Souper Saturday!

"To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night, all you really need is soup."
-Laurie Colwin

Hello! The following recipe I have to share today is a perfect way to use up your over-abundance of summer squash, I know I will! It is actually very good as a cold soup also, just chill and top with a dollop of sour cream - it is decadent! Enjoy!

"There was a Young Lady of Poole,
Whose soup was excessively cool;
So she put it to boil, by the aid of some oil,
That ingenious Young Lady of Poole."
-Edward Lear


Squash and Leek Puree
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
* 3 Tbs olive oil
* 2 leeks, cleaned and finely chopped (only use white sections)
* 6 yellow squash, thinly sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 3 Tbs finely chopped fresh basil
* 2 Tbs finely chopped fresh chives
* 2 tsp paprika
* 1 cup milk
* 2 tsp lemon juice
* Salt & Pepper, to taste

Equipment Needed:
* Immersion or standing blender

Directions:
1.) In a soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil.
2.) Add the leeks and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
3.) Stir in the squash and saute until lightly browned, about 10 min.
4.) Mix in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
5.) Add the chicken stock & cook, partially covered, until squash is tender.
6.) Remove from the heat.
7.) Using blender, puree the soup until smooth.
8.) Stir in the basil, chives, paprika, milk and lemon juice.
9.) Season with salt and pepper.
10.) Gently reheat the soup over medium-low heat.
11.) Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with chives.

"Cold soup is a very tricky thing and it is the rare hostess who can carry it off. More often than not the dinner guest is left with the impression that had he only come a little earlier he could have gotten it while it was still hot."
-Fran Lebowitz

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Souper Saturday!

"A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting."
-Abraham Maslow

Hello! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I know the weather is warming up, but soup is good year round! Enjoy!

"Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup."
-Ludwig van Beethoven



Squash & Pear Soup

Servings: 9

Ingredients:

* 1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
* 1 cup cleaned & chopped sweet onions
* 3 cups cleaned & cut butternut squash, 1/4-inch dice
* 3 medium Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
* 32 oz vegetable stock
* 1 Tbsp minced thyme
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Pumpkin Oil


Equipment needed: Handheld or conventional blender

Directions:

1.) Heat oil on medium-low in large stockpot.
2.) Add onions and squash to pot.
3.) Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 10 min.
4.) Add pears, stock, and thyme.
5.) Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low.
6.) Simmer about 25 min until squash and pears are tender.
7.) Puree until smooth with blender.
8.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9.) Ladle into warm bowls.
10.) Drizzle with some pumpkin oil prior to serving.

Tip:

For the smoothest consistency, use a conventional blender. Ladle small batches (about 2 cups at a time) into blender, being careful as you handle the hot soup. Puree until smooth. Return soup to pot; reheat on low.

Bad Joke of the Day:

What do you call a chicken in a hot tub? Soup!


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Souper Saturday!

“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can.”
-Laurie Colwin


Hello - Come on in!

I have a wonderful soup recipe to share today: Squash Soup. Even if you are not a fan of squash, you will love this soup! Squash is not one of my favorites, but I love the taste and texture of this soup. It is smooth, creamy and delightful! Enjoy!

“Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.”
-Louis P. De Gouy


Squash Soup

Servings: 5 cups

Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cleaned and diced
* 1 cup mirepoix (finely chopped carrots, celery and onions)
* 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 1 Loaf crusty french bread (sliced)

Equipment Needed:

* 2 quart microwave-safe dish
* Stockpot
* Blender

Directions:

1.) Place squash in 2-qt microwave-safe dish with 1 Tbsp water and cover.
2.) Microwave squash on high 10 min until soft.
3.) Set squash aside.
4.) Add mirepoix and olive oil to stockpot, heat to medium-low.
5.) Cook mirepoix, stirring, about 10 min, until soft but not browned.
6.) Add squash to stockpot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7.) Pour chicken stock into pot and simmer 10 min.
8.) Remove from heat and let cool 10 min.
9.) Ladle small batches into blender and puree until smooth.
10.) Return soup to pot and reheat on low.
11.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12.) Serve with french bread.

"There was a Young Lady of Poole,
Whose soup was excessively cool;
So she put it to boil,
By the aid of some oil,
That ingenious Young Lady of Poole."
-Edward Lear


Joke of the Day:
Why did God create men first? Because we learn from mistakes.


Enjoy your weekend remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!