A few months ago, my Mom gave me a recipe she found on Weight Watchers online that she thought may be nice to try. A few weeks before that, we both went to “dinner and a show” at LaCroix Restaurant in Philadelphia and they showed us how to cook this delicious butternut squash dish. I tried to replicate it at Christmas, but it didn’t turn out as well. Although my attempts at butternut squash the first time were not successful, my Mom and I both still have this like of butternut squash. So, I again attempted to create a yummy meal.
I thought that it would be difficult to find butternut squash since it is springtime, but most grocery stores still carry it. In fact, I found this squash just last Saturday at the 9th Street Italian market, and it was among many other “fall vegetables”. So I guess that we still really haven’t dove into spring yet. Anyway, it is just as nice to eat butternut squash in April as it is in November. Especially when there is risotto or risotto-like qualities included. This dish can be both a side or an entree. It was surprisingly creamy, despite the ingredients used. I tweeked the recipe a little bit, and I think for the better. I recommend eating it just as it comes off the stovetop, because upon reheating, the creaminess subsides.
Orzo Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash (adapted from Weight Watchers Online)
2 cups butternut squash, cut into small cubes
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp butter
1 cup uncooked orzo
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp low fat milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
First, prepare the squash. This recipe only uses about one half of a squash. Cut the squash in half using a sharp knife. Scoop the seeds out of the middle. Peel the squash. (I felt that it was helpful to cut the squash into a few more smaller pieces before peeling, so that you could hold onto the piece that you are peeling a little better). Then cut squash into 1 inch cubes. Toss with olive oil and salt. Spray cooking spray on baking sheet and place squash on sheet and into the oven for about 25 minutes. Check on the squash after 10 minutes, and move the cubes around a little bit on the baking sheet.
Next, melt butter in a saucepan and add the uncooked orzo. Cook until the orzo browns a bit and begins to smell toasty. Then add the water, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so that the orzo remains simmering. Make sure to stir a few times while it is cooking. When nearly all the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and remove the bay leaf. Make sure that you do not leave the orzo on the heat too long-it will begin to look dry. Stir in the milk, parmesan cheese and the roasted squash. Add some ground black pepper.
The recipe calls for thyme, but as I have learned recently, we are not fans of thyme. However, if you like it, you may add it in place of the bay leaf. You may also substitute the bay leaf or thyme for sage.
Although made with orzo, this dish did remind me of a risotto. The meal contains many flavors and textures. I loved the creaminess of the orzo, and the firmer texture of the squash. It is a little salty, a little cheesy, and the squash flavor adds a little something different.
Bites & Sights 
