicious. I think the gingersnaps would be perfect. I gave up on those marshmallow toppings many years ago. I might also cut out the brown sugar and use some honey instead - as you say, it is all in the taste. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI hope you do try it. The honey will add a bit of its own flavor too, should be great.
DeleteThat sounds wonderful, and if anyone in my family tried it, they'd say "I love it" until the moment they found out what was in it. After that, it would never see the light of day again. Blighters.
ReplyDeleteYeah, sometimes you have to be a little sneaky about admitting what's actually in a dish, at least I did when my boys were little.
DeleteA new holiday dish for those that don’t eat sweet potatoes! Yum
ReplyDeleteIt smells amazing while it's cooking. Hope you and Mike try it.
Delete