Creamy Butternut Squash with Carnation® Evaporated Milk

With all the pumpkins and squash available at the farmers markets, how can I not be dreaming about another soup?  Once again I used Carnation® Evaporated Milk to get those creamy results, and it did not disappoint.  Check out this simple and delicious recipe for Creamy Butternut Squash.

Recipe - Creamy Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp[15 mL] Crisco® Vegetable or Canola Oil
• 2  onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• ¼ tsp [1 mL] red pepper flakes (optional)
• 8 cups [2 L] butternut squash (about 3 lbs/1.4 kg), peeled and cut into ½” (1.3 cm) pieces
• 8 cups [2 L] chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
• 1 tsp [5 mL] salt
• ¼ tsp [1 mL] pepper
• ¾ cup [175 mL] Carnation® Regular, 2% or Fat Free Evaporated Milk

Preparation

(Before adding the Carnation® Evaporated Milk you can see the soup is a bit loose)

Heat oil in a large saucepan or stock pot, on medium heat. Add onion and garlic (and red pepper flakes, if desired). Cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender and fragrant.

Add squash and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

(Look how creamy it is with the addition of Carnation® Evaporated Milk)

Puree soup in blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. Return to heat. Stir in evaporated milk. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary.

TIP: Use already peeled and cut up squash for easy and quick preparation.

Family Thoughts

This was fabulous!  The kids really enjoyed it, the perfect meal to discuss pumpkin faces and Halloween ideas over.  This will be my comfort food of the season, without a doubt! Visit the Carnation® Evaporated Milk website for more delicious and creamy recipe ideas, including quick step-by-step videos that are full of great tips.



Available in Carnation® Milk Regular, 2% or Fat Free Evaporated Milk for the same rich and creamy flavor, use it for cooking your every-day dinner dishes - such a difference one can will make to a meal!

Although this post has been generously sponsored by Smucker Foods of Canada Corp. and they sent me free product samples, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect Smucker Foods of Canada Corp.

Five creative kitchen tips from Top Chef René Rodriguez

Born in Ottawa, René lived in Mexico with his family and first started cooking at the tender age of 12 while working at his uncle’s restaurant. He returned to Ottawa six years later and honed his skills in various restaurants, attended Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and completed his Red Seal Certification at Algonquin College. René is co-owner of the Navarra Restaurant in Ottawa and was the season four winner of Top Chef Canada. Now he has partnered with Future Shop and LG Appliances to help you get the most out of home cooking.

 

Over my years working as a chef professionally and at home, I've experimented in the kitchen and figured out many time-saving techniques that make cooking a breeze with any appliance. To help you out at home, I’ve put together five kitchen hacks that not only make it easier to prepare great meals, but also reduce food waste and save you time as well.

Tip #1: Prep your portions

Portioning before freezing is a great way to ensure you always have food on hand, without risking any of it going bad. It’s also a great solution for small households –as I learned when I moved out of my large family home into my own place. Freezing cooked foods in airtight storage containers means you’ll always be ready when you need a delicious meal fast.

Tip #2: Pickle your peppers

Chili peppers are not just for heat, they add flavour too! Try dicing them finely with red onion, covering the mixture with lime juice and a pinch of salt and pickling overnight in the fridge - this easy salsa can be added to almost anything!

Tip #3: Soften spice

While I love chili peppers, sometimes a dish can be overwhelmed if you use too many of them. If you’ve overdone it, chili spice can be countered with dairy or sweetness. Try tempering it with butter, cheese, cream, brown sugar or sweet corn.

Tip #4: Step up the citrus

With traditional juicing techniques, much of your citrus fruit’s fluid is lost. To make the most of your lemons and limes, try microwaving for a few seconds or rolling them on the counter before you squeeze.

Tip #5: Keep clean

As the chef's mantra goes, "your kitchen is a temple, so keep it clean!" OK, maybe that's my mantra, but it’s certainly true a chef's pride and joy is a clean work space. While cooking, keep a cup with water handy where you can collect dirty utensils as you go. When you're creating your mise en place, try keeping a 'garbage bowl' nearby so that you don't have to keep ferrying scraps over to the garbage (and dropping pieces on the floor in the process).This kind of organization makes clean up a snap, so you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Cooking should be a pleasurable task, so I hope my tips help to make your kitchen adventures just a little bit more fun!

To enjoy more holiday recipes developed by René Rodriguez, visit futureshop.ca.