Chilean Butternut Squash Casserole

Description
This delicious casserole has become a tradition at my family's Thanksgiving. And everyone agrees we should make it more often, it's so good, and not hard to make. You can substitute mashed pumpkin or yams (unsweetened, of course!), but the butternut is best and worth the effort. A tip for easier clean up: I just mash the squash right in the casserole and mix everything there. I wipe off the upper sides with a clean, damp dish towel and pop it in the oven. I've been tempted to add a cup or two of cooked rice or other grain to make it even more hardy, but I haven't tried that yet...

Ingredients

 * 1 large butternut squash
 * 1 cup chopped onions
 * 2 - 3 cloves garlic, crushed
 * 1 - 2 tablespoon olive oil
 * 1 teaspoon ground cumin
 * 1 teaspoon chili powder
 * 1 - 2 dash cayenne pepper
 * 1 cup red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
 * 1 cup green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
 * 1 teaspoon salt
 * 4 eggs, beaten
 * 2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
 * 2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

 * 1) Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
 * 2) Bake cut sides down at 425 °F for 45 – 50 minutes. or until very soft at thick end.
 * 3) Let Squash cool and scrape out of the shell; mash as smoothly as you can.
 * 4) Meanwhile, sauté onion, garlic and spices in olive oil until onion is translucent.
 * 5) Add peppers and salt, stir, cover and leave on low heat 5 minutes.
 * 6) Preheat oven to 350 °F.
 * 7) Stir beaten eggs into mashed squash.
 * 8) Add corn, sautéd veggies and grated Cheddar; stir to mix well.
 * 9) Bake 20 minutes Covered.
 * 10) Uncover and bake 20 – 30 minutes.
 * 11) Note: cook time does not include time for baking the squash; that can be done ahead and refrigerated.