Cascadilla bleu & ricotta warm squash dip

Temperatures are dropping in Maine, time for cocktail hour to have warm snacks. This dip can also double as a side dish, but served alongside a @downeastcider really hit the spot.

Also, I've learned a new technique for cooking squash- the microwave.  I'm not a microwave cooking person, but I read an article about how squash cooks quickly and doesn't get mushy,  so thought I'd try it. I was very happy with the results. 

I cooked a whole, 4 pound butternut squash for 10 minutes on high,   then an extra 2 minutes to get it completely softened. Pierce it all over and place on a microwavable dish before cooking.  It will be too hot to hold when you take it out, so definitely use a dish. Also, the skin comes off really easily this way.

This was a very large squash, so I only used 3 cups of chopped and reserved the rest. The Cascadilla gives the squash depth and the Basket Ricotta makes the dip creamy. I used infused olive oil, a new cooking discovery for me this summer as well. A little goes a long way for imparting flavor. 

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked, chopped, peeled butternut squash

1/2 cup Cascadilla Bleu

1/4 cup Basket Ricotta

1 Tablespoon @fiore_oliveoils rosemary olive oil

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of salt 

Preheat oven to 350 deg F

1. Grate about half of the Cascadilla Bleu and reserve. 

2. Put all remaining ingredients into food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Place mixture in a baking dish and sprinkle the top with the grated blue.

4. Bake 15-20 minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve with bread or lightly steamed vegetables,  like broccoli or carrots.

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