Buttercup Squash cutout
1 1/2 cup Nash’s stone-ground cornmeal
1 1/2 cup Nash’s triticale or white wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed or pureed roasted buttercup squash
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup Dungeness Valley Creamery milk
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup melted butter (plus some for greasing the pan)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil, or light cooking oil, such as sunflower oil
2 eggs
Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease an 8 x 11 baking pan or similar sized cast iron skillet with butter. Don’t skimp on the butter–it gives a nice crispy golden bottom and sides to your cornbread.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
The easiest way to roast squash is whole in the oven. Simply wash the squash, knock the stem off with the butt of a large knife, and place it whole on a pie dish. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 min or an hour, until it is cooked through and can be easily pierced w a fork. Cut squash in half and allow to cool a bit before scooping out seeds. Mash flesh with a potato masher, or for a smoother puree, use a hand blender or food processor.
Whisk the eggs and maple syrup together until frothy. Add the pureed squash, milk, oil, and yogurt. Whisk all together until smooth. Fold this mixture into the dry ingredients until almost combined. Add the slightly cooled melted butter and stir everything together until just combined. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into a greased 8 x 11 baking pan or a similar sized cast iron skillet. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the top is golden, the bread is pulling away from the pan at the edges, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Place the pan on a wire rack and cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm! Yield: 12 servings.