 | So, soon after writing this post, less than 24 hours, to be exact, my water had broken, contractions were in full-swing, and baby boy looked like he would be making his arrival on his actual due date! He missed it by a mere 4 minutes, but we won't hold it against him. :) His daddy was 3 weeks late, his momma 3 weeks early, so he decided to split the difference and come right on time. |
Anyway, life with a newborn is...crazy. So posting has been low on my list of priorities (plus typing with one hand is exhausting!), and my cooking these days has been a bit low too! However, I wanted to share our awesome news and a great winter soup recipe. It was actually one of the first dinners I've made since Noah arrived home. It was fairly simple, very tasty, packed with nutrition, and a great warm winter dinner. It could easily be altered for fun variations (gorgonzola cheese and some fresh tart apple? Cilantro, a bit of curry, and some chopped peanuts for a Thai twist?). We enjoyed it with a lovely grilled cheese. Delicious, and if served in a mug, a meal easily eaten with one hand, ya know, if your other one is occupied!
Butternut Squash Soup
makes about 6 servings
adapted from Whole Foods Butternut Squash Soup
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cupsish butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inchish chunks (frozen would work too)*
salt
3-4 cups chicken broth
pepper (lots!)
2+ tsp thyme (to your taste)
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium/high heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Sauté until softish/translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the broth, squash, and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until the squash is tender (can be pierced with a fork).
If you have an immersion blender, go ahead and use that and puree until smooth. Otherwise, pour the soup into a blender (you can do this in batches if necessary), and blend until smooth. Be careful! If you're using your blender, you need to remove the little plastic circle from the top of the lid and cover with a folded paper towel to allow steam to escape. Keep your hand on the lid, as the steam from the hot, blending soup, may try to force the lid off! Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve with a lovely grilled cheese!
*I forgot to weigh the squash before peeling and cutting it up. It was about the length of a football and the thick end was about a wide as a football, too. If you had a bit more or a bit less, it wouldn't hurt anything. :)
Butternut Squash Soup
makes about 6 servings
adapted from Whole Foods Butternut Squash Soup
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cupsish butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inchish chunks (frozen would work too)*
salt
3-4 cups chicken broth
pepper (lots!)
2+ tsp thyme (to your taste)
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium/high heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Sauté until softish/translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the broth, squash, and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until the squash is tender (can be pierced with a fork).
If you have an immersion blender, go ahead and use that and puree until smooth. Otherwise, pour the soup into a blender (you can do this in batches if necessary), and blend until smooth. Be careful! If you're using your blender, you need to remove the little plastic circle from the top of the lid and cover with a folded paper towel to allow steam to escape. Keep your hand on the lid, as the steam from the hot, blending soup, may try to force the lid off! Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve with a lovely grilled cheese!
*I forgot to weigh the squash before peeling and cutting it up. It was about the length of a football and the thick end was about a wide as a football, too. If you had a bit more or a bit less, it wouldn't hurt anything. :)