Butternut Squash Toast with Whipped Goat Cheese

The butternut squash is roasted until it has some caramelization starting to happen and the onions bring so much flavor with the maple syrup and the two are mushed together for a delicious topping.

If your using a whole butternut squash, you will need to peel and cut it up before roasting. You can find butternut squash already cut up at most grocery stores.

Liberally season the squash before roasting

Mash together the caramelized onions with the roasted squash to create your spread for crostini

Spread the goat cheese on your toast or crostini and pile on the Squash mixture and share your good food.

Serves 4 as a main, 8 as an appetizer. Takes about 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

1- 2 ½ lbs butternut squash

1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil or Harissa Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon dried chile flakes, more or less to taste

1 Tbl Autumn Spice Blend (Red Stick Spice)

Coarse sea or kosher salt

1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 Tbl maple syrup

4 slices country bread, 1-inch thick

1/2 cup (4 ounces) ricotta, goat cheese, feta or mascarpone

4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

 Directions:

Heat oven to 450. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. No need to peel your squash (as shown above), just halved, seed and cut your squash into 1/4-inch thick slices. Toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and chile flakes and Autumn Spice Blend until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to prepared sheet and roast until tender and slightly colored, anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the density of the squash you use), flipping once about 2/3 of the way through. Once tender, you can cut the flesh from the skin and discard it. Leave roasted squash on the tray.

 Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add vinegar and syrup and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until onions are jammy and broken down, another 10 to 15 minutes.

 Pile onions on top of roasted squash, still on their baking sheet. Use a fork to gently half-mash the mixture; I like this best when the mixture is not uniformly combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil per slice of bread, and cook bread until just golden brown on both sides or brush the bread with olive oil a brush and bake the bread in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Spread cheese on toasts, heap with the squash-onion mixture, sprinkle with coarse salt and garnish with parsley

 Goat Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

4 oz. goat cheese

4 oz cream cheese

2 oz blue cheese

 Bring cheeses to room temperature In a bowl mix  all three together cheeses together.