More Butternut Squash Love

Butternut squash is a favorite of mine, planted in spring, harvested in late summer, and a tasty treat all winter. As a gourd, winter squash has a tough rind, which allows for storage during the winter months. Storing and preparing butternut squash prolongs the vegetable's quality, ensuring it tastes as sweet and buttery as when you purchased or picked it. Butternut squash contains many different nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber.

Nutrition Each cup of cubed butternut squash provides approximately 60 calories, 16 g of carbohydrates and 3 g of fiber. It also supplies almost 300 percent of your daily value of vitamin A, 50 percent of vitamin C, 7 percent of calcium and 5 percent of iron.

Stretch your food dollars by combining Butternut Squash and Rice as a side dish or Risotto Entree.  Hope you enjoy these recipes, taste tested by our own family at Two Crones Farm!

Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

Serves about 6. Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• About 1 pound butternut squash, diced
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup arborio rice
• About 1/3 cup dry white wine (I used Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay)
• 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 1/4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Liberal dashes of salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place butternut squash in a 3-quart deep baking dish. Cover with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, stir the mixture around to ensure the pieces evenly cook, and bake another 20 minutes, or until soft. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Pour slightly cooled squash into the body of an 8 cup food processor (or do two batches). Add about 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and pulse on low until creamy and smooth. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Measure 1 1/3 cups of puree (what you need for this recipe) and save the rest for a later date.
3. Heat remaining vegetable broth in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add butternut squash puree and whisk lightly to mix up. Let simmer for about 10 minutes or until a slight boil.
4. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tablespoon butter in a large pan (I used a wok) on medium heat. Add onions and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add in garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Pour in rice, rosemary and oregano. Cook about 1 minutes. Add wine and cook until it’s fully absorbed, about 5 minutes. Gradually add in butternut squash/broth mixture, a large spoonful at a time, waiting until each batch as fully absorbed before you add in more.
5. After the last spoonful of broth has been added, cook risotto an additional 5 – 10 minutes, or until the rice is soft and creamy. Add remaining butter and remove from heat. Once butter has melted, add in parmesan cheese and additional salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with a garnish of rosemary and a dash more freshly grated parmesan.

Butternut Squash Basmati Rice

ACTIVE:15 MIN

TOTAL TIME:45 MIN

SERVINGS:4 to 5

FAST

HEALTHY

VEGETARIAN 

Adding butternut squash and spices is a lovely way to jazz up rice. 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 cup basmati rice

3/4 pound peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)

2 cups water

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook over high heat until the mustard seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and diced squash and stir to coat with the butter. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over very low heat until the squash is tender and the water is completely absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve right away.