Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Dip

This dish is a must-have at your holiday parties! Where most goat cheese and butternut squash dips are savory, this particular recipe is sweet. Using maple syrup to sweeten, along with a sweet & salty cracker, this appetizer is a nice mix of pace to what normally is a spread of salty foods at holiday parties. Make plenty, because it goes fast!

Ingredients:

3 cups cubed butternut squash

1 log goat cheese

1 1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup light brown sugar

4 tbsp butter

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Pecans for garnish

Time to make: About 30 minutes

Serve with:

               or        

Begin by heating the butter on your stovetop over medium heat until melted. Add cubed butternut squash and water. Let butternut squash cook down until mushy, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Add more water if necessary to add moisture. Once cooked down, add brown sugar and stir.

In a Kitchenaid mixer, food processor or bowl with electric mixer, add goat cheese, butternut squash and maple syrup. Mix on low-medium speed. Once well blended, add your spices and continue to blend.

For my dish, I made pralines and crushed them in a ziplock bag to add as my garnish. You could also use natural pecans, candied pecans or dried cranberries.

Hope you enjoy!