Thursday, October 20, 2011

Butternut Squash

I love the flavor of butternut squash!  Yes, it's a pain to peel and cut.  (Break out the machete and the chainsaw, right?)  My favorite way to cook it is to roast it in a pan with sweet potatoes.

One butternut squash, peeled and cubed
Two or three sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
olive oil
salt to taste

Toss veggies in oil and spread on a sheet pan.  Sprinkle with salt and roast in a 375 oven until soft and tender.  (30 minutes? 45?  Not sure how long...just keep in the oven til done.)

However, you can buy frozen butternut squash puree in the frozen vegetable section at the supermarket, and it is a very versatile ingredient.  It makes a wonderful pasta sauce...

One box frozen squash puree, thawed
1/2 cup chicken broth
splash of heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
packaged cheese tortilloni
steamed shrimp, 1 lb, peeled
fresh sage, chopped fine

Cook tortilloni according to directions.  Drain.  In a large pan, combine squash and chicken broth, along with salt and pepper.  Simmer for a few minutes to reduce the mixture then add a spash or two of cream.  Stir in shrimp, tortilloni and chopped sage, stir till heated through.  Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese and serve to your happy children.  Or eat it all yourself.

I wonder if the squash puree would work in the pumpkin muffin recipe I last posted? Hmm...

Butternut squash...a mild and homey taste of fall.

3 comments:

  1. Have you ever roasted sweet potatoes and apples? Love it! Next time I do it, I might have to throw a little squash in.

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  2. Interesting...I've never tried butternut squash to my knowledge, but it's been on my "list" for sometime. I may just have to purchase some...what do I look for when picking it out?

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  3. Sherrie, It's difficult picking out a fresh one because they all look the same! I generally look for one with no soft spots or wrinkled skin. Or you can get the frozen puree in the frozen veggies section of the supermarket.

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