Butternut Squash and Kale Bake with Eggs

Butternut squash and kale – they really do appear to be a great combination. Not only are their tastes complimentary, their colors look great together – vivid orange and deep green. This was greatly exemplified in the butternut squash and kale pesto I posted on the 20th.

The colors are just as beautiful in this dish…

It all starts with a butternut squash from my garden.

And ends with an egg from Powers Farm.

This was a big hit. And such a colorful plate was a fitting end to a day that started with the Color My College 5K at Delaware State University (Cam and Emily joined me for the run).

Butternut Squash and Kale Bake with Eggs

adapted from Tori Avey’s Butternut Squash & Crisp Kale Bake

1 large bunch curly kale (lighter green kale), de-stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces

5 – 6 cups cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded), about 2 lbs of peeled cubes (from the garden)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing the baking sheet

1 tbsp maple syrup (grade B preferred)

1/2 tsp salt, divided, or more to taste

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pinch cayenne

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 eggs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tbsp of olive oil and the maple syrup, 1/4 tsp salt, cinnamon and cayenne. Mix until evenly coated.

Grease your baking sheet with olive oil. Transfer the squash to the baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until tender and nicely caramelized. Stir the squash halfway through.

While the squash is roasting, massage the kale pieces with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1/4 tsp of salt. Give them a good massage for a couple of minutes to start them wilting, it will help to sweeten their flavor.

Remove the squash from the oven. It should be nicely browned.

Turn the oven to broil. Evenly spread the prepared kale over the top of the squash.

Return the tray to the oven on the highest rack and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the kale wilts and the edges start to get crisp and brown. If necessary, turn the sheet around once during broiling to ensure even heat distribution. Let them get quite browned, it gives more flavor to the dish and gives them a great texture, so don’t be afraid to let them get a bit “overdone.” (Thanks Tori for that tip)

While the kale is broiling, in a large pan, fry the eggs in 1 Tbsp olive oil.