Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This is one of my favorite fall recipes! It is quite simple to make and it smells like fall, which I have been craving since I don't get to experience the fall here in Sunny Florida. I like to bake homemade french bread (earlier post) to dip into the soup. It is so yummy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.

For the Soup:
3-4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
2-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp curry powder (I choose not to use the curry)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Divide squash between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until very tender.

Meanwhile, heat chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, coarsely blend in a food processor or blender with some chicken stock. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Taste for seasonings and serve.

*I usually half the recipe if it is just for me and Bubba.

Harvest Moon Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe has a little surprise! The beautiful cheesy color that you see is not actually from cheese...it is butternut squash! It is a great way to camouflage veggies for kids! I like to add a cheers cracker crumble on the top for added texture.

Harvest Moon Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Food Network-Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 pound macaroni such as cassarecci, strozzopretti or ziti with lines
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose four
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg, grated to taste
1 (10-ounce) box frozen butternut squash, defrosted
A few dashes hot sauce
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup extra-sharp yellow Cheddar
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Directions
Bring water to a boil, season with salt and cook macaroni to al dente.

Preheat broiler and place rack in middle of the oven.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat, saute onions and garlic until soft, 6 to 7 minutes and stir in the thyme.

Scoot onions off to side of pan and melt butter, whisk flour into butter and combine whisk 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cook until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in butternut squash and a few dashes hot sauce. Reduce heat. When sauce comes to a bubble, stir in Parmigiano. Combine the sauce and macaroni, transfer to a casserole dish and top with shredded yellow Cheddar, chopped parsley and paprika. Brown the macaroni under broiler, 4 to 5 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Basil

This is the perfect dish for fall! I think that butternut squash screams fall and it is wonderful in this risotto! Risotto does take a little bit of time to make, but I think that it is definitely worth it! This can be served as a side dish or you can add a salad for a light dinner. Enjoy!

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Basil

3 tbs olive oil, divided
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 2 1/4 lb. squash)
3 cups 1/2-inch wide slices leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
2 cups arborio rice
4 14-oz cans (or more) vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Heat 2 tbs oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add squash and saute until beginning to soften and brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer squash to medium bowl.

Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 tbs oil, leeks, and thyme to same pot and stir until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Return squash to pot. Continue to cook until rice is just tender but still very creamy, stirring gently and often, about 10 minutes longer (it seemed to take a bit longer when I made it, about 35-40 minutes total cooking time). Remove from heat. Stir in basil and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Curried-Squash and Red-Lentil Soup

I love cooking with Lentils. They are tasty and quite healthy for you too! The only thing is that they always seem to take longer to cook than the recipe says. But this recipe is worth the wait! The recipe says to make a cilantro oil to drizzle over the finished soup, but I just added chopped cilantro in at the end instead. To serve, I first spoon cooked rice into the bottom of the bowl and then ladle the soup over the top.

Curried-Squash and Red-Lentil Soup
Adapted from Gourmet

For Soup:
3 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs minced peeled ginger
1 tbs curry powder
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 quarts water (I sometimes use chicken stock as well)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

For cilantro oil:
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Accompaniment: cooked basmati rice

Make soup: Heat oil with butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook squash, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger and 1 tsp salt, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes.
Stir in curry powder and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
Add lentils and water and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 25-40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

For cilantro oil: Puree cilantro, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender. Serve soup drizzled with cilantro.