Delicious Delicata Holiday Casserole

Gene's Mom made this for Thanksgiving and it was an immediate hit!  A recipe I love and is a great way to bring out the sweetness of the squash.  We all couldn't believe there wasn't any sugar!

3 delicata squash, cut in half and seeds removed
1/2 cup cream or milk
4 tbsp butter
1 egg (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup pecans*, chopped
salt to taste

* This recipe is especially delicious with "crispy pecans", which means soaking pecans in a light salt and water brine over night, and then spreading them out on a cookie sheet and baking them at 150 degree for 8 - 12 hours. But simply using raw pecans is very tasty as well.

Cut three delicata squash lengthwise, and place sliced edge down in a pyrex baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the dish.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes until flesh is soft.

Let squash cool for 20 minutes, and then scoop out flesh and place in cuisenart with cream or whole milk, butter, egg (optional), salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Whip ingredients until they're creamy, adding more cream or milk as needed to get the consistency you like.

Spoon squash mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle pecans over the top and bake in oven for 30 minutes or so.