And fall comes back in a day

What is with the weather? An 85-and-cloudless sunny day one special weekend (we did!) and 60 and breezy the next.  Then 80 again, then 60 again.  And the nights?  The nights are COLD...at 55 degrees (ask me in January what my perception of cold is, OK?)

I love it.  I know, the above seemed "complainy." But the fall is the best of all seasons.  Who doesn't love pulling on a sweater for the first time, getting a blanket back on the bed, hearing the leaves crunching underfoot, watching football, eating chili, starting bonfires, and any other iconic fall image?  Don't even get me started on how much I love midwesterny thrills like pumpkin carving (PUMPKIN SEEDS!  YOU ARE ALMOST HERE!) and apple orchards (apple cider, cider donuts).  See, fall brings in a whole new wave of foods...not to mention halloween candy and THANKSGIVING.

But I'm already digressing.  The fall weather we're getting our first taste of has me thinking about fall flavors--squashes, baked casseroles, braised meats, earthy root veggies, and the like.  I've had this recipe torn out for the better part of a year--it comes from Bon Appetit's Thanksgiving issue as a suggestion for a meat-free dish to put on a vegetarian holiday table (specifically, from the column by Molly Wizenberg of Orangette).  It just looked goooooood--butternut squash, kale, and a mustard-wine custard mixture all baked into a savory bread pudding.  Or stuffing, or dressing, as it's called in these here parts.  All those fall flavors in a hearty, one-dish meal.  I had to have it.

But then I read a few things that freaked me out.  Two-and-a-half cups of cream?  Good lord.  How many extra steps before baking?  10 cups of bread?  Seven eggs?  Suddenly I realized why it was in the Thanksgiving issue, when indulgences are basically mandatory, and not an everyday, easy vegetarian section.  Because, seriously.  Three cups of cream in 6 servings?  I can't even pretend that I'm going to make it.  Order it in a restaurant, maybe, where I can be willfully ignorant of how much fat I'm eating, but in my own kitchen?  No.  My fat ethics won't let me.

So I adapted the recipe.  It's basically similar, but different enough that I'm going to post it as sorta my own.  But Molly, darling, all the credit goes to you.  I just don't want all the credit to go to my paunch.  Here's the original recipe in all its glory on Epicurious.com (and you can read a bunch of comments there, although I've always found the advice on them rather hit-or-miss).

In addition to lowering the fat content significantly, I changed up some ingredients.  I didn't have kale, only chard, and it was very, very wilted.  I had 1/2 lb of creminis to use up, and thought their earthiness would play right into the flavors going on in here.  And the amount of bread just seemed too hefty.  I really, really liked the result, and honestly can't imagine how indulgent the full version would taste (although maybe on Thanksgiving I'll find out...)  It's hearty and satisfying, but with the squash and chard it has enough veg going on that it doesn't feel too heavy.  My adapted version after the jump.


Butternut Squash Bread Pudding with Cheddar and Mushrooms
If you don't have kale, just use another green--spinach or chard work well.  I actually used a bit of both kale and chard, both of which were really old by the time I got around to using them.  I also used a mish-mash of bread here--some week-old baguette, day-old crusty sourdough, and sliced sesame Italian (I live right by an Italian bakery.  The amount of bread I buy cannot be helped). 

1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces.
7 cups of stale bread, cut or torn into roughly1" pieces or smaller
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
5 eggs
1 cup wine
1 Tbsp dijon or grainy mustard
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 bunch chard, stemmed and chopped
6 oz cremini/baby bella mushrooms, sliced
5 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Olive oil
S&P

1.  Toss squash cubes with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast for 20 minutes at 400 degrees (in a toaster oven, cause it's easy, or in the regular oven, for a more roasty flavor.  Or skip the oven entirely and nuke in a covered dish for 5-8 minutes.)  You want the squash soft, but not yet fully cooked.

2.  While the squash cooks, whisk the eggs, milk, wine and mustard in a large bowl; season to taste.  Add the bread cubes and gently stir, then let sit for about 20-30 minutes to soak up the liquid.

3.  While those things are going, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet, then add the onions. Saute 2-3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Then add the chard, season, and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened. 

4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9"x13" baking dish, then use a slotted spoon to transfer half the bread cubes to the dish, spreading them out so they cover a majority of the bottom.  Spread 1/2 the squash, then 1/2 the chard mixture, then 1/2 the cheese evenly over the top.  Repeat steps with remaining bread, squash, chard mix, and cheese; pour any bread liquid remaining in bowl over the top.

5.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil, return pan to oven, and bake another 20 minutes or until bread feels springy and custard is set.  If you're so inclined, broil it another 2-4 minutes to brown the cheese, or just remove from the oven and let sit 5 minutes to cool and firm.