Showing posts with label sides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sides. Show all posts

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!!!

roasted garlic


i love garlic and when it is cold season, it is the best.  it is loaded with vitamin b6 and c.  i feel garlic has a bad rap for it's smell and, if you eat enough of it, you will smell like garlic.  i, personally, enjoy the scent and i think it tastes delish plus all the good it does the body health wise...all of the positive outweigh the smell factor for me.

it is so heavenly roasted...roasted garlic spreads on bread like butter. it can be paired with a nice cheese or eat it smeared on toasted french bread with a side of warm soup...which is the perfect meal when you are feeling a cold coming on.

ingredients/supplies:
-1 (or as many as you like) head(s) of garlic
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-a pinch of kosher salt and pepper
-a knife, some foil, and an oven

-prepping/chopping:
-heat oven to 425
-chop the root end of the bulb off carefully as to leave as much of the garlic as you can in tact


-tear a piece of foil large enough to cover garlic and drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper
-place garlic cut side down in the seasoning and create a pouch



cooking:
-place in the pouch on the middle rack of your oven and cook for about 35-45 minutes...you may have to check the garlic to make sure it is soft and buttery...if it is not...just rap it back up and cook it for another 15-20 mins.

i made this for a friend so i did not open the pouch when it was done cooking as i wanted it to stay intact so i don't have a photo of the final product, but i promise that it is sure to be roasted golden brown and so yummy!

enjoy!!