Our Favorite Christmas Casserole

Ingredients

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced shallots
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
⅓ cup apple cider
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided
3 small Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, chopped (about 4 cups)
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
¼ cup pomegranate arils

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together 1½ teaspoons of rosemary, ¾ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon each of thyme and salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. In a 9x13-inch baking dish, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix until evenly coated. Spread the squash out in a single layer and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once, until it is fork-tender and lightly browned.
In the meantime, heat 1½ teaspoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 cups of shallots along with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are slightly softened and beginning to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook for about 1 minute. Add ⅓ cup of cider and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, cooking and stirring frequently until the liquid reduces by half, roughly 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the shallot mixture, chopped apples, the remaining 1½ teaspoons of oil, and 1½ teaspoons of the reserved seasoning mix to the baking dish with the roasted squash. Stir until well combined. Sprinkle with ½ cup of goat cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is bubbling around the edges and the apples are tender.
While the casserole bakes, toast ¼ cup of walnuts with the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the walnuts become fragrant and start to stick together, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer them to a clean cutting board and let them cool for about 5 minutes, until easy to handle. Coarsely chop the walnuts, breaking up any large clusters. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and ¼ cup of pomegranate arils over the casserole, and garnish with extra thyme if desired.

Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole