Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash, which is also known as butternut pumpkin in Australia and New Zealand, is a type of winter squash that has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin.  Butternut squash is good for the heart because it is low in fat and high in fiber.  This soup is quick and easy to make, as well as being very nutritious.  For more information on butternut squash, see here.

I've made this soup a number of times and had it last weekend with a pork chop and fresh baked bread.

• 4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth may be used)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.  Place the four halves of butternut squash cut side up on the baking pan, brush with butter, and season generously with salt and pepper.  Roast until the squash is knife-tender, about one hour.

While the squash is roasting, peel, core, and cut the two apples into medium dice.  Cut the onion into medium dice.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the apple, onion, and sage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

When the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the skins.  Add broth, water, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally while breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.

Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth.  (Remove the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the pumpkin seeds, if using.

Baked Apples

Remember these?  Most everyone I know remembers baked apples from their childhood.  If it's been awhile since you had one, the cold winter months are the perfect time for them.

This is a really simple, basic recipe for baked apples as there are only four ingredients to it and you’re likely to have them on hand – apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  It’s just about impossible to mess up!    

Ingredients:

4 large baking apples

½ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

butter (approximately 2 to 4 tablespoons)

½ cup boiling water

1.  Preheat oven to 375 F.  Wash the apples and remove the cores down to approximately ½ inch from the bottom.  Be sure to remove all of the seeds. 

2.  In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.  Place the apples in an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.  Stuff each apple with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  You’ll have some left over.  Top with a dot of butter.

3.  Add boiling water to the pan and bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes until the apples are tender but not mushy.  After approximately 20 minutes, the sugar and cinnamon mixture will have melted down.  Put the remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture into the apples and bake another 10 – 20 minutes. 

The great thing about this recipe is that you can vary it in so many ways.  You can add raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, or other spices such as nutmeg.  

Although I haven’t tried all of the following variations, they sound delicious. 

Apple sauce or apple juice can be used instead of water.

Sprinkle carmelized pecans on top of ice cream served on the side.     

Caramel sauce – add cornstarch and vanilla to the water in the bottom of the baking dish.  Core the apples all the way through to the bottom so that the brown sugar and butter will leak out.  When the apples are done cooking, whisk together the sauce. 

If you like your apples on the tart side, you can use green apples.

Eggnog French Toast on Christmas Morning

Here’s wishing everyone a warm, safe, and happy holiday season.  May the New Year bring you health, prosperity, happiness, peace, and love.  May this holiday season become a cherished memory, and may you remember fondly those loved ones who are no longer with us and cherish those who are.     

A hearty serving of Eggnog French Toast on Christmas morning has become a holiday tradition in my home.



Here’s a really basic recipe for Eggnog French Toast.  It’s a good basic recipe because you can change it up to suit your tastes.  I usually just eyeball the spices so it’s a little bit different every time.  Yesterday morning I used some cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  You can also use French bread instead of regular bread, and I believe there is also pumpkin pie spiced eggnog available that you could use instead of the spices.  I use very little syrup and I don’t sprinkle powdered sugar on it when it’s done like I do regular French toast so that I don’t drown out the spices and eggnog flavor.  I’d like to find a really good topping for this to use instead of syrup.  Maybe some sort of cinnamon sauce?  I think this might be really good with some sort of nuts sprinkled on top as well.  I still have some eggnog left, so maybe I’ll have to experiment a little bit and try a variation of this for New Year’s breakfast.   

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 cups eggnog

1 1/2 T. ground cinnamon

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

12 slices bread

Whisk the eggs, eggnog, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a mixing bowl until well blended.  Pour the mixture into a shallow dish.  

Preheat an electric skillet to 300 degrees F.  Lightly grease the skillet.

Dip each slice of bread into the eggnog mixture, being sure to coat each side evenly.

Place the prepared bread slices into the preheated skillet and cook until golden brown on each side.

Place cooked slices on a serving plate and cover to keep warm until all the French toast is cooked.  Serve immediately.