Ever since starting this little food blog a few years back, I’ve been on a mission. Not only to help people to spend less $$ on groceries, but also to help you learn to love new meals and try new foods (maybe that you were afraid to buy because you didn’t know what to do with them).
Butternut squash is one of those items that people are afraid to buy because they don’t want it to go to waste because they don’t know what to do with it.
Well, here’s what you do with it. You cut it up and you add it to a stew.
Several weeks ago I purchased a large package of meat for beef stew, that was reduced for quick sale. I split the meat up into 3 baggies, added some seasoning and then tossed them in the freezer. Then came the $.59 butternut squash from Aldi.
Put it all together and you’ve got this fantastic, warm your tummy stew. The Dutch oven does a fantastic job of cooking the beef, making it perfectly tender and ultra delicious. This stew has a wonderful balance of flavors, colors and textures – perfect for your next dinner!
This is a fantastic, budget-friendly Paleo recipe…one I know you’ll love!
Beef & Butternut Squash Stew
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 lb. stew beef, seasoned with salt and pepper and minced onion
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 lb. baby carrots or equivalent carrot sticks
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh bread; as side dish
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and brown all sides of the stew beef.
- Once browned, add 6 cups of water or beef broth. (Add 1-2 more cups if you wish for it to simmer longer.)
- Addthe prepared butternut squash, onion, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, carrots and the seasonings.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until squash is fork tender.
- Cover and let simmer until ready to serve.
- Prepare fresh bread as side dish.
- Serve Dutch Oven Beef Stew with Butternut Squash in warmed soup bowls with fresh bread.
While I love being in the kitchen, I need to make my time spent cooking as efficient as possible – and how I accomplish that is with batch cooking, freezer cooking and keeping easy and quick meals or ingredients ready to go in the freezer. This month, I’ll be sharing all my favorite freezer cooking recipes, tricks, hacks and how-tos.
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