It's been a week....

We'll just leave it at that. I guess I'm not a great blogger if I make promises that I don't keep. Before I post this recipe...I have one question. What is it about sauteing an onion? Maybe it's because it It smells like Thanksgiving. But my family always seems to walk in just as the onion has become fragrant and asks..."Yum. What's for dinner? It smells so good." At which point, I try to kindly reply..."An onion". Maybe there's already garlic sauteing in the pan too, so I might say...."An onion and some garlic. Hope you like it."

This recipe is a cornucopia of smells, which translates to flavor. I loved it, and my kids loved it as well.


Pureed Butter Nut Squash Soup
Modified from a recipe by Martha Stewart in Everyday Food (modified because I never seem to follow a recipe exactly)

First thing....peeling the squash. You can buy bags of squash where someone else has nearly cut their fingers off so that you don't have to risk it. I would recommend that, except I grew my own. So, I peel my own squash too.


Soon after all the mess, there was a pile of 1 inch cubes of lovely butternut on my board, and I still had all my fingers, on my hand. Took some time, but I was pleased with the outcome. The cookie dough scoop really worked well to get the seeds out as well. Peeling....well, hope you have a good vegetable peeler. I even searched to find the expert way and they all said, grab a vegetable peeler and go for it.



Ginger and Garlic....ahh! Can you smell it? Don't be scared of ginger, the funny looking root. It is full of wonderful goodness. Actually very good for digestion. So...use it liberally. The recipe called for a 2 inch piece. I wondered..'is that two inches square? 2 inches high? 2 inches round?" I don't know, but I think I used quite a bit and it was very tasty. I actually used one more piece than is in this picture. I warned you. I like ginger, and garlic, so I used 3 cloves. They were small.



Saute it all in a pot and enjoy the smell. Be prepared for the question. "What smells so good?"



I added 2 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water, instead of all water. Thought the flavor would be nice. But, if you'd like to keep it vegan, than leave out the broth and use all water and use all olive oil, instead of butter. The squash cooked up beautifully and soon I was ready to grab the wand. Honestly, I was seriously looking forward to this part. It may have been the entire reason I made this soup!



I love the steam on the wand in the last picture. I love the wand blender in serious action. I love the color as it blends to a beautiful puree. I really love that I didn't have to dump all that hot soup into a blender.



The pumpkin seed accompaniment to this dish is a must. Don't skip them. Do make more than you think you'll use. Even double the seed amount. I snacked on them for a week. So TASTY!!! I used more chili powder and added some cumin.



The end result...very tasty. Topped with a dollop of greek yogurt, or goats milk yogurt. The tangy flavor of the goats milk yogurt truly enhanced the flavors. Sprinkle those tasty pumpkin seeds and garnish with cilantro. This is a soup that warms the soul and truly feeds and nourishes the body!! ENJOY!!



Pureed Butternut Squash Soup
Original recipe was Martha Stewarts from Everday Food. I've included my modifications.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 piece (2 1/2 inches) peeled fresh ginger, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and flesh cut into 1 inch chunks.
1/8 cup fresh orange juice
Salt and Pepper
Greek Style or Goats Milk Yogurt
Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Melt butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree the soup with a wand mixer. Stir in orange juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with yogurt, pumpkin seeds and cilantro.


Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until puffed and browned, about 10 minutes.



Next time....I share the hottest, most inedible dish I have ever made. Just for fun!