Butternut squash (also known as Cucurbita moschata) is a nutty and sweet kind of winter squash. This nutritious vegetable contains different minerals and vitamins such as vitamin C, magnesium, beta carotene and vitamin A. In addition to these nutrients, it also contains potassium, thiamine, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid and calcium. If you want to serve healthy dishes to your family, it is best that you learn how to cook butternut squash properly. It is also helpful to know how to prepare some of the dishes that contain this vegetable.
Maple Butternut Squash
To make this delectable entrée, you need six cups sliced butternut squash, ½ cup butter, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup maple syrup, three tablespoons dark rum, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Boil the squash in a large pot. Remove the water and transfer the squash in a food processor to make a puree. Afterwards, heat a saucepan and put the puree in the pan. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the dish in a clean baking dish and put inside the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Serve with melted butter or any dip of your choice.
Southern Butternut Squash
The ingredients needed for this recipe are three cups mashed butternut squash, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, two beaten eggs, ½ cup softened butter, two teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ cup heavy whipping cream and a cup of white sugar. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt butter in a casserole and mix the squash, vanilla, eggs, sugar and whipping cream. Transfer the dish in a shallow baking dish. Place it inside the oven that was preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 45 minutes. To enhance the taste, you can top it with a mixture of a cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup flour.
Butternut Squash Fries
If you want to serve a delicious and healthy starter, you can always try this recipe. It contains a pound of butternut squash, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius or 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the coverings of the squash and slice it into sticks. Arrange the squash pieces in a large baking sheet. Drizzle with pepper and salt. Place the baking sheet inside the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the fries from the oven when the color of the squash becomes brown.
