Butternut Squash Souffle Bites

butternut squash souffle bites, fresh green beans, raisins

Every time I see those garden lite souffle things in the freezer section of the supermarket, I have one of those inspired and slightly supercilious "I-could-make-that" moments.

They have a lot of different flavors, and I (you, anyone) could make them all. When I set out to replicate the butternut squash flavor, I struck gold on the first try with a ridiculously simple recipe.

These sweet, pillowy souffles are adorably-sized for little hands. Darwin kept calling them "cake!" which, I think, is a pretty good endorsement. They refrigerate well for a couple of days, and taste good cold.

If you make these in a regular-sized muffin tin, or in ramekins (which works just fine), add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. I suspect they'd be terrific with a little handful of raisins thrown in. If you try it like this, please let me know!

Butternut Squash Souffle Bites
Makes about 15 mini souffles

3 eggs
1 cup roasted and pureed (fork-mashed) butternut squash
pinch cinnamon
freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl, then add squash puree, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Whisk again until the mixture is smooth.

Spoon or pour souffle batter carefully into a nonstick mini-muffin tin (I usually swipe some olive oil inside the tin with my fingers, just to make sure there's no stickage).

Bake 15 minutes, or until centers have puffed up and set. (They'll flatten slightly upon cooling.)