butternut squash and apple soup

In my last CSA box I got a butternut squash and I knew what I wanted to make: butternut squash and roasted apple soup from the New York Times. I was really excited to make this soup and as always it was super easy, first roast the apples and squash, then put everything in the pot and heat through. Voila! The soup was a little too sweet for me, so next I'll include less cider and replace with broth or water.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2 butternut squash, chunked

2-3 granny smith apples, quartered

2 T. olive oil

salt + pepper, to taste

2 c. apple cider (less than org. recipe)

3 c. broth (more than org. recipe)

1 t. ground cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 lemon, juiced

garnish? dried cranberries or toasted almonds

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F. Place chopped apples and squash in large dish, dress with olive oil and salt + pepper. Stir. [You will be peeling the apples and squash after roasted, so quartered/eighths is best]. Cover tightly with foil.

2. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes, remove apples to another dish and allow to cool. Return covered squash to the oven for another 15-30 minutes, or until soft. Allow squash to cool. When cool scrape squash and apples into 4-6 qt. pot. Discard skins. Puree with hand blender. Add apple cider, if needed.

3. Add remaining cider and broth or water to desired consistency. Warm over medium-low heat. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Eat warmed.

acorn squash

Lucky me! When I was back home a friend shared the spoils of her garden and then I carted them back to the pacific northwest. She gave me a couple of pie pumpkins, four acorn squash, and six heads of garlic. Yummy, yummy, yummy in my tummy, tummy, tummy. I just got back two days ago and I've already baked the first two acorn squashes and eaten the first three halves. I usually eat it on the 'half-shell' with something sweet inside - apple sauce with cinnamon & raisins, cinnamon & sugar, or real maple syrup & butter. These toppings can be so sweat it's like having desert. This half I ate with a couple of scrambled eggs for lunch.

(I've decided to try some more savory versions of squash this fall ... if any are a success I'll share them with you).

Baked Acorn Squash

preheat oven to 400 deg. F

Cut squash in two and remove seeds. Arrange squash, cut side down in a shallow baking dish. Fill dish with water until it reaches about 1/4" (you might want to do this in the oven if your dish is particularly shallow). Bake squash for 15 minutes, or until tender. Turn squash over and fill cavity with apple sauce, raisins, and cinnamon mixture. Bake until warmed through. Serve.

* I usually make several at once and store in the fridge, they make good leftovers reheated in the microwave. For sack lunch, either take 'as is' or scoop out into another container.

spicy kale and white bean soup

Soup is one of the easiest genres of food to throw together - maybe that's not really true (salads, anyone?). Sometimes I use another recipe as a guide, but once you pick up the concepts, it's pretty easy to rummage around the fridge and pantry and come up with a soup.

This was a bit of a rummage - kale, carrots, and squash? I always have garlic and onions in the pantry and broth in the freezer .. I was out of white beans so when I went to the store I picked up a couple of pounds. When I was at the store I picked up a loaf of fresh organic bread - always a great accompaniment to soup.

Kale and white bean soup:

olive oil

1 onion, sliced

garlic - lots, whole or large chop

1 c. chopped carrots

1 lb. white beans, soaked and cooked

6-8 c. vegetable stock

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

1 med yellow squash, sliced

salt & pepper, to taste

1+ T. chili powder

Heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion. Cooked until translucent and add carrots and garlic. Cover and sweat the carrots for 10 minutes. Add white beans and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add kale. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until it is tender. Add the squash and spices (as desired). Add more stock/water as needed.

Serve with red pepper flakes or jalapeno cheese. Enjoy!

What's left in the fridge.

I am preparing to leave the wet northwest for sunny Colorado over the holidays and am emptying my fridge... this usually results in some creative meals. Luckily, a baked squash with a bit of milk, pecans, and brown sugar was delicious. Yum! It is also good mixed in a bit of plain yogurt - I will eat that for breakfast before I leave.