roasted butternut squash soup

i love fall/winter and the veggies that come with the season.  it is the perfect weather for enjoying a cup of warm creamy soup.

this soup is so fall to me and super creamy but does not require any cream at all...

ingredients/supplies:
-2 medium/large butternut squash
-1 onion
-2 carrots
-2 celery stalks
-28 ounces of organic chicken or veggie stock (1 box - you may need a bit more than that but you can always add a touch of water)
-3 tablespoons of olive oil
-kosher salt and pepper to taste
-a splash of apple cider vinegar
-2 cookie sheets, 1 soup pot, a sharp chef's knife and cutting board, a blender, kitchen tongs, a spatula, a metal soup spoon, measuring spoons, and an oven

-prepping/chopping
-pre-heat oven to 420 with 2 cooking racks in the top positions
-wash the 2 squash and then cut the tip and tail off - leaving 2 flat surfaces (i only cut the tip off as my tail was very flat of both of mine)
-stand the squash on its tail and slowly press your chef's knife from the middle of the tip to the tail cutting the squash in 1/2...repeat with the 2nd squash

-with a soup spoon, scoop out seeds of all 4 pieces and discard
-place the squash on cookie sheets
-pour 1/2 a tablespoon of olive oil on each piece (skin side and flesh side) and sprinkle with salt

-wash, peel,  and chop carrots, celery and onion into similarly sized pieced

cooking:
-place the 2 cookie sheets with the seasoned squash in the oven and cook for about 20 mins (or until one side is roasted), then turn the squash and roast for another 20-30 mins or until soft
-place chopped carrots, celery,  and onion in a pan over medium-low heat with a tablespoon of olive oil

-cook veggies until the onions start to turn a bit translucent

-take the skin off of the squash with kitchen tongs and add to the veggies (it comes off so easily that you could do it with a fork if you don't have tongs)

-cover the veggies with stock and bring to a simmer for about 10-15 mins to blend the flavors

-blend to your desired texture...you may need to add a bit of water or stock to get the right balance creaminess

-add salt and pepper to taste

-at the very end add a splash of apple cider vinegar and stir  

to spice it up...i served this in a little mug with a touch of creme fraiche (just for color really as the soup totally does not need any dairy at all), a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, and some chives...cayenne is super nice in the creamy, buttery, roasted soup and a bit of spice is always nice...

enjoy!!!

rustic marinara sauce

it is tomato season!  we are getting so many tomatoes in our farm box that i decided to just throw them all into a sauce...no matter what kind they were...vine, heirloom, grape, roma.  this is a simple, rustic sauce and can be used for so many things...over chicken, fish, pasta, in a lasagna that you can freeze to enjoy for the fall...

ingredients/supplies:
-5-6 cups of tomatoes - feel free to mix it up
-1.5 cups of dry red wine
-1 tablespoons of dry red pepper (2 tablespoons for spicy sauce)
-1 large onion
-3 shallots (you can use garlic instead shallot for a more traditional italian flavor)
-4 tablespoons of olive oil
-a large handful of fresh basil
-salt to taste (about 2-3 teaspoons)
-3 pinches of sugar
-a large tomato friendly pot, a cutting board, a knife, measuring cups, measuring spoons

prepping/chopping/cooking:

prep:
-wash any tomatoes that you choose to use (no need to peel)
-peel the onion and shallots
-heat pan over medium heat

chop:
-quarter tomatoes and take the seeds out of the tomatoes that you are using that are really seedy (i did not bother cutting the grape or cherry tomatoes - i just kept them whole)
-slice the onion into a large dice
-slice shallots into medium slices

cook:
-place the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the hot pot
-mix in the red pepper to your desired spice level and let the pepper infuse in the hot oil for about 20 seconds
-place the onion and shallots in the pot and sautee together with the red pepper

-once the onions become a bit tender, add the wine and let it lightly simmer so that it reduces by half

(the wine should not boil so keep an eye on it and reduce the heat if needed)

-add tomatoes and add a large pinch of salt

-cook over medium/medium low heat for about 30-45 minutes (it should lightly simmer but never boil) until you reach your desired thickness and taste 

-add additional salt and a pinch or 3 of sugar depending on the desired sweetness once you are nearing your desired consistency

-when the sauce is as thick as you desire, take it off the heat

-chop the fresh basil and add into the sauce, stir and add any additional salt or sugar you feel it needs

enjoy!!

brown rice stir-fry

quick and easy is on my mind these days...

something i make in bulk and store in the frig for the week besides oats is brown rice...then...in a pinch...with whichever veggies we have in the house...we can have something fresh, filling, and fast for dinner...

ingredients/supplies:
-2 organic celery stalks
-1 small onion
-2 organic carrots
-a handful of mushrooms
-3-4 cups of cooked brown
-any protein you desire (leftovers cut up are great or skip the protein all together as the soy sauce + brown rice provides protein on its own)
-soy sauce
-olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste
-a cutting board, a peeler, a knife, a large skillet, and a spatula

prepping/chopping/cooking:

prep:
-wash celery and carrots
-peel carrots
-wipe mushrooms off with a damp towel

chop:
-chop the onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms into bite sized pieces

cook:
-place skillet on the stove over medium-high heat
-add a tablespoon of olive oil when skillet is hot
-add onions and mushrooms and saute until onions turn a bit yellow and the mushrooms brown
-add carrots and celery add a pinch or 2 of salt and pepper and saute
-add any precooked protein you desire if you are adding
-after all the ingredients have been sauteed together and have cooked for about 10 mins, add the rice and cook until all ingredients are hot
-add salt, pepper, and soy sauce to taste

enjoy!!!