Nourishing the Soul: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Written by Chris -

Soup is comforting, especially during the winter months—creamy butternut squash soup warms the body and feeds the soul. Paired with salad and whole grain crackers or freshly baked bread, soup makes a healthy and satisfying meal.

Butternut squash is technically a fruit because it contains seeds, but most think of it as a vegetable. It’s shaped like a large pear, has cream-colored skin, deep orange-colored flesh with a slightly sweet flavor. Roasted and pureed, butternut squash adds flavor and texture to soups. In the soup recipe below, it’s the star ingredient!

I’ve made this soup with three different spices, curry being my favorite. Our test kitchen also tested it with cumin and ground ginger; all delicious. If you make it, let me know what you go with. Start with 1 teaspoon of spice and add more as needed.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients for eight 1-cup servings:

• 1 (3-pound) butternut squash
• Extra-virgin olive oil for roasting squash
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon MAGGI Instant Chicken Flavor Bouillon
• 1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder, ground cumin or ground ginger
• 1/2 cup NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk
• 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
• Light sour cream (optional)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

RINSE squash under cold running water before cutting. Cut squash in half through the stem and remove the seeds (check out the tip at the bottom of this post for roasting the seeds). Drizzle cut edges with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side-down on a baking sheet.

ROAST squash for 1 hour or until very soft. Remove from oven; turn the halves over and let stand until cool enough to handle (as shown above). Scoop flesh from shells into a bowl and discard shells.

MELT butter over medium heat in large saucepan. Add shallots; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the squash flesh, water, bouillon and curry powder; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until squash is broken down.

COOL squash mixture for about 5 minutes before adding it to a blender. Working in batches, puree until smooth, transferring the mixture to a saucepan as you work (if you have an immersion blender, it works great with this recipe). Stir in evaporated milk and sugar. Season with pepper; cook a few minutes over medium heat to combine the flavors. Ladle soup into serving bowls; swirl in a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Storage tip: If you have any leftover soup, and don’t plan to eat it within a couple days, freeze it. I like to freeze soup in individual portions. Ladle in to small containers, cover tightly and freeze. When ready to enjoy again, simply defrost and reheat before serving.

Ok, now for those remaining seeds… seeds from butternut squash can make a great snack food, and can be prepared in the same way as pumpkin seeds. Once scooped out from inside the squash and separated from the pulp, you can place the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet to dry. Once dry, toss them with a little oil and season with a little salt or seasoning of choice. Lightly roast them in a preheated 275°F oven for 15 minutes or until seeds are golden brown and begin to pop.

I hope you like this soup as much we do! 100 calories never tasted so good! Nutrition information can be found online.

Enjoy!

Chris

Links:

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• More Soups

Related Recipes:

Cream of Chicken and Vegetable Soup	Butternut Squash Soup

Election Day: A Comforting Pumpkin Sage Pasta Recipe

Written by Chris -

Happy Tuesday!

Election Day calls for comfort food, don’t you think? I’m not sure about you, but I know I will be following all of the election coverage. I find this Pumpkin Sage Pasta to be incredibly comforting. Perhaps it’s the clingy sauce… Or how the pumpkin and sage meld together… Or maybe it’s the Gruyère cheese… This is what I know for certain; one party will be in need of comforting this evening.

Do you add pumpkin to your savory recipes? A little pumpkin goes a long way to making your favorite dishes tastier and more nutritious. It adds extra flavor, fiber and Vitamin A, while cutting down on fat and sodium.

On those busy school nights, I often add pumpkin to my tomato sauce (works great in homemade and store-bought). The pumpkin adds a little extra body to the sauce, which I love! All you need to do is stir in 3/4 to 1 cup LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin into 3 cups (about 26 oz.) of your favorite pasta sauce.

Or…

If you are ready for a change of pace, might I suggest you give this Pumpkin Sage Pasta a try? It’s a bit more elegant and the flavors are a little more distinctive. I think you might just love it! This recipe works best with short cut pasta such as trottole, spirals, penne or bow tie; the sauce really clings to it! And it’s ready in 30 minutes! Garnish with fresh sage leaves for an extra flavor dimension and eye-catching appeal.

You can check out the recipe video here and see just how easy it is to put together.

Pumpkin Sage Pasta

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 6 cups cooked, short-cut pasta, such as trottole, spirals, penne or bow ties, kept warm
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 8 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 teaspoon MAGGI Instant Chicken Flavor Bouillon (season with a little sea salt if you want to go vegetarian)
• 1 can (12.5 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
• 1 cup LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup BUITONI Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons grated Gruyère cheese
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

MELT butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage leaves; cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook for 2 minutes or until reduced slightly. Stir in water and bouillon; cook for 2 to 3 minutes to infuse flavors. With tongs, remove and discard sage leaves.

STIR evaporated milk and pumpkin into skillet; heat through. Stir in Parmesan cheese and Gruyère cheese until melted. Add cooked pasta to skillet; stir to coat and heat through. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh sage leaves, if desired.

Links:

• Pumpkin Sage Pasta
• MAGGI Instant Chicken Flavor Bouillon
• NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
• LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• BUITONI Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Related recipes:

Ravioli Pumpkin Casserole	Baked Ziti with Pumpkin & Sausage

Pumpkin Post: Spiderweb Pumpkin Curry Soup

Written by Liz -

I love soup. I eat soup for lunch almost every day, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. There’s something so satisfying in this steaming bowl of broth, cooked vegetables, meats and just plain nourishment for the soul. Especially when it’s cold or rainy outside (or over-air-conditioned inside) and the soup has been cooking all day.

This soup incorporates pumpkin and ginger, two healthy powerhouses. Pumpkin is rich in antioxidants, fiber and Vitamin A plus it’s low in fat. It also adds a flavor punch to many savory dishes, from pastas to soups to casseroles.

Here are some of my favorite soups & chilis:

Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup (Pictured above)

Pumpkin Chili Mexicana

White Chicken Chili

---

Spiderweb Pumpkin Curry Soup
(Pictured at the top of the post)

Ingredients for 4 Servings:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 cups water
• 2 to 3 MAGGI Chicken Flavor Bouillon Cubes
• 1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
• 1/4 cup light sour cream

Directions:

HEAT oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in curry powder, coriander and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add water and bouillon; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes to develop flavors. Stir in pumpkin and evaporated milk; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until heated through.

TRANSFER mixture to blender or food processor (in batches, if necessary); cover. Blend until creamy. Serve warm or reheat to desired temperature. Ladle soup into bowls.

PLACE sour cream in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to pipe concentric circles onto soup. Using wooden pick or tip of sharp knife, pull tip through sour cream from center to edge of bowl.

PREPARATION TIP: Soup may be prepared the day ahead. Cool to room temperature after adding pumpkin and evaporated milk. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, blend then reheat to serving temperature, but do not boil.

Links:

• NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
• LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• MAGGI Chicken Flavor Bouillon Cubes

More Pumpkin Recipes:

Pick-Me-Up Pumpkin Latte	Easy Pumpkin-Pasta Bake

Pesto Pairs Perfectly with Italian White Wine

Written by Liz -

September 30 is the last day of California Wine Month so I thought I’d pair one of my favorite Italian sauces (as in the Tortellini with Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes above) with some California white wines made from Italian varietals. And I added a twist to the pesto that I learned from Luce, one of Bon Appetit’s top 10 best new restaurants in America.

The Food:

Luce is a very small market and restaurant dedicated to simple Italian cooking in Portland Oregon. Every dish on the menu was so simply made that at first glance, it seems too easy, too sophomoric. But after a bite or two, the flavors this kind of cooking imparts transports you to the traditions of Italy. Bon Appetit called it “bare bones…Italian home cooking at its core.”

The pesto at Luce was made with basil, avocado, almonds, walnuts and garlic. This is pesto in Southern Italy. And it was incredible! The avocado replaces the olive oil, making the dish lighter, full of flavor and oh-so-good for your skin. To make this easy on me to make at home, I used Buitoni pesto as a base, placing about half the container of pesto in a bowl, then mixing in one whole ripe avocado and serving it over al dente pasta. A perfect late summer meal.

The Wine:

I wanted to pair this with an Italian varietal made in California, and I found 2 wines that worked perfectly. Arneis from Palmina Wines has a bright lemony quality, and enough acid to zip along your tongue with the pesto, cutting the oils and balancing the meal perfectly.

Another wine, Bianchetto from Moretti Wines is a blend of 3 Italian varietals from different regions: Arneis, Malvasia Bianca and Tocai Friulano. You won’t see this blend in Italy, but it’s lovely flowery nose and fruit and acid balance also really enhanced the dish.

Links:

• Tortellini with Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Buitoni pesto
• Palmina Wines

More pesto recipes:

Baked Pesto Chicken Breasts recipe

Insalata Caprese with Pesto Vinaigrette

Sneak Peek: Behind the Scenes of Food Photography

Written by Chris -

Here at Nestlé Kitchens, we develop and photograph a lot of our own recipes — like the Lemon Loaf Cake above. But, over the last year or so, we’ve been working with food bloggers, too. I love tapping into a new pool of people to get new, fresh ideas. I currently have a team of seven bloggers who both develop and photograph recipes for us and I couldn’t be more proud of the work they are producing!

I’ve been photographing recipes for Nestlé Kitchens for about a year now. For one particular project, I needed to find someone to both style and photograph Carnation Breakfast Essentials recipes: this was over 100 consumer recipes in a short turnaround time. Heavy task!

I attended a photography workshop with Diane and Todd of White on Rice Couple and thought they would be a perfect fit for this large project. Their work is simply inspiring; every recipe image tells a story. And their images aren’t perfectly styled either. They keep the crumbs and smudges so the end shot looks very natural and something one could recreate at home. And they are the most efficient team I have ever witnessed. They get “the shot” almost immediately. They are that good. And they did a fantastic job on this particular project!

Just last week, Diane and Todd shot another project for me. It was so nice to work with them again! This time, it was a collection of twelve recipes. I am so excited to share these recipes with you. But I can’t. Not just yet anyway. Watch the blog over the next months for them…

At this shoot, Natalie (a new culinary expert in our kitchen) and I prepared the food and Diane and Todd styled and shot the recipes. We made a great team! I loved being so involved. When you work with Diane and Todd, you are taken care of. Not only do they shoot the most eye-catching images, they share their knowledge. So at the end of the day, I felt like I attended a personal workshop. It was really wonderful.

All of the photos here (except for the Lemon Loaf Cake) are sneak peeks at some of the recipes they captured, all taken with my iPhone. Just wait until you see the actual shots. Stunning!

Diane and Todd made Natalie and me feel like family. We were greeted with freshly made cappuccinos (thank you, Todd!) and absolutely the best poached egg I have ever eaten (thank you, Diane for sharing your secret ingredient). For lunch, we had the freshest spring rolls made with herbs from their garden. Then Todd treated us with Vietnamese iced coffee made with sweetened condensed milk. And we even got to munch on their Butter Rum Apple Crisp Tart & Pink Pearl Apples for dessert (all shown above). We left full and happy…thank you Diane and Todd!

Toll House on TV — Tune Into All Mixed Up!

Written by Jenny -

One thing about my job here in the Baking Kitchens is that some days you never know where your job will take you. In this case, it was The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Florida where I was a panel judge for the new reality-based cooking series called “All Mixed Up” premiering on Lifetime TV September 7th at 7:30am (ET/PT). This three-part miniseries is hosted by culinary celebrity chef and TV personality Ralph Pagano. The premise of the show is three up and coming aspiring chefs compete before a panel of judges by taking America’s favorite brands, such as Nestlé Toll House Morsels and turning them into three unique three course meals: an appetizer, entrée and dessert in just 30 minutes! Let me tell you…the game, pressure and the heat were on in the kitchen!

I wanted to share some pictures from our filming behind the scenes.

Featured above are the three culinary students of the International Culinary School who really delivered some creative, great tasting dishes with our Nestlé Toll House Dark and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. Big wows all around! It was a great honor for me to be in their company and I applaud them for their courage, determination and talent. Featured left to right, above: Ashley Gallant, me, Cameron Bevan and Krystal Battle. They took good care of our Nestlé Toll House chocolate!

Host Ralph Pagano explaining the rules of the appetizer challenge to Krystal, Ashley and Cameron.

Ralph shown above enjoying some semi-sweet chocolate morsels between scenes; he wasn’t the only one!

Krystal in action working with our morsels and cocoa. I wish I could tell you what she was making but I can tell you that it had chocolate in it!

I had the privilege of judging with Anthony Mongiello, aka “The Big Cheese,” president and CEO of Formaggio Cheese and Anelisa Durham, spokesperson and model for Kozy Shack Pudding. I know that they would agree with me at how impressed they were with all the dishes brought to the judging table.

Ashley, Krystal and Cameron facing the judges above…how did they fare? You’ll have to tune in on Friday, September 7th, September 14th and September 21st at 7:30am on Lifetime Television to find out! For more information on the show and pictures, go to All Mixed Up.

Links:

• All Mixed Up
• All Mixed Up on Facebook
• Formaggio Cheese
• Kozy Shack Pudding
• The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Florida