Orange Puree Food

SNEAKY CHEF'S ORANGE PUREE

Steps:

• Boil covered carrots and sweet potatoes in a medium pot for about 20 min, until both are tender. (Make sure carrots are tender).
• Drain and put them in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of water.
• Puree on high until no chunks. Stop occasionally to circulate.
• Add water as necessary. (Less is better).
• Makes around 2 cups, stores 3 days in refrigerator. or freeze in 1/4 cup portions.

FRUIT PUREES

Steps:

• Cook 2 cups sugar with 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. For peach puree: Thaw a 16-ounce bag of frozen peaches, then puree in a blender with 1 teaspoon grated orange zest and 1/2 cup of the sugar syrup. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and transfer to a bottle or jar. For strawberry or blueberry puree: Thaw a 16-ounce bag of frozen berries, then puree in a blender with 1/3 cup of the sugar syrup. Strain and store in a bottle or jar. Refrigerate purees until ready to use.

ORANGE PUREE

Steps:

• Place the sliced veggies into a medium pot and cover with water. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Do not rush this! If the carrots aren't tender, the puree texture will not be smooth enough to go undetected.
• Drain the carrots and sweet potatoes, saving the cooking liquid.
• Use your food processor or blender and puree the vegetables into a smooth puree. Use some of the cooking water (3-4 tablespoons) to help get things moving in your food processor.
• I used the remaining cooking water as part of the pasta water to make macaroni and cheese from the blue box. I added 4 tablespoons of the orange puree to the finished dish. I also added some extra cheese. The dish was creamier than normal, but my kids didn't notice the vegetable.
• Freeze the orange puree in 1-2 tablespoon size portions (ice cube tray works well). The add 2 to 4 tablespoons into your cooking.
• Another idea is to add 2 to 4 tablespoons to spaghettios or other canned pasta. Or add up to 1/2 a cup to canned baked beans (the sweet kind). Or add up to 1/4 cup to canned tomato soup made with milk. The author suggests adding some to chile con queso (not tried). Another use is 2 to 4 tablespoons into any storebought tomato based pasta sauce.

HUBBARD SQUASH AND ORANGE PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°; place unpeeled squash flesh side down in baking pan; pour water over squash; bake 30 minutes, turn over and bake another 30 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly carmelized.
• Scrape flesh off skin and puree in a food processor until smooth; add orange zest, orange juice, butter, salt and pepper; process to combine and serve warm.