Butternut Squash Soup - Mom's

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 

• Prep Time: 10 mins
 

• Cook Time: 55 mins
 

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

 Serves
• : 4 bowls or 6 cups

 
• Method: Roasted and blended
 

• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), halved vertically and seeded
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½ cup chopped shallot (about 1 large shallot bulb)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Up to 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons butter, to taste (substitute olive oil for dairy free/vegan soup)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside (about 1 teaspoon each). Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 45 to 50 minutes. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Then use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into a bowl and discard the tough skin.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet (or large soup pot, if you’ll be serving soup from that pot), warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
4. If you have a high performance blender like a Vitamix (see notes if you’re using an immersion blender instead), transfer the cooked shallot and garlic to your blender. Add the reserved butternut, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line (you can work in batches if necessary, and stir in any remaining broth later). Securely fasten the lid and select the soup preset, being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. The blender will stop running once the soup is super creamy and hot.
5. If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, stir in the remaining cup of broth (I used the full 4 cups, but if you used a small squash, you might want to leave it as is). Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well. Taste and stir in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
6. Serve immediately (I like to top each bowl with a little more black pepper). Let leftover soup cool completely before transferring it to a proper storage container and refrigerating it for up to 4 days (leftovers taste even better the next day!). Or, freeze this soup for up to 3 months.

NOTES

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH AN IMMERSION BLENDER, add the reserved squash to the pot, then add the broth, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors have a chance to meld. Carefully use your immersion blender to blend the soup completely, then add 1 to 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend again. Taste and blend in more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Easy Paella - Lexie's

- 2 Tbs Olive oil
- 1 lb. pre-cooked shrimp, thawed
- 1 large chorizo
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 1/2 red peppers, sliced in thin strips
- 1 clove garlic, chopped finely
- 2 cup arborio rice (or bomba)
- 3 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen petite peas

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown chorizo lightly.
2) Add onion and red pepper. Cook until onion is translucent.
3) Add garlic. Cook 1 minute.
4) Add rice. Cook 2 minutes stirring continuously.
5) Add chicken broth and paprika. Heat to boiling.
6) When boiling is reached, cover and reduce heat.
7) Simmer 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
8) Stir in shrimp and peas. Continue stirring and heat all ingredients back up to HOT.

Serve with slice of lemon.

Butternut Squash Soup

- 1 butternut squash (roasted)
- 2 Tbs butter
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 1 small / medium onion (chopped)
- 1 stalk celery (chopped)
- 2 Tbs roasted garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Roast butternut squash
2. Roast garlic
3. Melt the butter in a large pot
4. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots until lightly browned
5. Pour in enough of the vegetable broth to cover vegetables
6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender
7. Add in roasted squash, roasted garlic, and the rest of the vegetable broth
8. Blend with an immersion blender, or ladle into a regular blender
9. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste

Roasted Garlic

- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Aluminum foil
- Baking pan

    a. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
    b. Peel garlic cloves
    c. Place in "pouch" of aluminum foil
    d. Flood garlic with olive oil so 1/3 to 1/2 of the garlic clove is covered
    e. Place in baking pan (so oil doesn't leak in oven)
    f. Bake for 40-75 min (the longer, the more caramelized)

Roasted Squash

Roasted Squash

- Butternut (or acorn) squash
- Olive oil
- Salt/pepper if desired

    a. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
    b. Cut in half
    c. Scoop out seeds
    d. Drizzle cut surfaces with olive oil
    e. Place face-down on a baking sheet
    f. Bake 40 min or until tender and can be easily pierced with a fork

Chicken Hand Pie / Pot Pie - Lexie's

In large pan:

2 cups cooked chicken

1 Tbs butter 

In large pot: 

1/4 stick butter 

1 cup carrot, finely chopped 

1/2 stick butter
1/4 tsp rosemary, dried
1/4 tsp thyme, dried and ground
1 tsp salt
1 cup potato, chopped finely
2 cups yellow onion, chopped finely

1 cup celery, chopped finely

In the vegetable pot, add cooked chicken and:
1 cup peas
1/4 cup flour

Cook for 2-3 minutes 

Then add to pot:
2 cups chicken stock (or enough to cover contents of pot)
And bring to a boil.

Let cool in fridge.

For hand pies, fill dough circles. 

Seal with milk and score dough. 

Freeze or cook at 375 for 15 min, flip and cook for 5 more min.

Enough filling for 2 chicken pot pies.

Enough filling for 3 rustic chicken pot pies. 

Buttery Flakey Pie Dough

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, cold
5-7 Tbs ice-cold water

Combine flour and salt.
Cut in butter.
Combine with water and stir.
Roll out or refrigerate.

Makes dough for 1 pie.