Butternut Cream Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold milk
• 1 package (5.1 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
• Whipped cream and toasted flaked coconut

Directions

• Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish; add hot water. Cover and microwave for 13-15 minutes or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp and mash. Set aside 1-1/2 cups squash (save remaining squash for another use).
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the squash until blended. Beat in the sugar, caramel topping, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves until blended.
• In a small bowl, whisk cold milk and pudding mix for two minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft set. Stir into squash mixture.
• Spoon into pastry shell. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Garnish with whipped cream and coconut. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Butternut Cream Pie published in Taste of Home August/September 2004, p28