Butternut squash casserole: substitute for orange extract

[dit]

I am making the Williams Sonoma butternut squash casserole for Thanksgiving. It calls for 1 tsp orange extract. I will never use it for any other purpose so would like to save $ and use a substitution. Any thoughts about using Grand Marnier instead? Or I also have dried orange peel, perhaps I could soak that in water to create orange flavoring? i can't stand having to spend $5 or more on extracts when they will never be used for another dish and will expire in the cabinet.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[dit]

I am making the Williams Sonoma butternut squash casserole (with purchased squash puree from WS). Do you think it would be ok to make this now and freeze it for Christmas?

Also, it calls for Nilla Wafers, but I would like to substitute something which is not QUITE so sweet. Does anyone have any ideas? Maybe graham crackers, although I think they may be just as sweet....

Recipe link below for reference. Thanks!
International Recipes: Print Recipe: Butternut Squash Casserole

P.S. I highly recommend this dish, it is to-die-for!

[Zereh]

Grand Marnier would be great sub for the extract. Might wanna make sure you have extra so you can have an extra sip or two because it always smells so heavenly when you measure it out for something else ...

I don't think of graham crackers as being more or less sweet than 'nilla wafers, just different flavors. /shrug But I'm all for substituting something you're not sure about for something you know you'll like.

I'd do the first half of the recipe (without the topping) and then freeze it. Once it was back at room temp I'd do the topping part.

Let us know how the changes come out.


Z

[Kathy Joyner]

We just made the William and Sonoma Squash casserole recipe with their squash puree. I ordered it on line. My daughter had it at thanksgiving and her friend bought it at the store. The jars were different the ingredients different. Mine had more spices in it. Her friends only had squash and water. We followed the recipe but it came out very watery or should I say liquidy. My daughter thought it was the butter in the topping. She said the casserole she had was not like this. So... my question is; anyone else made this recipe this year and what was the results? Daughter said it tasted like hers but the color was not the same.
I want to make it for Xmas with the other jar but I do not want it so watery. What can I add to solidify it more? 3 eggs and 2 tbs of flour are in the recipe; 1 cup milk too. less milk? more flour? thanks for any suggestions Kathy

[Maverick2272]

As for an alternate topping, you could always use Ritz crackers. Less sweet but a nice buttery taste to them. I have used them on other casseroles, but not a butternut squash one.
As for being too watery and a different color, sounds like too much milk to me. Other than spices, were there other differences to the jars?

[Kathy Joyner]

the other ingredients beside spices is carrots, organic broth conentrate, celery and there is water as well. I think your right about the milk. I will cut back on it the second go around and possible add another tbs of flour. My daughter is insistent that the 1/2 c. butter in the topping was what made it to runny. I think it contributed but I don't think it was the main problem. I like your idea about ritz crackers as a substitute. However, the topping calls for brown sugar... would you cut that out as it is sweet and crackers are salty. kathy

[Maverick2272]

I probably would and just stick with the butter and crackers, maybe a small amount of brown sugar but not much.