Butternut Bread Pudding

This is taken from cookinglight.com. I think it is a bit dry and I would like to try it with some other vegetables, but the concept is great. I tried it here in South Africa where butternut is very popular and abundant.

• Ingredients:
• 3  cups  (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 2  cups  1% low-fat milk
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 3  large eggs
• 2  large egg whites
• 8  ounces  (1-inch) cubed day-old French bread (about 9 cups)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange squash in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, milk, 1/2 cup cheese, pepper, nutmeg, eggs, and egg whites in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in squash and onion mixture. Add bread, and stir gently to combine. Let stand 10 minutes. Spoon into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until pudding is set and lightly browned.