WINTER SQUASH FESTIVE DIP

Winter Squash Festive Dip image

I make this dip and then use either an ornamental pumpkin or turban squash that I've hollowed out and put it in it. It's super pretty as a center piece and it keeps people out of the kitchen while you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner. We have nut allergies so I don't do this, but a friend who uses this recipe adds pine nuts and pecans on the top as a garnish.

Provided by meggerz802

Categories Appetizers and Snacks Dips and Spreads Recipes Cheese Dips and Spreads Recipes

Time 2h30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

2 pounds turban squash - halved, seeded, and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 heads garlic, top third sliced off and discarded
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
8 scallions, white and light-green parts only, sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 chipotle peppers (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
2 cups sour cream
1 ¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over squash and season with salt and pepper. Place garlic in a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil over garlic, and loosely wrap foil around garlic. Place garlic packet on the baking sheet with squash.
Bake in the preheated oven until squash is soft and golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool squash slightly.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir scallions until softened, about 4 minutes.
Scoop meat from cooked squash and transfer to a food processor. Squeeze garlic cloves from skins and add to squash in food processor; add scallions and chipotle peppers. Pulse until mixture is smooth. Add remaining butter, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, and lemon juice; pulse just until combined but not smooth. Season dip with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate dip for 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 646.6 calories, Carbohydrate 26.2 g, Cholesterol 140.9 mg, Fat 55.9 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 14.9 g, SaturatedFat 33.7 g, Sodium 469.3 mg, Sugar 4.4 g