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Milk and Honey Cookbook
Looking for cookbooks? Jennifer Cote's cookbook
and devotional,
From the Land of Milk and Honey, is available online at
Winepress Christian Books. $13.95
It doesn't get much healthier: Using nutrient-rich veggies like butternut squash gives you plenty of vitamin A (beta carotene), fiber, and more. Natural sweetness from the squash, and from apples means: No added sugar necessary!
Garnish the soup with chopped, dried cranberries, orange zest, and parsley; more nutritional punch, and it tastes great, looks beautiful.
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Simple Recipes
Simple recipes come together effortlessly. Make this recipe quick and easy by cooking your butternut squash ahead of time (even the day before, for a large gathering).
It doesn't take much effort to prepare this soup when you've planned ahead. Put the squash in to bake for an hour or more, then let it cool. The skin comes off with ease.
Having a batch of the spice blend on hand will make this a quick and easy recipe too.
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
We make this soup regularly at our shop in the winter months. The blend of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cayenne, and curry), reminds us of pumpkin pie, only it's good for you; loaded with nutrients. Holiday recipes never tasted so good, or so healthy! I leave out the cream and salt for myself, and it's still tasty.
A food processor works well to make this a smooth soup, or whip the ingredients with a mixer before adding extra liquid. Omit the extra water to serve this as a side dish. You can also omit the cream for a lower-cholesterol version. Serves 6 or so, depending on size of squashes.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 to 3 med. lg. butternut squashes, halved
- 1/3 c. olive oil
- 1/2 c. cream (optional)
- 1/4 c. frozen apple juice concentrate (or use fresh apples, peeled, cored, and baked with the squash)
- 1 to 2 Tbs. �Spice Blend�
- Handful of cooked, dried cranberries (optional)
- Orange zest (optional)
- Handful of chopped parsley (optional)
SPICE BLEND INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 TBS. curry
- 1 TBS. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1 1/2 TBS. salt
- 1 tsp. cloves
- 1/2 TBS. nutmeg
Place halved squashes in two heavy iron skillets (or glass baking dish), flat side down; bake approx. 1 hour or more, until soft and done, at 375 degrees: > 2 to 3 med. lg. butternut squashes, halved
Take out of oven; add 1/2 c. or so of hot water to the pan. The hot water will steam the squash a bit, which will help loosen the skin. Let cool until workable, then remove seeds and skin. Process until smooth, then add the following and process again: > 1/3 c. olive oil > 1/2 c. cream > 1/4 c. frozen apple juice concentrate > 1 to 2 Tbs. SPICE BLEND (see below)
Thin the mix out with enough hot water or chicken stock to make it of soup-like consistency. Reheat soup to serve. This soup is best rewarmed just before serving; otherwise the color darkens somewhat at it cooks more. Adjust the recipe a bit depending on the size of the squashes. But if it makes extra, just put a few bowls aside in the fridge. You can microwave them later in the week for another great meal addition.
SPICE BLEND
Mix the following: > 1 1/2 TBS. curry >1 TBS. cinnamon > 1/2 tsp. cayenne > 1 1/2 TBS. salt > 1 tsp. cloves > 1/2 TBS. nutmeg