Before we even get to the recipe, let’s talk about how cute these veggie pun tote bags are! They are made by Patti from 24 Carrot Co. and she has an amazing selection of super cute shirts and tote bags for any food lover. And best of all, she is local in Toronto! You can actually find her products in some impressive stores like at Goodness Me Health Food Stores.
Patti created 24 Carrot Co. to bring a smile to people’s faces when they think of food. I truly resonate with her message that food should be fun and not intimidating and complicated. (One of the many reasons why I started a food blog!) Getting more vegetables in our diets should be a day to day habit for everyone and sporting these totes around the next farmer’s market you go to might remind people to eat more veggies! Patti really goes the extra mile and donates 10% of her profits to charities throughout Canada that supports healthy eating, food education and making good healthy foods readily available for everyone.
We have an exciting giveaway happening on my Instagram page. Go visit my Instagram page and find out how you can win one of these totes.
Now Back to the recipe….
When you think of butternut squash, you usually think of making the traditional butternut squash soup. Which is actually one of my favourite thing to eat and if I see it on a menu, it is very likely I will try it out! But did you know you can actually make killer au gratin with butternut squash?
Usually, au gratin includes potatoes, cheese, breadcrumbs and cream which is super delicious on its own. But I want to share my secret recipe on how you can elevate this dish and make it even better!
Here is my quick and easy au gratin recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash with ends cut off, peeled, and seeds scooped out. Sliced thinly
- 1 medium size white potatoes, wash, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Grease the bottom of a 8×8 inch glass dish with butter
- Start by layering the butternut squash on the bottom of the dish, creating a thin layer
- Top it off with a layer of thinly sliced potaotes
- At this point, season with a little salt and pepper
- Add a thin layer of panko bread crumbs
- Add a pinch of paprika
- Add a thin layer of mozzarella cheese
- Repeat these steps (like you would for a lasagna) until you use up all the ingredients. (Make sure the final top layer is a layer of mozzarella cheese)
- Pour milk over top the whole dish and let is soak up
- Bake in oven for 15 minutes covered with tin foil and an extra 3 minutes uncovered to get the cheese nicely browned. If your slices were thicker, you might need to cook it a little longer. Poke a knife through the layers and if you can easily go through the layers, you are good to go!
This au gratin makes a perfect side dish for your next potluck! The best part is you can make this ahead of time and bake it off when you are ready to serve in less than 20 minutes.
Do you like au gratin made with potatoes only? What variations have you tried? Comment below, I would love to hear all your variations.
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