I love evaporated milk.

Evaporated milk is a staple in our house. I use it in almost all of our soups, and this week I also found a way to make a fantastic Alfredo sauce minus the cream and the cheese. Here are some ideas:

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 large apple, quartered and cored
1 small onion, quartered
1 head of garlic
1 can evaporated milk
chicken stock
Cayenne pepper
curry powder
thyme
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a pan with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Place squash, apples, onion, and garlic on pan and smear with oil. Roast until tender. Scoop the squash into a blender and puree with apple and onion. Add roasted garlic to taste. Thin with 1 can evaporated milk and chicken stock. Season with Cayenne pepper, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.

Corn Chowder

2 Tbs olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 c diced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
15 oz frozen sweet corn kernels
2 c vegetable or chicken stock
1 can evaporated milk

Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute onion and celery until tender. Add potato, garlic, and salt and saute 1 to 2 minutes more. Add corn and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are just tender. Add evaporated milk and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fake Alfredo Sauce
This isn't a real recipe, I don't have actual measurements. It makes quite a lot!

2 to 3 Tbs butter
1/3 c flour
1 can evaporated milk
chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper
garlic (fresh or powder)
fresh nutmeg

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and stir until combined and mixture smells nutty. Slowly add chicken stock, whisking constantly. Add evaporated milk, alternating with chicken stock as needed to reach the desired consistency. Season with garlic, salt and pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. You must use the nutmeg!!!

I used this sauce two ways. The first night I served it over sweet potato gnocchi and tonight I cooked some pasta which I tossed with the sauce and then grilled a chicken breast (seasoned with salt and pepper and with fresh lemon juice while cooking) which I served on top of the pasta. Kind of like a Chicken Alfredo, but much better.