Butternut Squash Waffles and Bourbon-Maple Creme Fraiche

Directions

1. creme fraiche, maple syrup, bourbon whiskey
2. Whisk together creme fraiche, maple syrup and bourbon. Break up any clumps then refrigerate until the waffles are ready to serve. Skip the bourbon if you like and replace it with brewed coffee or additional maple syrup.

1. butternut squash, olive oil, salt, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, salt, buttermilk, butter, eggs, fresh mint
2. Only about half of the squash is needed for the waffles. Reserve the remaining half for a separate recipe, or roast, puree, and freeze it for future use. Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Remove the top and bottom from the squash and slice in half, lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Roast the squash cut-side up on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the squash is extremely tender. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Puree the roasted squash in a food processor, blending until smooth and stopping to scrap down the sides of the food processor as need. The puree will be thick and dense. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the butternut squash puree for the waffles.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, combine butternut squash puree, buttermilk, melted butter and maple syrup. Beat eggs in a separate bowl and whisk them into the wet ingredients. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Set aside and heat the waffle iron according to its instructions.