Monday, October 12, 2009

Squashed!

I've been having some squash issues lately.

It started with the pumpkin. I must have pumpkin pie. All the time. I think I have baked and devoured four pumpkin pies in the last two weeks.

I do have help. Everyone in my family seems to love pumpkin pie. And really? I think it should count as a vegetable. Why not? It's pretty much become a side dish around here.

Then over the weekend, my friend, A Musing Mom, bragged... I mean, mentioned on Facebook that she was making homemade butternut squash soup.

I don't think I had ever even tasted butternut squash soup before in my life. I know. I'm sheltered. I did have some type of squash soup at the Wolfgang Puck's restaurant in the airport one time, but I'm not sure if it was butternut.

My craving for squash-related foods intensified. You see, if I so much as hear a food-related word it could suddenly and without warning spark a strange craving that I never even imagined was lurking deep within me.

Can I just say again, "Please, please... do NOT mention the words K-r-i-s-p-y K-r-e-m-e". Don't say them! All of those restaurants have closed and it is not possible for me to fulfill that craving. Don't torture me! I won't be able to sleep.

Anyway. Back to the squash.

So, I went out yesterday and bought all of the ingredients for Butternut Squash Soup. It was a LOT more work than I had imagined to cut open the squash and cut it into cubes. When I got to the part about pureeing the squash in the blender, I almost turned back.

But it was delicious. I think they should re-name it "Cream Cheese Soup".

Oh, and I bought a spaghetti squash just in case. When I was growing up, I loved spaghetti squash. I know. It's a strange thing for a teen-age girl to love, but I was weird that way. I can't wait to bake it.

Who knows? It could even happen in the middle of the night. Stranger food-related occurrences have taken place around here at 3 a.m.

So, before I give you the recipe for A Musing Mom's Butternut Squash Soup (straight from AllRecipes.com), please tell me two things:

1. Squash, yes or no? I mean, you either love it or you hate it, right? Do you have a favorite squash? And a favorite way to eat it?

2. What is your favorite soup? I'm on a real soup-making kick right now and I would love some new ideas.


**
Butternut Squash Soup

INGREDIENTS
  • 6 tablespoons chopped onion
  • 4 tablespoons margarine
  • 6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 cubes chicken bouillon
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
  1. In a large saucepan, saute onions in margarine until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
  2. Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil.



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10 comments:

Lara said...

Glad you tried the soup and enjoyed it (you did wear gloves, right?).

Another wonderful soup is the baked potato soup in the CTC cookbook. My whole family raves about this one almost as much as the squash soup.

Since we have soup weekly in the cooler/frigid months (ie. most of the year), I rotate through a list: baked potato soup, butternut squash soup, zucchini vichyssoise(hey, another squash!), potato-sausage chowder and the occasional split pea or navy bean soup. I snagged a delicious taco soup recipe from my mom today, so that will also get added to the rotation soon.

Never tried spaghetti squash, but I may have to now.

Anonymous said...

I love squash, but have never been tempted by squash soup. I'm gonna try it. After I bake a pumpkin pie!
:) Lynn

everydayMOM said...

AMM: The squash didn't cause any problems for my hands. Whew!

I thought the soup tasted a lot like potato-cheese soup. If I hadn't made it myself, I wouldn't have guessed what was in it!

You can actually eat spaghetti squash with spaghetti sauce! Let me know if you try it!

Lynn: You must be having sympathy cravings!!

hellolittlepeepers said...

I like soup in restaurants. I just can't seem to be motivated to eat it here. I did make some pasta e fagoli last winter. It was expensive but delicious. I also make potato cheese soup in a crock pot. I will have to find the recipe. It is totally not good for you at all. I am interested to see what soups other people post in your comments. I can't do soup without bread, which is ok, since I am now a master french roll maker.

Jenny-Jenny said...

The only squash I really eat is pumpkin pie and I love it. I do have a soup I love and I will find the recipe after tomorrow when my son leaves. The last two weeks have been filled with getting a 19 year old out the door for two years. I am in an emotional flurry.

The Fritz Facts said...

I don't do squash, ever. Spaghetti sqash freaks me out...reminds me of a bug. lol

I do love my pumpkin pie though, so if you get tired of them send some my way please! lol

We do chili, Chicken Noolde, Turkey and Dumplings (after Thanksgiving) and even some Potato soup. We love having soups on hand in our house.

everydayMOM said...

I WAS going to make cheeseburger soup for dinner, but I was keeping my potatoes in the garage and it seems "someone" tried to eat his way through the bag.

Uh-oh... this could be a return of You Know Who! I threw away the potatoes and went to split pea soup.

My kids and husband won't go near it, so I'm using the extra bacon to make them BLT's.

Lara said...

One recommendation I forgot to mention about the soup recipe - you can make it with half the cream cheese (our preferred method) and it still tastes awesome.

Anonymous said...

Hi... not sure about the squash soup... haven't eaten squash since I made baby food for my oldest (8yrs old now) so... we'll see. Pumpkin Pie on the other hand is scrumptious!! love it! we had extra people for Thanksgiving this year which was great but there's not nearly enough leftovers (pie was gone yesterday too (: makes me sad... might have to make more..
Anyway, my fav soup would be cream of brocoli with cheese... mmm... it's nummy too...
Laurel

Kelly said...

I love all soups! Some of our favorites are white chicken chili, cowboy soup, Tuscan soup (from TOH), and Baked Potato Soup. I am always looking for soup recipes. Let me know if any of these sound good and I can get you the recipes!

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